Advice for Streaming Newbies - Best Bang for Our Bucks
Hi All,
I'm currently building up my 'streaming only' system having read more reviews and forums in the last three weeks than in the preceding three months!
I'm a firm believer that I don't need to spend thousands upon thousands to get the best out of Tidal but conversely, there are good investments to be made to get the best sound.
I'd like to call on your collective wisdom for either general recommendations or specific product recommendations that give good "bang for the buck".
To start the ball rolling, my specific system looks like this:
Tidal Premium
5G Mobile Router with stock PSU (on separate extension lead)
Audioquest Pearl CAT6 Ethernet Cable to English Electric 8 Switch with stock PSU (on shared core extension lead with 2 x ifi AC iPurifiers)
Chord C Ethernet Cable to ifi Zen Stream with stock PSU (12v iPower 2) (on shared core extension)
Wireworld Chroma USB3.0 to ifi Zen DAC v2 with ifi iPower X (on shared core extension)
ifi 4.4mm Connector to ifi Zen Can with stock PSU (on shared core extension)
Topping PA5 with stock PSU (on separate extension lead)
Audioquest Rocket 11 Speaker Cable to Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 Speakers
I have an ifi iPower Elite on Order and two more iPower X's
Possible upgrades I am considering:
Improved PSU for the Router
Improved Power Cable to the iPower Elite
More use of iPower Elite's
eno Ethernet Filter
Gigafoil v4
Improved Ethernet Cables
Improved USB Cable
Additional AC iPurifiers for other extensions
Starting from a basic system what areas of investment have yielded the best results? An improved PSU on the DAC or the Swtich? An ethernet filter? A better ethernet cable? etc.?
You are off to a good start, sadly it all matters in the streaming chain.
One thing worth trying for relatively little outlay is adding another switch between your router and your English electric switch. Cisco 2960 and Netgear GS105 switches can be had very cheaply (get a used Cisco). Both of these switches improved my playback when I used them between the router and an audiophile switch even with stock power supplies. I kept the cisco one, it edges the Netgear. |
The Qobuz movement is strong here! I am just slightly miffed that I need to purchase an additional piece of software to actually use it, not supporting DLNA/UPNP is pretty disappointing (to me). I will give it a good go however, any recommendations on how best to use it (at the highest res) from both Android and Windows? Good call on the additional switch @discopants - do you have the 2960 dedicated to the audio chain or do you use it for other networked devices too? Also, do you have any of the managed configuration options set or do you use it in a "plug and play" manner? |
@sgreg1 - the Intona USB Isolator looks very interesting indeed. The Zen Stream and Zen DAC have built-in USB magic to reduce/remove unwanted noise however I've already considered adding an ifi USB iPurifier3 (though it is a USB 2 device it would still work). With all of these things, we have to "suck it and see".
-J |
