Best streamer, don't want Roon, don't want a screen, A DAC is OK but not necessary


budget = $4000

To be clear, a built-in DAC is fine, but not a necessity

ullogu1

If you are going to use the MacBook pro to a DAC via USB get yourself galvanic isolation. Most good DACs now have a decent clock for asynchronous transfer, so you are OK there, but the noise from the Mac is a real issue. I bought an Intona isolation device and heard a big difference - no AB testing required. Also, and this surprised me, switching from a cheap USB cable mattered. The isolation device helped even with a Qutest DAC, which is supposed to have built in galvanic isolation. Also, getting shielded power cords  near the DAC made a difference.

@philgo01
This is a tough place for EEs. In a digital circuit the great part is the perfect handshake to the next component it's easy to get a 1 or a 0 right that's the glory of digital in a nutshell. Analogue is a really tough signal to get right not digital. Have a thick skin and don't wast any time with your silly knowledge about electronics and physics when it comes to sound. 

Innuos 

Sense was everything Room was not for me

So glad to be done with Room

Horrid software 

I have a Bryston BDP3 which can be found used quite frequently for a very good price (less than two grand). That unit is basically a glorified Intel computer so it has plenty of processing power to pre-buffer streaming services like Qobuz for truly gapless playback. The one caveat is the interface software supports only Tidal & Qobuz... and is rather archaic to say the least. But it has a nice mini-display with fluorescent read out, a robust linear power supply, and has excellent sound quality.

I prefer that to their latest model which combines the streamer with their renowned DAC...but uses a raspberry Pi system with much less processing power and memory.

 

+1 for the BDP-3.  I have the Pi version and it sound great.  The 3 unit has been discontinued but the support is still good.  Solid Build quality.  The interface is certainly outdated but it works.  Web interface is cool in that you dont have to install an app.     The radio paradise SQ is outstanding.