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DDC or Better Streamer?

I’m trying to decide which would provide greater reward, adding a DDC or moving up to a better Streamer.  What am I looking for?  Just better everything including bang for the buck.

 

DDC – I’m a LAIV fan, but the Denafrips Hermes has optical inlet and would allow me to use it with both my OPPO (toslink) and Bluesound (digital coax).

Streamer – Am I better off just cutting to the chase and looking for used $3k Streamer (which would be more than twice the price of the Hermes)?

 

Will the better $3k Streamer be the better value over the $1.2k DDC?

 

Thanks for your input.

 

Room - Essentially 18'x18'x18' (ugh)

Power - Furman Elite 15i

Transport - Oppo UDP-203 with Glass Toslink

Streamer - Bluesound Vault 2i with Ice Age Ulitmate C7 Power Cable, Nordost Silver Shadow Digital Coax

DAC - LAIV Harmony with Shunyata V10 NR Power Cable, Kimber Cable Silver Streak RCAs

Amp - Music Fidelity M6si with Shunyata Black Mamba HC CX C15 

Speaker Cables - Cardas Quadlink 5-C

Speakers - Martin Logan Motion 60XT

Subwoofers - Dual SVS SB-2000 with Blue Jeans LC-1 Cables

audiostick
baylinor's avatar
baylinor
1,586 posts
 

@audiostick 

My point was it is best to match equipment in a similar price range because a 10k amp with 3k sources is not gonna be able to perform as a 10k amp, rather it will put out 3k signals. Of course I'm generalizing. By example all my components are in the over 7k range, talking new prices. I upgraded many times to get to this point but always trying to keep components in a similar price range. Like if I go up 2k in a unit, it's with a long term goal to go up like that eventually with all the other components. Just food for thought.

mbolek
194 posts
 

@audiostick 

I just got a Matrix Audio TT-1 and will pair that with my Laiv DAC.   Never thought using I2S would provide that much better performance.   I had the ES A8 and hope the TT-1 will up the game even more...

curiousjim's avatar
curiousjim
5,336 posts
 

@audiostick 

I’m not sure about the N150, but I have a N200 and it does not have I2S or Toslink as an output.  It does have Coax, but Their preferred output is USB and it sounds very good to me.

oddiofyl's avatar
oddiofyl
4,185 posts
 

I also have a N200.   With my DAC i thought coax sounded better.   The N200 USB is very good, but I think it's my DACs  implementation that's not so great 

I picked up a Mutec MC3+USB.   It is a reclocker and converts USB to Coax or AES  or Tos.     I have it converting USB to Coax and it is noticeably better.   

soix
10,281 posts
 

I think your most cost-effective upgrade would be a used Hermes and a LPS for the Vault from LHY, SBooster, or Teddy Pardo and then use i2S into the LAiV.  Best of luck. 

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