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New DAC or New Streamer?

This should be fun. After I pay to get my amp upgraded at VAC next month  I plan to either upgrade my DAC or Streamer next. I should have enough for that by late spring/early summer. I'm retired so I save some each month until I have what I need. My system is in my user profile. But to keep this simple my current DAC is the Dinafrips Venus II I got a year ago. (I also have the Hermes DDC)

My streamer is the Cambridge CXN V2 via coax to the Hermes-> I2s -> DAC which is also 1 year old. I was just getting into streaming then and knew little about it. I have learned a lot this past year, a whole lot.

I think the bottle neck is leaning more toward the streamer. It seems the DAC is pretty good, I know there are much better DAC's out there but it holds it own I think. Maybe not? I cannot afford the likes of DCS, Lampizator, etc.

The next planned upgrades are a Terminator II DAC and Aurender N200 Streamer. Both are $5000-$6000. (Unless I go for the Terminator + DAC that is $7500 but I am not sure it is $2500 better than the Terminator II)

So, since both will get upgraded a year apart, which should I go for first? Which would provide the biggest upgrade?

Thanks. Happy holidays to all.

128x128fthompson251
lalitk's avatar
lalitk
5,535 posts
 

@charles1dad

Sounds like a plan! I meant to include this comprehensive review of different ethernet cables by Audio Bacon. I like Jay’s approach on how he evaluates each cable, you may find it helpful! The article is bit dated and may not include some of the newer brands. 

https://audiobacon.net/2017/07/09/sotm-iso-cat6-special-edition-the-flavors-of-audiophile-ethernet/2/

charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 

@lalitk 

Thanks for the link.

Charles 

teh_chucksta's avatar
teh_chucksta
54 posts
 

So late to this…I’m a budget guy so buying a $6,300 Aurender N200 is out of the question, and will continue to plug a DAC directly into my MacBook Pro (which was a gift). With the $$, my path leads me instead to upgrade to a Mytek Liberty ii (replacing an IFI Zen DAC 1) and add 2 REL S510 subs. My hope is these other purchases will provide better bang/buck.
My perspective.  Thanks.

audiotroy's avatar
audiotroy
3,801 posts
 

We did a recent shootout of the aurender n20 which is a big step up over the 200

 

the 432Evo was far better sounding and has a built in ripper

 

our servers are modular and upgradable

dave and Troy

 

yyzsantabarbara
4,873 posts
 

Yesterday I was comparing the Sonore OpticalRendu streamer with the streamer inside the Lumin X1 DAC. I was using fibre on both, and the fibre came out of my Ubiquiti Network switch or on the second test, an EtherRegen B > A.

The sound was relatively the same, except that the X1 was bit louder. After adjusting for volume, I preferred the OpticalRendu by just a bit because I thought the sound was a bit more refined. Overall, the X1 is a killer package. I wish I had 2 of them for simplicity and great sound.

Both are excellent streamers, the Optical Rendu is relatively cheap, and I think can compete with most streaming competitors.

I have fibre optic streaming using ROON to 3 rooms in the house and 4 DACs, using 3 OpticalRendu’s and 1 Lumin X1. These are all talking to a ROON Core running on a tiny cheap PC hidden behind a door in an office. The streams are all excellent. Fibre is the key to this setup.

*********************

As a side note on the Lumin X1 connected direct to amp and using the LEEDH volume control and external Lumin remote control. I am testing this out now to see if I can forgo a preamp. The key for me for a DAC driving an amp is how does it sound at low volume. The LEEDH is the best sounding DAC direct to amp I have heard though the Benchmark LA4 preamp connected to the X1 seems a bit better.

However, I will use the X1 connected directly to the amp because it is excellent, not the best I have, but excellent, nevertheless. It has a built-in streamer that is almost my best, and the DAC is my fav, over a Musetec 005 and Benchmark DAC3B. I have now eliminated quite a few boxes by going with the X1 for my Livingroom system.

 

 

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