Solo streamer

@moonwatcher

Just an fyi that I2S is synchronous.

With I2S the clock in the streamer will be the boss clock.

And unlike AES or Spdif, where the clock and data transmissions are multiplexed, with I2S the clock and data lines are separated from each other within the cable.

+1, @jazzman7

@rvpiano,

Mesh network is a better and robust alternative to WiFi. Check out eero mesh network,

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08ZK3D89L?ref=ods_en_vicc_firefly_nrc_ucc

Don’t waste your money, time and efforts on mediocre streamers like iFi Zen Stream, Pro-Ject S2 Ultra Streambox, Primare NP5 Prisma, raspberry Pi.

with respect to streamers, Goldensound recommends the ifi Zen stream ($400), Holo Red ($800), and Pi2 Design Mercury ($600).

I'd think the quality bump of the N200 would be worth running $200 of CAT6 cable a few feet. Just an idea. 

@jazzman7, thanks for the correction regarding I2S being synchronous.  All the more reason then to spend a bit more then on the streamer and maybe a bit less on a DAC if you aren't going to be using the DACs' femtoclock circuitry. 

@lanx0003  You seem to be missing the point.  The OP likes his Dac3, and I agree with him.  His question is about a STREAMER.  You seem to have cherry picked one negative review regarding the Benchmark, despite the many positive ones.  You may not know it, but not everyone thinks that newer is better.  Some are in love with the dac in their older cd players.

Did you know that the OP is a classical music aficionado and believes that his dac renders the music correctly?  Many agree with him.  For example:

"I concluded my May 2004 review of Benchmark's DAC1 by calling it an "audiophile bargain." The same applies to the DAC3 B. Highly recommended for Class A+ in Stereophile's Recommended Components, along with the DAC3 HGC, which Benchmark says sounds identical.—John Atkinson"

FWI this is from March 2023 https://www.stereophile.com/content/benchmark-dac3-hgc-da-preamplifier-headphone-amplifier-benchmark-dac3-b