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Streamer/DAC - Where is the value?

I currently have ($10K) Olympica Nova II speakers, ($11K) McIntosh MA9000 integrated amp and a (~$1.5K) Cambridge Audio 851N network player. The weak link here seems to be the Cambridge unit. 

I'm prepared to upgrade my streamer/DAC situation and my budget is about $4-6K. Although there are SO many options out there and it's tough to tell where I'll find the most value. My assumption is that the DAC is going to play a much larger part in sound quality than the Streamer. I play music primarily through Tidal. I don't have requirements for server storage or any other sophisticated source capabilities. 

Many of the network players come with a pre-amp which I am assuming I should rule immediately. That pre-amp would be taking a share of the overall budget. On the other hand I was thinking maybe I should buy separates. I could max out the DAC and get something good enough for the streaming. Or even continue to use the Cambridge if I really wanted. Having a beautiful screen on a good looking streamer would be nice but seems like lower priority in terms of bang for buck.

Curious to hear people's thoughts. Are there any specific units anyone would recommend as either an all in one network player or as separates? The Auralic ALTAIR G2.1 seems like the ideal all in one but it's at the very peak of my budget.

Thanks!

128x128jpearson3131
daveinpa
12 posts
 

I’ve got a Pontus II with a node 2 and added a separate power supply for the node because it was an easy upgrade. IMHO streamers are streamers if you are just doing tidal (that’s all I do). If you had NAS or usb connection it might matter more. So do t over think the streamer and bluesound ain’t going anywhere and supports all the stream services.

so put all your money into the best DAC you can find. Any DAC that has a streamer In it has some design compromise. If you are going for max SQ and you have the budget (you do) then separates is a must not a choice.

audioman58's avatar
audioman58
4,126 posts
 

Buy a Denafrips Terminator 2 12 anniversary dac just cameout $4500,

Which isa excellent very detailed, natural sounding R2R dac 

you can fornowbuy a Roon streamer around$1400 

untill you can afford a better one , run QObuz and Roon 

plater you can buya $3-4k streamer the most important by far is the dac 

little-green computer is another option fora dedicated streamer .

jerryg123's avatar
jerryg123
3,429 posts
 

Innuos Zenith, LessLoss DAC. Period. 

hickamore
657 posts
 

I too own (but use only for certain streaming radio) the Cambridge 851N. Bear in mind that it is also a DAC and a digital preamp for that $1500. Pairing with a good DAC instantly revealed its shortcomings, forcing me to buy a quality dedicated streamers. Tried several before settling on the Aurender line whose sound fits my ear and whose Conductor app is relatively user-friendly. These come in all price ranges with increasingly more bells and whistles, and greater refinement, as you spend more $. Also, in my experience, good USA product support team.

Now do yourself a second favor and switch to QOBUZ for streaming. I personally find MQA on Tidal phony and unlistenable. Other streaming services are not actually bad -- just not comparable to Qobuz. 

anotherbob's avatar
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anotherbob
342 posts
 

I’ve compared Tidal with Qobuz and find Qobuz to be the better sound quality.

 

Erik_Squires…what makes you think Tidal, or especially Qobuz, are going anywhere?  For that matter I’m pretty sure streaming is here to stay for a long while.  But then again, many pay big money for the inferior sound quality of vinyl…so who knows.

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