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Flaws in this chain?

New to streaming and such. Is there a serious weak link in this chain?:

MacBook Pro with Tidal (hi res)------wireless to-----Apple TV-----toslink to-----Schiit Modi 2 Uber-----RCA cable to----Line stage.

I know that the Schiit is no great shakes in terms of a DAC but is there any other serious limitation in the chain? Thanks.

George
n80
djones51
4,947 posts
 
So, Macbook Tidal  > wireless> ATV> DAC> preamp sounds kind of lousy and itunes the same chain sounds better?  My guess is it's tidal but I never used tidal so have no direct knowledge. Can tidal be installed on the ATV ?  I use an integrated amp/dac/streamer so I might not be the best for ideas but it looks like a lot of nodes involved. To me even ripped CD on my  NAS wireless to my integrated  doesn't quite have the SQ as CDP digital to the integrated but it's close, blind I might not be able to tell. So far I have only listened to internet radio over my integrated which isn't bad for casual been waiting on Qobuz to try hi - res streaming. 
audioengr
3,282 posts
 
Yes, jitter was the #1 issue which is why I'm glad they have figured it out in well designed modern dacs that have been made in the last 20 years or so.

Some designers have started to figure it out, but not many IME. Most USB interfaces suck because of the high jitter.  Most internal reclockers are poorly implemented and don't do a good job.

 I will admit that the jitter in the average component has improved a lot since the inception of the CD, but most designers still have a LOT to learn.

I recently made improvements to my reclocker that reduced the jitter from 22psec to 7psec.  Did I notice the difference?  Absolutely.  Did my customers notice the difference? Absolutely.

Steve N.

Empirical Audio

audioengr
3,282 posts
 
...the digital stream , the 1’s and 0’s, are sent to the DAC that converts to analog, as long as those 1’s and 0’s get there the DAC reconstructs them using it’s clock since the embedded clock information and any jitter that was sent in the stream has been isolated out

In an ideal world, but that's not the world we live in.  PLL's and downstream buffers, registers and dividers are all affected.  IF there is a reclocker in the DAC, then the effect is usually less, but if you can change coax cables and hear the difference, then source jitter still matters.  If it really worked as good as you claim, then everyone here would only need a $20 Markertek coax cable to achieve the best SQ.

Steve N.

Empirical Audio

djones51
4,947 posts
 
I use a $20 blue jeans belden coax cable and my SQ is good enough for me. Obviously you know more about this than I do. All I know is what I have read. 
n80 OP
2,134 posts
 
djones51, I have not actually tried Tidal hi-res on this set-up.

Ripped CDs played through USB to low end Schiit DAC do not sound the same as CD through CDP but it is quite close. In A-B testing I find the CD to be brighter and the ripped CD through the DAC to be less strident. Hard call as to which is better. Through the DAC is usually good enough for me even for serious listening sessions.

At this moment I'm listening to Mark Knopfler's Sailing to Philadelphia through iTunes via the ATV and it is surprisingly acceptable....but I'm sure that is in part due to its exceptional production quality shining through compression, jitter and whatever else.

A good Chianti vs a high end Super Tuscan. I can live with both.
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