Computer to DAC Streamer


I am looking to get a digital-to-digital streamer for my new office system. I currently have a Sonare microRendu and that unit will move to another room once my new office system is built up. I also use ROON. I was originally considering getting a DAC with Ethernet streaming built-in but I may require a DAC with DSP and those DACs do not have this feature. I should add that the Linn SELEKT DSM streamer/DAC has Ethernet streaming and DSP but lacks the analog inputs I need (it also sounds excellent).

It has been suggested to me to buy an Innous streamer to get my music across to the DAC. However, I am trying to understand why these products are better than my current noisy computer combined with the micrRendu digital-to-digital type products. Anybody done a comparison? Is it because of noise on the Ethernet wire polluting the DAC?

http://innuos.com/en

In no particular order the following streamers have have come up in my research as being better than the microRendu I currently own (I have not heard these) :

Simaudio Mind2
https://simaudio.com/en/product/mind2-network-player/

Sonare Signiture Rendu
http://www.sonore.us/Signature-Rendu-SE.html

Auralic G2 Aeris
https://us.auralic.com/products/aries-g2

I am interested in the feedback or thought process of people who were making the same streamer decision as me. What did you guys end up getting or looking to get? I know there are a lot of lower costs alternatives and I am open to anything that will take my to the top tier sound level.

My preamp/DAC choice is looking like it will be the Anthem STR.
yyzsantabarbara
Yysantabarbara,

Here is our take on the following pieces:

First any really good dedicated server will outperform a computer for the purpose of music transport. A computer is not dedicated to music transcription and the device is not built with just that purpose in mind so the USB output will be filled with noise that affects the intergity of the outgoing data shoving a reclocker on the output still wont fix it.

We sell the Innous so we are going to be biased, after talking to their head engineer as Axpona it is very cfear why their products are so good, they litterally have looked at and measured every device on a motherboard in order to make their devices as quiet as possible and keeping the data pristine, they leave nothing to chance in the goal of making the best sounding servers.

The Mind device seems to be more like a processing board in a nice case, Sim Audio talks very little of what they are doing to keep the data in pristine condition.

The Auralic G2 is a very well built and designed device that should offer excellent performance, it has good power supplies, an excellent case, and has been designed for music transport.

The difference is that Innous does not believe that a device can produce noise free data on so many different connections, they really do believe that USB or an Ethernet output requires a lot of engineering and care to make those two outputs sound and perform optimally.

The Sonore device looks very interesting they are using SFP optical network to keep noise from the network out of their device, how the entire device perfoms is a mystery.

We had an older Sonore server and it was good, but did not show the enginnering or sound quality of either the Auralic or Innous products, with this new one we have no idea.

In our ranking it would be Innous Zenith MK III
Auralic G2
Sonore
Sim

Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ Innous dealers

We use the Zenith with the Anthem STR it makes a fantastic combo.

Oppo Sonica streamner or Oppo 105 (has a Tidal bulid in App) to skip coumputer. Or Mac Mini to DAC which many audiophile are using. change Mac hard drive to SSD and you will get  a low noise computer.
@junzhang10  I had a mac mini with my music and was not a fan due to constant restore from backups i had to do. I always keep my backup disk near the macmini. I must be an outlier with this experience, otherwise people would not praise the mini. I am not a fan of the macs.

My question was really abut using a computer in the playback chain and not a fancy audio computer, Audiotroy has stated that a dedicated streamer is better due to isolation of noise in the streaming chain.

I am curious if anyone has compared the dedicated music server/streamers (really low noise audio computers) vs the noisy computer + digital-2-digital converters options.