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  3. 149050-1604

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
martin-andersen
139 posts
 
I have a NUC with ROCK and a RPi with Allo Signature connecting to my DAC. There are many used NUCs. I bought mine used powerfull enough for DSP and MQA unfolding
audioman58's avatar
audioman58
4,179 posts
 
Jplay is the best sounding media player, I have installed much quieter SS drives ,platinum super quiet power supplies 
and jplay has super optimized very low noise boards for usb,
as well for Ethernet a Dramatic difference with these 2 boards alone under $900 and stillgives me great flexibility to use my top graphics card  and use dead quiet Noqtua worlds best heatpipe to cool processor at noise levels that are super clear even tidal takes on a new level on resolution , and without question Jplay has tons 
of reviews who agree it is the best sounding media player.
i have JRivers 25 also, Jrivers. Is better.
yyzsantabarbara OP
4,888 posts
 
One observation that surprised me and validates something that Audiotroy is saying about Ethernet was a YouTube video I saw of GTT Audio’s display at Axpona 2019.

Audiotroy’s comment below:

We have tested over the years computers with external power supplies, both directly connected via USB and over Ethernet connections, and the sound quality was lacking

The idea of a dedicated server is to preserve the data’s integrity, a dedicated server uses in most cases a custom motherboard, custom usb and or Ethernet outputs, custom BIOS, a linear power supply, re-clocking circuity, shielding, power filtration, and other techniques designed to keep the data signals being sent to the dac pristine.

As per direct USB vs Ethernet connection it really depends on the dac some dacs will sound better via USB while others will sound better via Ethernet.

I have been following the Mola Mola Tambaqui DAC/Streamer and Makua preamp/DAC for a while now. The Tambaqui just recently came out and is now in the hands of a few owners. It is getting rave reviews by users. One of many things that interested me on this DAC was the built-in Ethernet streaming on the Tambaqui (the Makua will get this streaming feature soon). However, at Axpona 2019, GTT Audio was stating that their best streaming performance was obtained by using the Auralic G2. I was surprised at that thinking that direct to Ethernet (and less components) would be better. Auralic CEO has stated on a Computer AUdiophile thread that they do not like to have a harddrive on the internal G2 chasis even though they have this feature. It also supports external harddrives via USB.

If I could talk to the Innous designers I would make the suggestion of removing the CD transport and making a streamer only product. I was searching on their site for such a product and they don’t seem to have that. For someone who is very computer literate as myself I got the sense that the Innous products were targeted at non-computer experts, which is a much bigger target audience.
yyzsantabarbara OP
4,888 posts
 
@audioman58  I know a lot of people prefer JRiver (which I also own) to ROON.  My current system is not good enough for me to hear much of a difference (a Pearchtree Nova 150 integrated with DAC). I prefer the GUI on ROON over everything else. Around 1998 I was thinking of writing a software program (Windows GUI based) to manage my CD and LP collection. I would have designed it very similar to the GUI JRiver currently uses (or 2 versions back). My point is that JRiver should step it up and become a better competitor to ROON.
yyzsantabarbara OP
4,888 posts
 
@steakster I have read about the Empirical Audio Off-Ramp 5 and it was getting a lot of good reviews. However, I was thinking that it maybe a bit like my microRendu in the fact that it is a relatively older unit. I am a little biased when it comes to digital and looking at the most recent tech. For analog I am not like this and I am looking to buy a new amp that originally came out in 2014 (or earlier).
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