Chip the Chord is an excellent dac but the Blue Sound will not perform optimially with a superior dac that shoudl be run via USB especially for the higher sampling rates.
Interesting Rbsterno, we had the Auarlic Aries and found its sound quality to be very lacking.
As per ethernet being better it depends on the dac and how you are feeding it. certain dacs will sound better via usb while others via ethernet.
Also using a standard computer to feed your streaming dac does not equil nirvanah, we have tested extensively standard computers running Roon on the network via ethernet and then playing the same feed from a dedicated server also via etherent and the server sounded far better.
So the take away is that just because you are running via etherent doesn't mean you will get great sound.
Part of the reason the Lumin makes such sense is it is an optomized one box system no cable streamer directly feeding the dac.
Our two recommendations for inexpensive streaming dacs are the Ifi Dsd and the Lumin D2 both are very hard to beat, be more than happy to compare the Ifi being feed by an Inuous Zen vs your PS any day of the week.
The fact that this gentleman likes the sound of the Ifi headphone amp means he will also love the sound of the Ifi DSD which is just an incredible little dac/streamer, yes it is bit more however, the option of running cheaper dac, plus cable plus streamer won't be that much less expensive.
Rbsterno we carry a ton of dacs, Mytek, Lumin, Nad, Naim, Ifi, Lumin, Nuprime, Innuous servers and others. It is our speciality.
Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ
Interesting Rbsterno, we had the Auarlic Aries and found its sound quality to be very lacking.
As per ethernet being better it depends on the dac and how you are feeding it. certain dacs will sound better via usb while others via ethernet.
Also using a standard computer to feed your streaming dac does not equil nirvanah, we have tested extensively standard computers running Roon on the network via ethernet and then playing the same feed from a dedicated server also via etherent and the server sounded far better.
So the take away is that just because you are running via etherent doesn't mean you will get great sound.
Part of the reason the Lumin makes such sense is it is an optomized one box system no cable streamer directly feeding the dac.
Our two recommendations for inexpensive streaming dacs are the Ifi Dsd and the Lumin D2 both are very hard to beat, be more than happy to compare the Ifi being feed by an Inuous Zen vs your PS any day of the week.
The fact that this gentleman likes the sound of the Ifi headphone amp means he will also love the sound of the Ifi DSD which is just an incredible little dac/streamer, yes it is bit more however, the option of running cheaper dac, plus cable plus streamer won't be that much less expensive.
Rbsterno we carry a ton of dacs, Mytek, Lumin, Nad, Naim, Ifi, Lumin, Nuprime, Innuous servers and others. It is our speciality.
Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ