2. digital
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spend on the streamer or on the DAC ?

I a considering splashing north of 5000 (euro) for a new source for my rig (MOOON 340i, OPERA QUINTA speaker, McIntosh SACD, Node2). Better to spend more for the DAC or the streamer ? I was thinking about a Schitt yggrasil.Or would it make sense to spalsh on a more expensive DAC and use the Node2 as a streamer, or, for that matter, stream from my Macbook Pro. Regards.
olica
wgs57
29 posts
 
I am waiting for a Denafrips Pontus DAC to arrive and I will team that up with a Bluesound Node 2i streamer for the time being. Read the reviews on the Denafrips as they read to be an excellent performer. 

Bill from Nova Scotia
pvmike
40 posts
 
I’m fairly new to this game and have to say my dealer recommended I go to Linn and solve both ends of this question. I ended up buying the Linn Maljik dsm and have been very happy with the streamer and dac contained in this unit. 
dougthebiker
221 posts
 
You’re getting some unusual advice here.

The sound of any system is going to be the result of two things, 1) the weakest link in the chain and 2) the interaction of the components, cables and room.

The Node2 is a weak link and nothing you’d want involved in a 5,000 Euro upgrade.

Go for the Yggy (I own, fabulous and upgradeable) and the Innous Zen Mk3.  Use any leftover Euros for the best digital cable you can get, maybe Audioquest Coffee.

Then sit back and be amazed.
steakster
1,967 posts
 
Below is a comment lifted from this Mojo Audio Mystique DAC thread.


fuzzbutt17
09-25-2020 2:54pm

Hi Everyone.

Benjamin here: owner of Mojo Audio and designer of the Mystique series of DACs.

The most important thing to remember is the DAC can only give you what you feed it from your digital source. We get customers all the time who have a modest transport or server/streamer and want to buy one of the more expensive versions of our EVO: big waste of $$$. You want to use a digital source that is proportional to your DAC or all your DAC is going to reveal are the flaws in your digital source.

drrsutliff
881 posts
 
I agree with the thoughts expressed as to the importance of both.  For the past year I have used the Ethernet input of my Ayre QX5/20 fed by an i5 computer as roon core.  Very nice presentation.  Recently added a Wolf Alpha3SX server and moved to the USB input on the Ayre.  Everything elevated to a level I was not expecting. I also tried different power cords for the Wolf and different USB cables...  In this experience I relearned or at least reinforced the idea that every part of the digital chain needs to be balanced against the rest and the sound is affected most by the weakest link even if that is a simple cable. Your experience may be different but in my opinion invest in both in a balanced way...
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