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Takedown of pricey servers, streamers OCD HiFi guy

Not sure if anyone caught this, but it's quite the take down of some of the very expensive server/streamer stuff out there. It seems logical to me -- especially when he prices out what some of the internal components are -- but this is above my pay grade so I cannot confirm. It's here: https://youtu.be/MMSC9-qQ_K4

Wonder if others agree or disagree with the basic takedown.
128x128hilde45
onhwy61's avatar
onhwy61
5,264 posts
 
To the OP, you can buy a watch that will keep accurate time for $20, or you can pay $20k for a watch that also keeps accurate time.  Pride of ownership is a powerful consumer motivation.  The expensive watch will look and feel really nice, but it won't keep better time and that's entirely besides the point.  You don't have to spend gobs of money to get good audio performance, but the best will cost you serious coin.
djones51
4,947 posts
 
thought that with all I had read about jitter, and clock timing, etc. there might be something to very expensive streaming/serving

Jitter and clock timing are solved issues and have been for about 10 years. If there is anything you need to take with a grain of salt it's this. Raspberry Pi 4 and a competent built $200 DAC will perform beyond the threshold of human audiblility. 
hilde45's avatar
hilde45 OP
5,146 posts
 
Points taken. He’s talking about units with $5k worth of parts that get fancy chassis that then charge $20-$30k. He says in the video he’s ok with charging $10k for such units and that he’s not dogging people who want to buy for chest-thumping reasons, but he’s pointing out that for those who don’t know (like me) there’s no $$s going toward anything audio related up that high. While it's true that "the best will cost you serious coin" I think we'd agree that it should cost "serious coin" because it is designed and built with serious skill and parts all the way through.

There is a way of commenting in audio that takes the easy way out -- to bash the rich or luxury goods. And I agree that’s too easy and not really of interest to people interested mainly in sound and value. I don’t think that’s really his game, overall, here, but it’s kind of his hook. (That old, "Hey, kid, I’m going to let you in on a secret" gambit.)

I’m not really that taken with this guy, but he makes some interesting points. Hans Beekhyzen, Darko, seem much much more rational as educators among the video ’casters. Kind of regret posting this thread.
melvinjames
416 posts
 
Your comments are always tinged with a bit of healthy skepticism. Keep following your nose and like many others you might discover that in audio, price in not always a good indicator of product performance especially in digital audio.
+1 .. and don't regret bringing it up.


arafiq's avatar
arafiq
1,702 posts
 
A consultant walks into a factory full of complicated machinery. He is told that one of the machines has stopped working and is impacting the production schedule that could result in hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost revenue. He walks up to the machine, spends about 10 minutes inspecting the innards, and finds and replaces the faulty part -- a screw. He later sends an invoice for $1000. The company accountant balks at the bill and asks, "really! $1000 for replacing a $5 screw?" The consultant replies, "yes, $5 for the screw and $995 for my knowledge and the cost of acquiring it."
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