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Why audio streamers are so much more expensive than video streamers?

I am a newbie in Hi Fi, and just got into the process of setting up my stereo system. In budgeting the audio streamers, I found it's interesting/hard to really understand that the audio streamers are way much more expensive than video streamers. From technology perspective, video streamers offer 1080p/4k video, with extra decoding of dolby vision/HDR, with built in HDMI and USB port, and same time offers audio streaming capabilities. Not to mention some even have fancy function like voice control. If you look at the audio streamers, pretty much all we talk about is the MQA unfolding, and DSD has been around for many years. Amazon firestick is only $35 while the most affordable audio streamer starting from $400-$500 range (Node 2), and most of streamers will need extra DAC, which adds another several hundred bucks, just to give you the audio. Am I missing something here? Are audiophiles paying way too much to preserve our self esteem and distinguish ourselves from regular people that pay minimum to get regular entertainment through video streaming?
dragoncave
sp33ls
14 posts
 
I think most people would be more than satisfied with a Raspberry Pi 4 and Pi2AES as a streamer. I've had 0 issues with mine. It looks like the same group is working on launching a more consumer friendly version that makes setup even easier.
yyzsantabarbara
4,801 posts
 
On Wednesday I setup 3 Raspberry Pi’s and 2 Sonore OpticalRendu’s for a client. It was not close for my ears, the opticalRendu smoked it. The OpticalRendu is what I use at home. I have a $299 Ubiquiti Networks Network Switch and plug the fibre Optical directly into the Ubiquiti switch. I also set this up at the client who plans on getting a 2nd switch to have 4 fibre optical SPF slots.

I also setup a tricked out ROON Server for the client and could not tell if it was better than my super cheap and noisy DELL ROON Core computer. I mention this because I think fibre optical wire kills the noise that can get into a DAC. I need to do more testing on this last part at home.
chorus
976 posts
 
I often wondered why I never see a SQ shootout between different streamers. Why?? 

I spent $2k on mine but does three functions. Streams, Burns and stores. 

Anyone else have an answer?
mahler123
3,312 posts
 
I have had a few streamers pass through my system, ranging in price from $100 to about $1200.  I have a natural sympathy with the premise of the OP, but I have to comment that the cheaper streamers can’t hold a candle to their more expensive brethren.  The cheaper ones have sounded thin and harsh and opaque in the midrange.
  I don’t know where the point of diminishing returns is.  My prejudice is that a streamer costing $15K isn’t going to give me 10 times the pleasure of what I have now, but I have neither the funds or the inclination to investigate.
  And, of course, the rest of the system matters.  If the system isn’t that good then it is hard to grade the difference between sources 
dragoncave OP
4 posts
 
@mike_in_nc 
Thank you Mike for this reference of “Veblen theory” as I read through its Wikipedia it is exactly the answer to my question, as to many things/behavior in this world. As I am mocking my wife’s purchase of expensive purse bags, I myself have this habit to be mocked as well. At the end of the day, we are just trying to justify the irrational behaviors to make ourselves feel good. And that’s about it.
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