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iPhone/iPad good as a source, or get a streamer?

This is probably a dumb question with a simple answer I’m just missing, but here goes. I’m currently using my iPhone and iPad wired with a Camera Adapter to my DAC via Qobuz in my headphone setup and it sounds good, but I’ve wondered if using a streamer (on the level of an Optical Rendu or Innuos Zen Mk3) would be better as it’d be plugged directly into the router. I’d assume the latter would be better given the wired connection vs. WiFi, but wondering if anyone has compared that to connecting an iPhone/iPad directly to a DAC? Location isn’t a huge deal since I’m in close proximity to my router anyway. Thanks for any thoughts/experience/suggestions.
soix
calvinandhobbes
272 posts
 
@soix In addition to using an Ethernet cable from a WiFi extender, these are some other things that I did from which I heard a clear improvement. (i.e., so clear that I didn't even need to A/B test the sound quality...I knew right away)
  1. I tried both an AmazonBasics Cat 6 Ethernet cable and a Supra Cat 8. The improvement with the Supra cable was about 50-75% of the magnitude of improvement by going to Ethernet
  2. I added an Audioquest Jitterbug to the USB output from the Pro-ject streamer. The USB from the Pro-ject is supposed to be optimized for noise so I was more than a little skeptical of the benefits from doing this. But, the increased smoothness and clarity was evident.
  3. I tried 5 USB cables (free USB cable from an HP printer to see if cables make ANY difference at all, Belkin Gold cable, Pangea Premier SE USB cable, Shunyata Venom cable, Phasure Lush cable). For an almost free option, the Belkin was okay, The Shunyata was clearly better. And the Phasure Lush was the smoothest sounding with the best resolution and the best at conveying the timing of the music. I LOVE the Phasure cable compared to all of the rest. The Shunyata is good, but the sound quality from the Phasure is at another level altogether.
jbuhl's avatar
jbuhl
898 posts
 
I just been messing around with this on my iPAD when I discovered that on Qobuz app to get anything better than CD quality you have to download the track local. I am using lighting to USB A connector and Pangea cable. to DAC. The local files (>Redbook rez) sound purdy dang good but my dedicated streamer has a little more weight.
But I think for people with integrated amps and CD players with a DAC who want to get into streaming to test the water an iPAD is a great way to get started as apposed to buying a Bluesound Node. Which seams to be the default answer here when people ask about getting into streaming.  Then if you move up to a dedicated streamer you got a nice controller.
tomic601's avatar
tomic601
12,825 posts
 
+++++ Jitterbug

plug them into unused ports….
soix OP
8,725 posts
 
I just been messing around with this on my iPAD when I discovered that on Qobuz app to get anything better than CD quality you have to download the track local.
That’s not been my experience.  I get up to 24/96 out of the Lightening port when streaming, unless my AQ Dragonfly Red is lying to me about the resolution. 

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