What are you using as a streamer? Constructive feedback please.

@danager, In a perfect world yes but in reality that’s not true. The voltages that are represented by ones and zeros have residual values that distorts the signal.

And what effect exactly does that have? How much distortion? Does that effect USB, Ethernet and SPDIF/I2S, or only one or two of them?

In a perfect world yes but in reality that’s not true. The voltages that are represented by ones and zeros have residual values that distorts the signal.

Oh poppycock. The stream of bits coming out of my Raspberry Pi’s USB is identical to any streamer mentioned in this thread.  Everything down stream from the streamer makes the difference in SQ.  If what you say is true, you could never restore a computer backup.

Roon

NUC w/2 SSDs

Custom LPS

Bridge to isolate and distribute the computing load (bridge = Rpi Ethrernet in USB out)

Custom LPS for that

Isolation on USB

--> DAC; either DAC powers USB or i have yet another very small LPS to power just the clean USB side.

Most people are surprised digital can sound so -- well like nothing at all.

So what's important?

1. The network - wire it, no wifi

2. isolation of noisy computers from DACs.  Isolated interfaces, independent power.  This means not just +5 rails but grounds.

3. Timing at the DAC chip - generally not an issue unless you use SPDIF, which is one big reason i don't, except for TV etc.

The rest is pretty much irrelevant

One of the big improvements of the Raspberry PI 4 was to separate the USB bus from the ethernet bus. Why?... Because of the noise of the shared bus. PI 3 was still able to backup your hard drive as a computer bit (a switch) isn’t as prone to noise as an bit converter.

i haven’t tried a PI 4 but requiring a fan because the extra heat it produces made me go a different way.

The PI2AES was a I2s interface that blew away some of the top streamers unfortunately they aren’t being made and probably will incorporate the technology into a much more expensive products.

Here is a post on how to improve the USB signal for sound reproduction and it works for me.

Fidelizer 8.8

Not a robot but I do dream of electric sheep

Very interesting thread. I learned a couple of new things. Recently I scored a deal on Lumin U1 Mini, and apart from the dumb app (iPhone anyway) and the ethernet-only option, I found it was no real meaningful upgrade from Lindemann Limetree Bridge II. To me, the latter was a huge upgrade from Node 2i, which I won't touch every again. I like German simplicity and manufacturing: so Limetree feeding into the loved-for-a-reason RME ADI2 DAC. This combo is very, very good for the price.

Innous Zen MK3 was my other option, but I think the real sonic difference comes up the chain from an amazing DAC. Among streamers, Limetree Bridge is already great and any incremental upgrades will be marginal. The DAC however can really change what you hear - sound stage, clarity, transparency, etc.