2. digital
  3. 175408-120426

Wanting to upgrade my streaming sound quality.

I would really like to get my streaming sq up to my analog sq. My equipment is a McIntosh MC 452, C47, TD 124 with an AT 150 SA on a SME M2-9 tone arm, a Rega P8 with an Alpheta 3, a restored MR 74 tuner, driving Aerial 7t speakers. My streaming now is an iPad with a usb cable into my preamp with Tidal. I would be willing to spend around $2500 . A one box solution would be preferable for a steamer/dac combo although two boxes could also work. I’m not interested in multiple clocks and separate power supplies etc. Also I don’t use CD’s for a source.  I do have AT&T fiber internet with up to 1000 mb speed and my modem is only around 5 feet from my audio rack. Balanced inputs is preferable but not a deal breaker. I’ve looked at the HiFi Rose 250 and the 150 although the latter is more money than I want to spend. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I’m an Analog guy in a digital world.

Greg

128x128gphill
sns
3,256 posts
 

Over the years I've gone back and forth with upgrades to analog and digital in my system.  For me planned upgrades to either side need to outperform the present superior side. I'm presently at point where it will take $10-20K to bring analog up to or surpass digital.

 

I've always found analog needs to outperform digital side in order to motivate me to use. My digital side has been at least satisfying for years, and the convenience trumps analog. Digital has gotten all the attention in recent years, reason analog needs major expenditure to catch up.

 

For vinyl only guys just getting into streaming expenditure will depend on how ambitious analog system is. Reaching too low on digital side will result in disappointment, it really takes quite a large expenditure and paying much attention to every single little detail to reach upper echelon of streaming. Streaming at highest level is complex and so many choices!

ghdprentice
7,019 posts
 

@sns +1

tuberist
951 posts
 

+1 Axo….good post.

jbuhl's avatar
jbuhl
989 posts
 

If you want digital to sound as good as your analogue set up then spend close to that amount and don’t limit it to a third of your analogue’s cost.If you want digital to sound as good as your analogue set up then spend close to that amount and don’t limit it to a third of your analogue’s cost.

 

This is where I am, got nearly same invest in both. Couple things its made me realize. 1)Not sure I want to keep buying vinyl given where retail pricing has gone and storing the media. 2) How crappy many vinyl recordings actually are.

 

I got 2 issues of the American pressings of the Beatles white album. They both have inferior SQ. Hop over the Qobuz and fire up the 2018 remaster and it sound much better. I searched around for the UK pressing which is supposed to be good. Found one in Canada for $100+ and no telling what its gonna look like when you get it.   Or fork the big $ for the remaster LP. :/ I am thinking of saving my $ and continuing to tweak the streamer config.

larry5729's avatar
larry5729
1,008 posts
 

I wish I could find a dealer in town that can demonstrate different streamers to hear the difference using the same components and speakers.  

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