Streamer creates a Wow experience
I started streaming by running USB from my iPad to my DAC using Qobuz, and I thought it sounded pretty good and was happy. Then I compared this to playing CDs and much to my dismay I slightly preferred the CDs. This was a depressing moment. So I reached out to you guys and several of you assured me if I got a dedicated streamer it’d be much better, and while I always believed a streamer is important and can make a difference I still found myself a little skeptical how much improvement there would be.
So I decided to heed the advice here and after some research got an iFi Zen Stream with their upgraded power supply. After getting the Zen linked to my WiFi and using mconnectHD to be able to stream Qobuz through the iFi — Holy Crap!!! I expected some improvement but I was not prepared for the huge leap in sound quality I was hearing. Every aspect of sound improved markedly and my jaw was on the floor.
Anyway, you guys were so right in assuring me a streamer would make all the difference. And this is through my HeadFi rig and can’t wait to hear what this sounds like on the big rig. Thanks for your helpful advice and getting me through this. I’m one shocked and very happy camper.
@arafiq I agree 1000% with you about the Innuos Sense sounding better than Roon. The difference is not subtle. You forgot to mention unlike Roon there is no fee, you just need to own an Innuos Streamer. If you can't live without Roon the Innuos does have their "Experimental Mode" that sounds better than Roon but not as good as Innuos Sense. |
I also bought the ifi Zen Stream to try streaming. I was able to take advantage of the DAC in my Marantz SA10 SACD player, which is not a DAC per se but works in a proprietary way, but only accepts 75 ohm coax SPIDF. I invested in a true coax cable from Canare for not much. So far have enjoyed the free streaming but it's not quite as good as CD through the Marantz. If I sample something I absolutely love, I'll just buy the CD. Since my ifi Zen Stream is plugged into my Shunyata Hydra Delta power conditioner, would I even benefit from a LPS, since as I understand it the LPS is designed to diminish power line noise? Or is the ifi's standard power supply itself adding noise back into the Stream? If anyone knows, I'd appreciate your insights. Thanks. |
@eisen0169 The power supply still makes a difference (my Zen Stream is plugged into an Audience power conditioner). I’d highly recommend picking up a used IFi iPowerX from B&H for only $75 — that’s what I did. I’d also highly recommend doing a free trial of Qobuz. Through the Zen Stream it sounds significantly better in my system than spinning CDs, and obviously it’s hugely more convenient with a near endless world of music at your fingertips, much of it in hi res. No harm in trying. |
Thanks. I did realize that after I posted that it is the power supply itself that can be noisy. I did see that iPowerX online. I then checked out some of the LPS mentioned in this thread and saw how much they cost. I also found the iPower Elite from iFi and was wondering if anyone compared it to the iPowerX. It is $300, which might be overkill I guess. Or it might not in my compact reference system, which includes a Luxman 590AXii amp, which itself is pretty quiet. I am thinking when I hear less "quality" when playing the same music streaming (although so far just Spotify) than with the same music via cd what I'm hearing from streaming is actually noise. I've had it so good with my system in terms of noise, I'm not sure what real noise is supposed to sound like I guess. Does seem like there's some kind of "graininess" when streaming so I guess that is noise. |
Congrats on your setup! I’ve heard the zen stream, sounds really great. Personally considering the Pegasus as my next dac purchase, and your relating your experience with it is confirming what I’ve read. I almost got a zen stream, but instead went with a Pi2design Mercury Streamer. Just a bit more in price, but INSANELY good for $600. It acts as both a ddc and transport with multiple and simultaneous digital outputs. So clean that it pretty well get beyond the need for a separate ddc. The pinout for its I2s is also compatible with the Musicain audio pinout. Just thought it worth mentioning, but your rig already seems to be hitting it out of the park 👌🏼👍🏼 |
