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Anyone else feel like it’s the Wild Wild West?

I’ve been following the streaming threads here for a while now, and I find it both exhilarating and intimidating.  I mean, we all know everything in high-end audio matters to some degree or another, right (Ok, maybe except for the flat earth contingent)?  From what I’m reading and from my own experience the process of optimizing steaming has near unlimited potential, and some even say it rivals or even surpasses vinyl if taken to the max.  Cables, routers, optical, filters, extenders, power supplies, switches, etc., they all seem to make a significant difference despite the naysayers who say bits are just bits.  I’m all in on this steaming renaissance, but most of the jewels of useful info are buried in other posts, so I’d like to have this be a consolidator post of your best streaming experiences and recommendations for others who could benefit greatly from your hard-won victories and maybe save a lot of people the agony you went through to get to streaming nirvana.  So have at it — let’s empower this community in this noble task and help everyone realize the amazing potential of this magic gift to audiophiles.  What say you?

soix
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yoyoyaya's avatar
yoyoyaya
922 posts
 

Having a really good DAC helps enormously. In my case it's an Esoteric N-01XD.

The N-01 is clocked with a Cybershaft OP21.

I mostly use it via Roon fed from my custom PC fitted with a JCAT USB Card XE and which is hardwired to my router. (A big improvement over wi-fi in my situation).

I occasionally play files directly into the N01 via memory stick. This requires the Esoteric App which is not great to be honest so I stick with Roon for most of my listening.

That combination delivers excellent sound quality - comparable to CD played from an Esoteric K-01XD on 44/16 files and better on true 24/96 files.

Regarding the above post, I think the point the original poster was making was that vinyl didn't/doesn't require any of the bulleted items.

lalitk's avatar
lalitk
5,769 posts
 

 

 

 

holmz’s avatar
holmz

1,489 posts

It was easier with vinyl, as non of that extra multi-$1k increments were needed.

  • No power conditioners
  • No internet lines
  • No fancy USBs
  • Nothing extra.

 

Yup, setting up vinyl is like plugging a toaster to a wall outlet, plug and play 😂

Look at the recent threads started by @holmz

 



https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/tone-arm-plug-in-rca-cable

esarhaddon
137 posts
 

In reply to "No Power COnditioners" I must say, If you aren't running off of a battery then how are you stabilizing your Trun Tables motor? I know of one guy that has a table with three separate digital motors sank and is controlled via a computer. You can go as far as you want with any tech. just because vinal is Analogue doesn't mean it is free of voltage variations and current surges, power insufficiency, and any lack of overall control needs.

facten
2,961 posts
 

@drbay "A good streamer with a good external DAC would beat any vinyl or CD at any price point."

What streamer and DAC are you using and what were the CD and vinyl equipment you compared it to in the same system that allowed you to arrive at this de facto conclusion?

Personally, I recently had the opportunity to audition vinyl, CD and DAC with separate streamer in the same system. Speakers were Cessaro Horns, New Audio Frontiers amplification , vinyl TW Acustics , CD Neodio, DAC Tron Electric GT, streamer Aurrender. I’m not a vinyl guy but I gave the edge to the TW Acustics versus the Neodio and the Tron/Aurrender combo. It wasn’t a night and day level difference but it was there. As far as the Neodio and the Tron/Aurrender combination there was no "winner" they were both very engaging, no losing propositions , and simply a matter of sound taste preference - Neodio smoother, more romantic; the Tron/Aurrender leaning somewhat more towards transparency. The Neodio was my preference. Would there have been different outcomes with different gear, always possible. My point being I don’t think there’s a de facto statement that can be made about any of this.

 

 

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