First Streamer...
Hi,
I'm planning to buy my first streamer.
Honestly, I have no idea which brand of streamer to purchase and would welcome suggestions.
I'd like to use my android phone to select material which will be played through a Audio Research VSi60 amp and homemade Zaph Audio ZRT Revelator speakers. My CD player ( a Rega Saturn) has a DAC which could be used for streaming.
Any suggestions?
I'm looking to stream TIDAL using Verizon's Fios service and spend under $2000.
"you’ll get the usual DAC is everything advice. In my opinion @ghdprentice provided you good counsel. The quality of the streamer is important and will definitely impact the sound quality" DAC first doesn't suggest that the streamer isn't important. In my system I put DAC first and use an iFi Zen Stream with iFi's $250 power supply, $50 to use fiber optics to filter out ethernet noise and it all sounds very musical. I will replace the iFi when I have the money, but I'm happy with the iFi. |
Like some here I have the Bluesound system. I have a Node 2 in one HI FI system and a Vault in another.. I have ripped all my CD’s to the Vault. Interesting note, if one has a hard drive with music on it, like I did with CD’s ripped to Itunes, the Vault can accept all that music without re-ripping CDs. I have been happy with the sound by using external DACs with the Bluesound devices. Unlike others here, I have both Qobuz and Tidal and I think Tidal via MQA sounds better. I have also upgraded the Power supply on the Node 2. I have found the customer service from Bluesound to be stellar. I think when other audio brothers here compare Bluesound to other streamers (which do sound better) they compare the Node which is often 1/2, 1/4 or even 1/16th the price of the better streamer. I, for one, cannot spend $6K on a streamer. It’s a budget option that sounds good, maybe not great. It’s performance jumps up a couple notches with a better DAC. My only negative is that it works better connected wired on a network with Cat5 cable to a router then it does wireless. |
This is terrific for you if this arrangement makes you happy. Certainly there are alternative solutions and beginning with a higher level streamer is one of them. iFi will be sufficient for some listeners and not for others. Individuality/case by case , YMMV etc. Charles |
@charles1dad So you have experience upgrading your streamer while using a dime store DAC? If a cheap DAC is "good enough" for the listener,, the my thought is that they won't even see the difference in the streamer. @vonhelmholtz Good breakdown on your integrated. My DAC is the most expensive individual component in my system. I do have a custom amp on order that will be more.
Jerry |
