Musetec (LKS) MH-DA005 DAC

@americanspirit 

There's been such an explosion in "interfaces" as you call them that asking for a low cost option is like asking for a low cost DAC.  You'll get a boatload of suggestions, basically as what various people have settled on.  The Musetec is good enough to warrant something very good up front.  You might also look on the threads here focusing just on that.

My own experience is that I was using a laptop running JRiver and its remote app Eos  directly into the DAC by USB.  That was enough to impress everyone at my house that I could run music from my phone or pad.  Quite by accident I discovered that my Oppo 105 could be used (with some limitations) as a DLNA interface with its coax out to the DAC.  That made a significant SQ improvement.  Getting the computer out of the direct path yields real benefits.  Based on that experience I think any reputable interface that gets the computer out of the way either by going directly or by DLNA will give you a worthwhile result.  

I next tried an SOtM SMS-200 with its wall wart also running as a DLNA interface.  Surprisingly, that didn't do much better than the Oppo, though it might have improved with a better power supply.  I finally wound up with an SOtM sMS-200ultra Neo that I found on the used market.  I power it with an  Sbooster power supply.  That was a very substantial upgrade in sound and I am very happy with the results.  I run my own files using the JRiver Eos program on phone or pad and do streaming of Qobuz or Tidal, also through the SOtM, simply by opening BubbleUPnP on the same phone or pad.  

I've never seen the usefulness of Roon for my own listening.

The SOTM is nice streamer at it's price, was surpassed in my setup by Sonore OpticalRendu, but then talking aprox twice the price. Both need nice linear power supply to perform optimally.

Now using custom build streamer, sound quality incredible! 005 compatible and not out of place with best streamers out there. This dac not only great value, but simply excellent at any price and in any system. I'd have to say 005 is both best value and objectively high performing component I've experienced in thirty years as audiophile.

@sns 

Always in a learning mode, I'd love to hear more about the "custom build streamer" that you're using.  It's great to know that as you've gone higher and higher in the streaming realm, the 005 can keep up.

@melm - Details of the custom build streamer that @sns referenced can be found in the comments of his system page: https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/8606

@melm , @bill_k correct, I think most everything there. The one issue with custom build like this is the bespoke nature of the total build including power supply. Vast majority of this not applicable to most if not all members here. To try to put this build in some perspective, last comparison prior to original builder selling, preferred this  to Aurender W20SE, a subjective opinion, but there it is. This comparison at time when build was in earlier configuration, lesser processor and power supply much less quality than my JCAT Optimo. Original builder/owner only sold after comparing to Taiko Extreme, $35k, which he ended up purchasing.

So, based on this and a handful of other builders with similar or exact same build and their estimations of sound quality, this custom build right up there with best. If anyone interested, the long and winding road covering this build and others can be found at Audiophilestyle forum, one thread is 765 pages or so at last count, so pretty dense reading.

At this point, I have yet to try vast majority of possible combos of music players and end points, choices include all Roon, Roon with embedded HQPlayer, Roon with embedded Stylus EP (Euphony's proprietary music player), all HQPlayer with Roon endpoint, all Stylus, Stylus with Roon endpoint. Entire custom build runs on Euphony operating system, this is proprietary OS based off Linux running on Windows ATX motherboard, generally running at less than 1% of available processing power which means this operating system has only the most essential processes running, means low noise, higher resolution.

At this point I can only say the resolution of this setup is incredible! I've been experiencing sensation of live performers in room for a few years now, but the added detail of this streamer has heightened this sensation. The noise floor has dropped down to the extent I now hear the lowest level details, voices are just amazingly lifelike, the smallest inflections and breath now heard. And all performers and instruments are increasingly in their own place on soundstage, individualized to the extent of much more replicating what one hears at live performance. And then also much more relaxed, sense of ease, more analog like presentation, which tells me jitter level much lower. One of the major design principles of this streamer build was paying great attention to latency which results in much lower jitter. As mentioned above I have yet to try most combos of music players, saving optimal music player combo for last! Also, still not close to optimizing usb as I'm using motherboard usb vs. JCAT USB board I plan on purchasing.

As for how all this applicable to 005, none of this wonderful performance would be possible without it! I still hear no sins of commission or omission. 005 not suffering a single bit with being more exposed, sometimes components suffer with greater exposure, defects previously unheard become heard, 005 has only increasingly excelled.

The fact is I'm so entirely happy with my digital setup, I'm finished, not worrying about $3k dac not being expensive enough. I've now turned my attention to the vinyl setup, already have some items on order, going to be major undertaking to get this up to digital.