DAC’s

it wasn’t lockdown for me but i can relate to forcing functions… when i retired 6 years ago i set out to explore analog vs. digital in some depth.. i invested in recording chain tools and support a local studio / engineer / recording artist on an investment / patronage basis. importantly i built my own mobile recording rack with both an excellent A2D and high speed tape. I drew my own conclusions from microphone selection, placement, configuration, cables, preamps, mixer(s), I didn’t buy a record lathe…. perhaps we can agree that except for a D2D, that format sourced from a tape..is lossy ?
Fun experiment….learning… still ongoing…..bottom line: each has virtues and limitations. What i find sad is a closed mind and ears that finds happiness in a single format….

now back to getting those Royer ribbons just so….

and to stay on the OP original?…. of course an MA3 is fantastic 

When I play an LP and stream the same thing via Spotify, it largely sounds the same between LP, dongle, and RME.

I don't have experience with LP, so no comments. But try Tidal and Qobuz. The difference between them and Spotify is obvious. Mostly the upper frequencies and the tightness in lower frequency will be noticeable. If you are not able to detect it, that's ok. Just enjoy the music.

Even a difference between the dongle and streamer should come through. At least in my system it did. I moved from Auris BluMe, to Chromecast Audio to a Windows laptop to a Windows dedicated server. And each change upped the quality of listening experience.

@ghdprentice

There is nothing strange about holmz lackluster attitude towards streaming, here is one of his earlier replies in the thread,

“Yeah - I am not much of streaming guy”

@lalitk the context was that I usually stream to either find new LPs, or have easy listening stuff playing in the background.
I usually preface an opinion where I am perhaps conflicted with a disclaimer like that.

But as @tomic601 mentioned, the lockdowns were an opportunity to take another pass through the system. So when the old CD player barfed, it seemed like streaming was worth a look. As well as playing out CDs that I have previously loaded into the computer (iTunes library). And I got a few CDs that overlap with LPs as I can listen to those in a car or airplane easier than an LP.

holmz

You shouldn’t have to listen to any particular instrument to detect the difference between an iPad dongle and a $2K DAC. It should be obvious and overwhelming. Definitely, Spotify is not a high quality source. But even then… very unusual

@ghdprentice Well the iPad was streaming the Spotify, and the dongle was going into RCAs into the back of the system next to the DAC inputs.
If it is Spotify as the limiter, then it makes sense as to why a dongle and a DAC are not too different.
Thanks!

To give some more context, the PrimaLuna is a bit warm, but switching between UltraLinear (UL) and Triode is much more obvious.

@milpai OK I’ll have a futz around with some of the other streaming options like Tidal and Qobuz.

Watching @shtr74sims go through the process may give me some insights.

Spotify is like a set of bald Mohawk raised white letter tires on your Lotus…. Hopefully that translated ok Randall ;-) Best to you ! Turntable frowned upon in the airplane…made me laugh… @holmz 

Jim