New DAC or New Streamer?

It’s clear that purely subjective personal preferences rule

Sure, how else can it be? It’s audio so you judge and decide based upon listening. You’re going to live with the product as it reproduces recorded music. If one doesn’t enjoy what they hear why bother with it? Absolutely and rightly so, subjective by default.

Charles

Many of us state streamers most important because we hear great differences with streamer changes. Of course this assumes one already has highly resolving dac and system. The thing about dacs today is not all that difficult or expensive to achieve high resolution, transparency, the presentation or what some may call color is greatest variable these days. Even more digital sounding dacs can sound far more analog with streamers and network upgrades that minimize jitter.

I've been through five streamers and same number of dacs over the past few years, the streamers have more variable sound quality than dacs. Also, the top echelon streamers will really take one past digital sound plateau, one can achieve streaming SQ that approaches or competes with the best vinyl rig setups. I know this first hand from what I'm hearing today via my streaming vs the best of best vinyl rig setups I've heard over the years.

And my own vinyl setup is pretty nice even without having even heard recent $16K in upgrades. The problem is the streaming is so nice I can't stop listening to streams, I start off listening sessions with intention to fire up my old vinyl setup, but I'm so involved with the music I don't get around to it. I don't even have new cartridge mounted or phono stage connected, and this has gone on for over a month!  I know, crazy!!

Streaming is the future, the future is now. As stated above in a post, streaming is now pretty mature technology, streaming can be one's best or only highest quality source, no need for media hardware any more. Not dismissing cd's or vinyl, just saying no need to go this route anymore.

Neglected to mention three dedicated streamers I've used, therefore, streamers without server capability. These commonly called two computer setups. Which leads me to emphasize rendering or port optimization and integration with dacs. Best ports on streamers and dacs can vary greatly, one needs to match streamer to dac here. For instance far too many servers are less than optimal with usb implementation, rendering of the usb is critical for max performance, and very likely plays role in my preference for Roon vs Stylus proprietary player via new streamer. The JCAT usb card with it's optimal rendering could upset the scale. Another streamer I came close to purchasing, the Antipodes K50 claims AES/EBU is optimal port, and other streamers may prefer I2S, one must do the research with both streamer and dac in order to discover optimal compatibility.

Also, it wasn't my intention to rate music players, I only have direct experience with Roon, Audirvana, Foobar, HQPlayer, and now Stylus, I have no idea what is preferable for someone else and their setups. My only intent is to state I'm getting sublime SQ with my present Roon setup, perhaps Stylus will outperform in time. I can understand the logic for why it should, and for why any proprietary player could do same.

@sns

Well stated and I appreciate your insight and perspective. My domain has been CD media which I enjoy immensely and will continue to do so. I am going to take my first step into audio streaming and am  really looking forward to it. I’ll take shipment of a new DAC soon. Once that settles into the system, next will be the streaming.

Regardless if discussing CD transport or server/ network player, both are digital sources that matter significantly. There’s a definite hierarchy of quality amongst CD transports and common sense dictates the same for digital streaming components.

I have read many posts from experienced listeners who stream and overwhelmingly they cite the quality of the streamer as crucially important. They have heard substantial sound quality differences within this genre. This comes as no surprise.
For those who insist that it’s all about the DAC, okay do what works for you. I see digital source and DAC as equally important. They function as a paired unit. This will be my approach.

Charles

If you are using an Innuos streamer or server using the Sense app is superior to Roon software. They also are very consistent with upgrades.

This is my opinion and many here are of the same opinion. 

I was an early adapter of the Roon Ecosystem and bought the lifetime package. Sure glad my kids are using it.