2. digital
  3. 181440-170020

New DAC or New Streamer?

This should be fun. After I pay to get my amp upgraded at VAC next month  I plan to either upgrade my DAC or Streamer next. I should have enough for that by late spring/early summer. I'm retired so I save some each month until I have what I need. My system is in my user profile. But to keep this simple my current DAC is the Dinafrips Venus II I got a year ago. (I also have the Hermes DDC)

My streamer is the Cambridge CXN V2 via coax to the Hermes-> I2s -> DAC which is also 1 year old. I was just getting into streaming then and knew little about it. I have learned a lot this past year, a whole lot.

I think the bottle neck is leaning more toward the streamer. It seems the DAC is pretty good, I know there are much better DAC's out there but it holds it own I think. Maybe not? I cannot afford the likes of DCS, Lampizator, etc.

The next planned upgrades are a Terminator II DAC and Aurender N200 Streamer. Both are $5000-$6000. (Unless I go for the Terminator + DAC that is $7500 but I am not sure it is $2500 better than the Terminator II)

So, since both will get upgraded a year apart, which should I go for first? Which would provide the biggest upgrade?

Thanks. Happy holidays to all.

128x128fthompson251
lalitk's avatar
lalitk
5,535 posts
 

@charles1dad

My cable modem is from Xifinity (formerly Comcast). Since my modem is about 30’ away from my dedicated room, I use a pair of Apple Extreme routers in a mesh network configuration to feed my Telegartner M12 Switch Gold. If you would like to see my network configuration, please visit my ’Digital’ system page and click on Picture # 22.

You can avoid mesh network if you place your cable modem in the same room as your audio system. This would mean, running a short LAN cable from modem to your choice of streamer.

I am going to be soon comparing another network switch in my system. It will be interesting to see how this switch compares to my existing switch.  

charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 

@lalitk

Thanks, I have a two-story home and also a finished basement where my audio system resides. My cable modem is currently in a first floor library. I was going to use a mesh router in my listening room with close proximity to the streamer connected by a LAN cable. I hadn’t thought about modem in listening room LAN connection to the streamer. It seems that either would work fine. Mesh router near streamer appealed to me.

Charles 

lalitk's avatar
lalitk
5,535 posts
 

@charles1dad 

A mesh network is the way to go if you can't place your cable modem in your dedicated audio room. Please avoid Powerline Ethernet Adapter at all costs :-)

charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 

@lalitk ,

Thanks, I’ve been advised that modem directly connected to streamer unit could introduce noise issue, quality mesh is potentially a better alternative. Learning the ends and outs of audio streaming.

Charles

thyname's avatar
thyname
3,107 posts
 

@charles1dad : for a few hundred dollars (which is nothing in the grand scheme of things, what we spend on audio components alone) you can hire someone to install Ethernet everywhere in the house, every single room, every floor. Try common household service apps, like Thumbtack or Home Advisor.
 

It will be of great benefit, and not just for audio. Then, for your audio room, pick a switch of your choice, fiber, etc etc

More to discover