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

@fthompson251 Thank you, but I have already made an agreement to buy and Aurender N200 from a Forum Member.

Hi and congratulations!

Please let us know your listening impressions.

Charles

@fthompson251

Congratulations on your purchase, good call! Looking forward to your impressions of N200 with Denafrips Venus II. Let us know how if Hermes DDC still impactful with N200 as a source. 

@lalitk @charles1dad   Thank you. It is going to be a while before I acquire the new unit as I am away from home and the listening room until early April. I will not abandon this thread, I will get back to it after I get into the system and give it a listen.

Congratulations. You have something great to look forward to. Look forward to hearing your comments as well.

Or all in one streamer + dac + pre + tube...😎

the iFi Pro iDSD, quad BurrBrown dac chip also the pioneer of R2R base.