Digital Dilemma
I purchased an inexpensive Onkyo C-7030 CD Player more as just a transport, but also to use as a benchmark to compare to streaming music on-line. With intentions to get the streamed content to sound as good, if not better, than the CD player could muster.
After sitting my wife down for a listen (she has better ears than me) and playing Tidal, Quboz and then the same tracks on a CD, the CD was the clear winner every time. It also seems the CD playing without using the Gustard R26 DAC didn’t even sound all that much better than when played through the CD Player only, bypassing the R26. That doesn’t say too much for the R26 DAC or alternatively, it says a lot for the DAC in the CD Player!
I am using the R26 as the renderer via a LAN connection that is optically isolated. There are a few filters and adjustments on the DAC, but tweaking those still didn’t get the sound quality up to that of the CD Player.
A lot of you say you have achieved streaming that sounds as good as your analogue systems. What do you think, do I need a betted DAC?
@soix - great advice, thanks. Do you know if the ifi Zen support Tidal? I've tried TIDAL and Quboz and it seems some tracks are better on one than the other, then vice a versa. I don’t really want to pay for two services so if the Zen works with Tidal I’d be happy. |
Thanks, then the answer is easy. A get a good quality streamer and a good quality DAC. I recommend separates. Not sure your system / interest levels, but <~$2K or so per component is budget gear. You can expect a sizable improvement over $3.5K and again and again doubling. But the choice cannot be made just on cost… you need to seek components at the top of their category and with the sound quality you value. So, in general, given what I just said, you get what you pay for.
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@navyachts Go with the DH Labs Mirage. It has an isolated 5VDC line separate from the rest of the signal, and the whole cable uses silver-plated copper conductors. I’ve owned both the Mirage and cables that run into the thousands and I still advocate for the Mirage. |
