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Do I Need a Dedicated Streamer?

Hello everyone,

As the title states, I am still unsure of if I need a dedicated streamer and if it would increase the fidelity of my music compared to how I am listening at the moment. Which is using AirPlay 2 from my iPhone to my Hegel H590 Integrated amp.

 

I know that the DAC in the Hegel H590 is considered quite good and it was one of the reasons that I bought the amplifier to begin with. However, would I get a better input using a dedicated streamer for around $1000 (such as the Cambridge CXNV2 for example) or would I be better off leaving things as is?

I am just not sure if airplaying music to the Hegel is degrading the signal in comparison to a streamer that would pull its own data and send it directly to the amplifier? Also, would improving my router placement and wifi signal make any difference to the sound since my Hegel is hardwired using a mesh wifi system?

 

I am open to switching streaming platforms if I can gain something out of it such as resolution but I’m not sure if apple music is the issue in any of this.

 

If the answer to the title is a no. I am curious what I would need to take the quality of my listening experience to the next level or where money would be better spent to achieve that. I do have acoustic panels in my room and have done my fair share of research on speaker placement already.

 

The only thing that I have been considering in the near-future would have to be the isoacoustics gaia 1 feet.

 

My equipment:

Hegel H590 Integrated

KEF Reference 5 Meta

Metra Velox Speaker Cables

 

Thanks for reading.

danb99
2psyop's avatar
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2psyop
1,640 posts
 

I look at it this way. I could buy a can of Campbell’s Tomato soup and take it home, place it on my stovetop and cook it in the can. Why would I need a pot? Well the answer is "no" you do not. But the can the soup is packaged and transported in is not engineered or designed for cooking the soup, it is designed for packaging and transport. The pot is engineered for cooking, and as such, does a better job.

Audio streamers are designed for transporting audio. Your computer is designed for many things, multi purpose. But it was not designed for streaming audio. Audio streamers do a better job because that is what they were designed to do. It’s simple really....

Do you need a streamer? In the strictest sense.. NO. None of us really needs audio gear. Do you want a streamer for better sound? Only you can answer that question.

 

gdnrbob
4,458 posts
 

I agree with @2psyop,

and will add that as you go up the ladder, the better your system will sound.

Unfortunately, that means spending more and more... 

A budget Bluesound Node will probably sound better than what you have and you'll be able to connect to lots of streaming music easily.

Bob

dhungana's avatar
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dhungana
36 posts
 

I have a Lumin U2 and I just moved it into my main system. I am currently looking to get a Streamer/DAC combo instead to reduce the number of boxed separates in my office environment.

I can say that the Lumin U2 was a great value add to my system vs streaming directly from the PC.

lnitm
143 posts
 
Good streamers are just as important as other equipment. Get a good streamer like an Aurender.
fuzztone's avatar
fuzztone
5,635 posts
 

Yes but by all means suit yourself.

A Raspberry Pi will beat an iPhone but if you don’t believe that, it will never happen. As of now your music will play only when you’re in the network.

 

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