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.
For a while I had been streaming Spotify from laptop to Venus2 DAC, then, recently decided to see if dedicated streamer would make substantial difference. I went with Wiim Pro going through the same path and improvement in every aspect is very noticeable, mostly stage much enlarged in all dimensions. If I proceed on a path of going up the ladder of streamers is to be seen, since mostly listening to CDs and LPs. Streaming for finding new music. This is my experience. |
@danb99 ditch airplay it’s not great as to streamers - cheap ones will most likely not be an improvement. The expensive ones will be a waste of money if you continue to use Hegel’s inbuilt DAC as it will be a bottleneck. P.S. Don’t use computer as a streamer via USB. It’s not optimized to serve as a network transport and you will not realize the potential of your gear. |
Forsure if streamingQuality a good LPS power supply to the router not$10 junk noisy wall wart routers come with , also a Quality Ethernet hub $600 minimum on up jays audio makes a respectable one with over controlledclock LPS ,and regulated power supplies , forsure quality Ethernet cables and buy a quality dac ,the Under $2k Denafrips pontus 2 12th is much better ,sounding you also need quality cables minimum at least $500to over$1k each including usb cable and power cords ,my friend owns a 590 Hegel and that’s the dac he bought I totally agree and a quality streamera must for best sound . hegelsNew 600iheardis muchbetter acrossthe board ,Thst has its own LPS power supply ,better dac ,as well as amp preamp section, youcan get away with a streamer with that but the LPS for router , good cables and power cords and quality Ethernet hub still apply , No short cuts being an Audiophile if you want the best quality sound . |
Short version Hard wired streamer. Lose AirPlay 2 use and app the runs a streamer. Read @audioman58 & @audphile1 and others offering the same advice above. Loved the soup analogy! Poke around these fora and there’s great info to be gleaned.
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