Do I Need a Dedicated Streamer?

In case y'all didn't know, all streamers are essentially  SBC computers ( modded gaming itx boards, hidden away, etc). It looks to me like some of you boys are getting robbed dropping 10k, 20k, etc on such streamers by vultures taking advantage of your pc hardware/software knowledge gaps.

- Any dac worth its salt should have a ASIO optimized driver for your PC. Install it and ENABLE ASIO, for starters! 

- Improve the overall power and ethernet infrastructure for all your components, i.e., dedicated power line, power filter, ethernet filter, jitterbug, etc..or build a audio optimized PC from scratch.

After you do such things, I'll eat my hat if you heard any "improvements" from a vulture priced streamer over audio optimized PC infrastructure.

A PC will also give full flexibility for all kinds of software tweaks, etc. You won't be locked in with some crappy glitchy software on some thieving vulture's 20k "streamer".

@deep_333 A PC will also give full flexibility for all kinds of software tweaks, etc. You won't be locked in with some crappy glitchy software on some thieving vulture's 20k "streamer".

Granted some of these streaming servers are overpriced. However holding up a PC and Windows as the magic answer and calling all others crappy, glitchy software uncovers a significant "knowledge gap" on your part when it comes to operating systems.

Granted some of these streaming servers are overpriced. However holding up a PC and Windows as the magic answer and calling all others crappy, glitchy software uncovers a significant "knowledge gap" on your part when it comes to operating systems

Sure, sure, carry on bro! May the exquisite sound land on ya from the "streamer" like never before.

Ok, there are getting to be too many “streamers are just PCs” in this thread. The proof to those of us that have tried most everything is the difference between a PC or MAC and a good (at the bottom end Blue stream) is simply startling. The difference gets bigger as you go to $2k to $5K to $10K to $15K, and finally above $20K, assuming you have a commiserate system. Common sense required here.. don’t pair a $2K streamer with a $1K system. Admittedly there are a few techies that have put thousands into cleaning up their network and PC and have gotten pretty good results… but this is a waste of enormous time and money for most of us (my career was in IT… like director of IT for global high tech companies… with the background to understand this stuff).

Over the years I have modified PCs… shutting down all extraneous background tasks, using special software, running my Mac on batteries and until I bought a dedicated streamer the sound was ok, but my first dedicated streamer was finally like a piece of high end audio equipment. Each increment of investment (carefully researched to be best of class… Aurender) bested the lower level models. Like some folks pointed out, it’s the source! Unless it is noise free then the dynamics and noice floor are compromised. It is like every other piece of audio equipment… it matters. Just because it doesn’t sound logical doesn’t mean it isn’t true.

This is a pursuit better pursued by listening than applying logic… well unless you have a tremendous amount of experience with the high end. The first high end digital cable I stuck in between my transport and DAC about thirty years ago destroyed any desire for me to go out on a limb with logic on why it shouldn’t matter by logic. It just does, and every audiophile and high end audio company knows it.

What @ghdprentice said.