Streamer/DAC combinations

davegolf2424 OP

2 posts

03-20-2024 at 09:08pm 

Improved soundstage. I feel my streaming setup may be lacking in that area.  

Hi @davegolf2424 , why do you feel that way? If your music stream seems deficient, it’s more likely to do with the masters used by the service, and perhaps the way your speakers x room are rendering the files. Assuming all devices in between those two ends are reasonably competent, they should have less influence. Especially a streamer.

I like the Matrix Audio integrated streamer/DAC/preamp products. They provide top of the line ESS DAC chips (two of them, in some models),  most available I/O options (including I2S and HDMI in some models), and excellent IR remote controls.  They support very high digital sampling rates and are among the best-tested DACs in (FWIW) the ASR measurements.  Priced from < $1K to > $4K.  Lumin is another good Chinese brand.

Just got into streaming a couple of months ago. I started with the Node on its own while I waited for my USB cable to connect to my Pontus II 12th and I was truly blown away! The Node on its own sounded great but when I got my USB cable (Synergistic Foundation) and plugged into the Pontus is when things went from amazing to magical! Soundstage, detail, richness, air, ALL of it went to another level. What a difference the Pontus made! Everything came so much more alive….

I just recently put together a second system and had come across the Eversolo Master and after reading so much about it pulled the trigger. I have since moved the Node to my second system (connected via USB) to DENAFRIPS Ares II 12th. 
 

Since adding the Eversolo to Pontus it now actually bests my CD/Pontus combo. I found myself for the very first time not listening to CD’s anymore. I never ever thought this would happen. Truth be told the Node/Pontus came damn close but I still found my CD’s sounded a bit warmer with more detail. But now I can’t stop listening to the Eversolo/Pontus combo. It’s actually frightening how realistic and 3D like everything sounds now. This is a level I never even knew could exist…

I cannot recommend the Eversolo and Pontus combo enough. 

Another option might be to trick out the node with a linear power supply and add a fiber connection (ie transmitter and receiver) right before the ethernet connection to the node. All of this may cost around $250 so it’s a cheap upgrade.

@davegolf2424 You are getting some great advice.  I’ve had quite a few DAC’s and Streamers in my system.  A DAC will have more of an impact on the sound than a streamer.  If you have the opportunity to try different DAC’s, find the DAC you prefer before you change, upgrade your streamer.  There are a lot of great options, especially used in your price range.  There are R2R, FPAG, more traditional DAC’s that will all have different sound signatures.  If you love a DAC being fed by your node as a streamer and you upgrade your streamer it will only enhance what you love about the DAC’s sound.  Transversely, if you upgrade a streamer but you aren’t in love with your current DAC, it’s unlikely the streamer will cause you to fall in love with the DAC.  Synergy is also key between a DAC and streamer, once you have a DAC you love, you want to chose a streamer that maximizes your DAC’s performance.  If you have a balanced DAC that sounds best with AES, you want a streamer that maximizes / prioritizes that output.  Or i2s or USB might be how your DAC will perform at its best, you want a streamer that has these outputs but also paid specific attention in design / implementation on those outputs.
 

Think about the Streamer / DAC relationship similar to AMP / Speakers.  If you love the sound signature of speakers, when you pair them with the right amp, find that synergy that creates magic, the right AMP amplifiers what you like about the Speakers.  If you aren’t in love with the speakers, unless you have a really big mismatch on the amplification swapping out the Amp isn’t going to take speakers you aren’t a fan of the sound signature on and make you fall in love with them. 
 

Good Luck,