Any audiophile use computer (MacBook) as your audio streaming source?

Been using portable PC ever since I first saw and heard dedicated music streamers and the horrendous price demanded for the streamer or any options such as additional memory expanding HDDs.

I figured a streamer was only a "custom built" PC that automated the chores required to rip and then read digital files either from a server or the internet. Using a Windows PC is inexpensive and does a fine job if paired with a good DAC. I use a Mojo with a good, but not overly expensive, 3mm to RCA "jobber" cable connected to Anthem amplifier with Focal speakers. The results are very good, surprising even, and very affordable.

It remains a basic yet very good way to start "streaming" and maybe, heaven forbid, even remain at that level of sound quality (many would be surprised at what can be done affordably). The money saved can be spent acquiring a sizable CD collection from garage, yard sales and flea markets (remember, for the price of one or two purchased tunes one can get a lot of used, but still readable, CDs at... CD quality !).

The other, often overlooked, benefit is access to a world (literally) of music through internet radio thereby enhancing your musical knowledge and enjoyment. These albeit "low res" foreign radio station discoveries are priceless and allow me to refine my "flea market bin" searches.

Remember it is always about enjoying the music and the WAF concerning overall budget outlay is invaluable and not to be neglected...;-)

Useful information here.

What I picked up reading through this thread:

- noticeable sound improvement is due to DAC

- noticeable sound improvement with streamer only at certain price range (ex. Aurender, etc)

- lower priced streamer advantage is mostly for convenience 

@illusionista8 When I had 3 streamers in the house, $2k, $3k, and $15k. I tested them out side by side and found they sounded different, which was surprising. However, I would not say 1 streamer was better than the other.

@yyzsantabarbara appreciate sharing your observations. Would you mind sharing which streamers they were?

Could it be that the DAC in the streamer is better than what you used when using a computer as file source? So what you are hearing is not computer vs streamer, but different DACs.

I’m not going to say this is total garbage , but it indicates very low knowledge about what is going on here. Most of the high end streamers most are referring to here do not have built in DAC’s, so no that is not what we are hearing.

Even if you don’t like Winer,

But what this guy says is total garbage. I didn’t read this article but from some posts I have read from Winer previously, anyone who claims cabling doesn’t make a difference is not an audiophile. Winer, just like ASR proponents, if people do the exact opposite of the advice given from them you will most likely get better sound. If someone built a system using a batch of "not recommended" components I bet it would sound pretty good.