Do you have a perfect digital marriage?

I have a thrupple in my digital marriage .  My Bryston DAC3 cohabitates with my Melco N 100 via usb and Cambridge Audio CXN 100 over SPDIF.

  The Melco , which is also my NAS, sounds great and I would probably give it a slight edge over the CA.  There is fantastic separation of instruments, soundstage depth and delineation.

  I added the CA for features.  Chromecast, AirPlay, podcasts, internet radio.  The CA also sounds excellent and many times I use it over the Melco because I might be switching between Chromecast and files on the NAS and it’s just easier than changing the DAC input.

  Lately I’ve been wondering if the slight preference for the Melco renderer is because every thing is contained within the Melco.  When I listen to a file from the Melco NAS over the CA it has to connect by Ethernet.  At any rate I could easily live with either streamer exclusively by as Joel Grey says in Cabaret “..there’s two for one.”

I had the 2nd generation BRYSTON BDP / BRYSTON BDA digital stablemates with a CARDAS CLEAR cable. Performance-wise it was quite pleasing BUT it’s archaic and clumsy “Manic Moose” digital interface drove me nuts.

Enter the MOON by SIMAUDIO digital player / streaming DAC products, They have top-end network player/dac models at progressive prices.

https://simaudio.com/en/product-category/digital-products/

At its pricepoint, the MOON 280D MiND2 beat all contenders and pretenders in MY system ….highly recommended and a L-T keeper for me.

REVIEWS 

https://www.soundandvision.com/content/simaudio-moon-280d-streaming-dac-review

https://darko.audio/2021/07/refined-precision-moon-by-simaudios-280d-streaming-dac/

https://www.stereonet.com/reviews/simaudio-moon-280d-streaming-dac-review

I use an Aurender N200  network streamer ,  Lab 12 DAC 1 Reference ,  and Teac VRDS 701t Transport.    Great sounding front end in my rig.  

AT&T fiber optic internet w/ upgraded router => audioquest Pearl cat5 cable =>
TP Link unmanaged network switch w/ linear power supply #1 => audioquest Pearl cat5 cable =>
Mele fan-less silent miniPC running audio optimized MS OS w/ linear power supply #2 streaming Qobuz => Viborg OFC USB type 2 =>
Denafrips IRIS DDC => I2S cable =>
Denafrips Pontus II 12th => Viborg Audiocrast silver plated OFC XLR => 

Integrated tube amplifier & Klipsch Forte IIIs w/ Klipsch Reference 112 subwoofer.

Separate dedicated power line from common panel w true earth ground.

Organic, clean, holographic sound stage with detail and warmth. The sex is great, but she hasn’t learned to grocery shop or make my tee times yet.

Esoteric NO5 streamer/DAC fed by fiber optic ethernet from NAS into McIntosh C2300 tube preamp, MC500 SS amp, Tannoy Churchill’s