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

@jetter Trust me, that guy is probably the only one who would make such a bullying statement on Audiogon for now. Just ignore him. When a mad dog barks at you, do you bark back? No—you ignore it and walk away like nothing happened. It shouldn’t bother you or anyone else.

That said, to be fair, I moved from a fanless MacBook to a dedicated streamer and noticed a clear improvement in sound quality. There are affordable devices like the Wiim Pro/Plus on Amazon with a hassle-free return policy. It comes with GEQ/PEQ and room correction that probably only exists in much higher end streamer. Give one a try to see if your system reveals better sonic attributes...

The need for a DDC is very system-dependent. Making blanket statements (like some folks) about its necessity often overlooks the specific characteristics of one’s setup. If a system already has a clean digital source, like the iFi Zen Stream, which excels in minimizing jitter and electrical noise (see below) as compared to the state-of-the-art DDC like Singxer SU-6 and Holo Red, adding a DDC could indeed be redundant or overkill.

In such cases, the additional conversion step could introduce unnecessary complexity or even compromise sound quality due to the increased signal path. As with any audio component, the key is knowing your system's strengths and weaknesses before deciding whether to introduce something like a DDC.

Jitter Tests

Electric noise

Well, I use a Denafrips Iris Fed from my iFi Zen Stream (with iPowerX power supply) and the improvement is significant.

Well, that’s your individual anecdotal opinion, but I’m not sure how credible that statement really is. If I recall correctly, you perceived a SIGNIFICANT improvement when you added a low-noise power supply. Then, you perceived another SIGNIFICANT improvement when you added an entry-level DF DDC. What’s next?

For the iFi Zen Stream to require two significant upgrades to become a "good" streamer, it would have to be quite poor to begin with. And yet, you still consider it inferior to the Innuos Pulse Mini. Unfortunately, your overly exaggerated opinion seems far from reality. I suggest you seriously consider other, more credible reviews. Please don’t spread anecdotal opinions that are largely untrue.

As for the SU-6 and Red, they are considered state-of-the-art DDCs, backed by excellent jitter measurements published by several reputable sources. Before questioning their quality, it would be wise to do your homework. These two products even outperform many digital processors with much higher price tags, including the DF Gaia.

https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/topic/65577-ddc-jitternoise-testing/

@mclinnguy If you challenge this common sense, the burden of proof is on you. Even if the degradation in sound quality isn't audible, why would anyone bother adding something unnecessary or unbeneficial?