Anyone else feel like it’s the Wild Wild West?

@fastfreight 

+1

@ronboco

You bring up a good point. A high end integrated can surpass mid-range separates, very true.

Each companies product lines are: Flagship = two box single function (like DAC, amp, or preamp), first level down… single box function, next level down… integrated of two functions… etc.

Why? Sharing space, power supplies, and functions compromises the performance. Also, upgrading… means the whole box when integrated… unless with swapable circuit boards (a huge sound compromise).

For folks that have limited funds (+95%) of audiophiles, every purchase is a compromise, with the expectation of an upgrade in the future. So, individual boxes at the highest level affordable is the way to go. Slowly and incrementally build a better system over time.

The big expensive integrated components are mostly for really well healed folks that want great sound and want it hidden and would never dedicate the thousands of hours over out lifetime an audiophile will to appreciate and assemble a system to cater to their desire for great sound.

@attila7

Streaming not need to be difficult. Think of it this way:

Turntable —> Phonostage —> Preamp

Streamer —> DAC —> Preamp

The two analogous.

No management software is required. Buy a Aurrender, Aurlic, Lumin, or budget Bluesound streamer. The first three higher quality.

If you really just want a simple solution you can get a Streamer / DAC. Although future upgrades will be harder. I recommend Aurrender. I have two after trying others. Plunk it down, connect. Download the app and start streaming. If you are not close to your router… just buy a wall wart wifi extender… plug it in next to your system and plug that in to your streamer… it will just work.

This is a time of change. Ambiguity has been a fundamental tenant of high end audio since it’s inception, but given advances in the digital domain, the incredible proliferation of choices in individual choices of components and the joining of computing and audio… yeah, what a complex ambiguous mess.

I have pursued high end audio since the 70’s and adopted digital as soon as available… being an IT executive as my career… enabling me to afford and desire to investigate what is possible.

We are now at the tipping point when digital finally is equal to analog. But the complex choices available can make any given combination show analog to be better than digital, or visa versa. At the low end, analog still tends to exceed digital, as it does at the high end (think > $200K systems). But in the middle, it just depends on your choices.

My analog and digital have been equal for a couple years (see my systems… under my UserID). I recently upgraded my analog end and technically it is now more detailed. But the variation in recordings exceeds the sound quality of the media. So, unless You are an old fart with thousands of vinyl albums (like me)… I would put all my effort into digital streaming. If you have a total budget level of X. If digital streaming doesn’t exceed other alternatives now, it will in five years. Being in technology all my life… I assure you, plan for tomorrow… not today, or you are wasting a lot of money or time. Don’t waste your time on -laying disks either. 

So, if I had a budget system today, I would be laser focused on the best streaming system (with a tubed preamp and tubed amp) possible. This would put me on the lowest cost highest sound quality path possible.