Apple TV Streaming Sound Quality vs Streamer?


I am looking for the weak link to improve sound quality.   Seems logical it is the Apple TV as a source.  Would a moderate streamer inside of $1500 make much of a difference when streaming Tidal and the like?  

Current Equipment:
Speaker: Dali Euphonia MS-4
AMP: Modwright KWA 150 SE
Preamp/ DAC: Peachtree Grand Integrated
Source: Tidal / Apple TV
puffbojie

Steve, thx for your response. Just making it clear. If HDMI supports bitstream, that means it transfers a digital signal bit-by-bit, so there can be no jitter lugs whatsoever.

Not true. Jitter is ALWAYS a factor to minimize. Never zero. Any company that claims zero is dreaming.


But if it’s a properly made HDMI cable then it doesn’t affect a digital data is transfers.

Sure it does. The better the HDMI cable, the more clear and focused the picture will be.

why 18Gbps (2.0) is not enough to transfer a bitstream hi-res audio via HDMI when here can be no jitter/need for reclockers/etc.?

This is not just bandwidth, although that is important. The dielectric absorption and reflections from the fast-rising digital signal impinging on the discontinuities in the conductor crystal-lattice all cause the signal to have poor "integrity". What is important is the risetime of the signal, not the frequency of the signal. It requires a really good HDMI cable, Ethernet cable, S/PDIF cable or USB cable to maintain these risetimes and not create reflections that impact sound quality.

This is why I only use pure silver digital cables from Wireworld or Empirical Audio. It’s the difference between music and live music.

As for reclockers, these make an even bigger difference for both Home Theater Dolby Digital and for PCM audio tracks.  You don't know what you are missing until you try one of these.  For $150 for the iFi SPDIF iPurifier, what do you have to lose?  Just return it to Amazon if it doesn't work for you.  This will give you a small taste of what a reclocker can do.

Steve N.

Empirical Audio

Steve: Do you have any experience with the Auralic Vega Dac? Are these more laid back than benchmark and would they benefit from the Synchro-Mesh?

No clue.  it has 30-day money-back, less shipping.

Steve N.

Sure it does. The better the HDMI cable, the more clear and focused the picture will be.
Not true. The picture is digital, pixel-by-pixel. It's not a radio signal. For example, some answers from proper guys here https://goo.gl/Wx7Skp HDMI doesn't have an error-correction protocol, but you either get a picture as-is or don't get it at all.

For $150 for the iFi SPDIF iPurifier, what do you have to lose? Just return it to Amazon if it doesn't work for you. This will give you a small taste of what a reclocker can do.
Agreed. Waiting for my Chromecast Audio/iPurifier to try.
You all have my head spinning and I am glad I found this thread...if only to resurrect it 3 months later. I am in the process of building a new home office. I am a graphic-designer for a living and thus DEEPLY entrenched in the Apple eco-system. I have a few older gen ATV's and AX's laying around. My plan for my office was a pair of KEF LS50 wireless connected to an older ATV via Toslink. I do have some HD audio files in my library that I would love to hear at their full potential but it sounds like in order to do so, my idea of using the older ATV via Toslink may need a rethink?...
I’m glad I found this thread as well. I’ve been looking at using a Chromecast Audio and / or AppleTV as a streaming device. I saw the iFi Purifier and comments that it really cleans up the optical output. Talked to Rich B at Signature Sound about one of those just yesterday... 

Funny thing... I’ve also been eyeballing the Border Patrol DAC. Steve, thanks for your candor in this thread. If you happen to catch this thread again... You mentioned that the Metrum and Border Patrol DACs "enable the benefits of the SM (Synchro-Mesh)".  Can you elaborate on that?  Is there something different about Non-Oversampling DACs that make them work better with your Synchro-Mesh unit?

Thanks.