2. digital
  3. 194394-162757

Are streamers digitally enhanced?

I had a conversation yesterday with a studio engineer friend and I was telling him about the sound of my Innuos Pulse. He has heard my system with the Node 2i and was skeptical about how much difference a better streamer could make. 

After I described improvements in soundstage and overall sound quality he remarked that it sounded like some digital enhancement, similar to a studio plugin, was part of the higher end circuitry. I offered that it was revealing, not enhancing, and he replied "how do you know". 

How do we know? Digital circuitry is controlled by software/algorithms and these can't be readily seen like hardware. When new hardware comes out, reviewers can open the hood and look inside. But what do we know about how streamers or DACs are processing the signal? Is the goal purity or beauty? 

mashif

Showing 1 response by audio_guy_uofw

audio_guy_uofw
63 posts
 

I agree with your studio guy. If there is a difference in sound with a well engineered streamer, it is being deliberately introduced.

From Chat GPT

If the streamer outputs bit-perfect data and doesn't introduce jitter beyond the DAC's rejection capabilities, there should be no audible difference.

Most well-engineered DACs (especially those with good jitter rejection and galvanic isolation) will perform identically regardless of whether they're fed by a Raspberry Pi, a $100 streamer, or a $5,000 one.

 

In blind tests, assuming a bit-perfect, clean digital output and a competent DAC, streamers do not impact audio quality. Differences reported are likely due to implementation flaws, system noise, or psychological bias.

 

 

More to discover