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Best streamer for Audio Note UK dacs

I have an older audio note dac 4, and absolutely love it. thinking about upgrading my streamer, which is currently an inuous Zen 3 going into a sonicweld USB converter. I enjoy the sound a lot but I know it can get better. So I've been toying with either adding a Phoenix clock to the Zen 3, but more likely upgrading to an inuous statement or maybe a 432 Evo aeon. What I wanted to ask is whether some high-end streamer brands tend to be better on high-res sources and others may be particularly strong on 16/44? Are some known to be better on 16/44? I play mostly 16/44 because that's what the audio note dacs are built for. 

I'm also very open to hearing opinions about innuos versus 432.

Thanks

montaldo
doni
350 posts
 

Like @jond, I have an auralic (an older Pagoda-style Femto), and it pairs very well with an Audio Note 2.1X Sig. DAC, via AES/EBU.  Couldn't be happier with the sound.

mikhailark
240 posts
 

May I suggest trying DAC that is capable of high resolution and yet have tube part? Lampizator perhaps or Audio Research?

montaldo OP
187 posts
 

Appreciate the suggestion but I would not change DACs. The Audio Note sounds so much closer to real than most digital I have heard. Different design approach entirely than high-res design approach. Like most things in this hobby though, well executed components can all sound great, even if their design approach is completely different. Never ceases to amaze me. Witness dynamic vs planar speakers or set vs solid state amps. There are great examples of all of them and terrible examples of many of them.

 

lalitk's avatar
lalitk
5,401 posts
 

@montaldo,

Respect your decision to not replace AN DAC. Look into MU1 or Aurender N200. With N200, connect to your DAC via Coax for best possible outcome. 

mikhailark
240 posts
 

Maybe someone should take ANK 5.1 kit but put DSD DAC board in it… Business opportunity… sell assembled with newer chipset 

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