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Check in: How quickly are streamers and servers evolving?

This is a question for those who have been trying streamers and servers recently, watching reviews and product launches, or who just know their stuff and keep up with the technology. I am trying to separate market hype and churn from what is happening, technologically.

Many have said that DAC technology development has slowed down enough for people to feel comfortable spending real coin on a good DAC. Good to know.

So my question is: How quickly do you think streamer and server technology is evolving? Is it still a moving target -- in other words still worth being somewhat cautious about perhaps waiting before dropping serious coin as the technology is soon to change again? Or are we slowing down?

(For those who think these technologies can be accomplished in economical ways (Raspberry Pi, etc.), I'm still curious about your opinion about the speed of change, regardless of whether high dollar expenditures are unnecessary.)

Of course the other yet integral issue is how fast music catalogs are keeping up with the hardware changes to supply the new hardware with files that it can play. I just watched Darko discuss the Spotify move to CD quality (which he celebrates and for which explains the rationale), and it seems most of the music out there continues to exist at CD quality only, not higher resolution.

(Oh, and before someone chimes in with how analog beats digital so why bother...please don’t. I know you think that.)
128x128hilde45
headphonedreams
527 posts
 
I have not compared enough streamers to really say how fast they are evolving, this is more based on what I've read.

I think streamers may improve a bit more but the biggest change will be the trickle down effect, cheap streamers a few years from now will probably sound closer to the expensive streamers of today. The manufacturers already know that good clocks help, good power supply helps, lowering electrical interference helps and so on. When they sell more the parts will go down in price and they won't need as much R&D as now.

So, a $5k streamer may be a risky purchase today because in 3 years there might be equally good streamers for $2.5k.
5ap
21 posts
 
That’s always a “risk” with “investments” in technology. It always get cheaper but that doesn’t mean don’t do it.  JFDI and enjoy it. Otherwise there’s never an optimum point of pricing to quality and you’re paralysed. 
5ap
21 posts
 
That’s always a “risk” with “investments” in technology. It always get cheaper but that doesn’t mean don’t do it.  JFDI and enjoy it. Otherwise there’s never an optimum point of pricing to quality and you’re paralysed. 
jasonbourne52's avatar
jasonbourne52
2,863 posts
 
The problems of jitter and timing were solved a decade or two ago! Nowadays a $200 Ch*nese streamer is indistinguishable from the four/five figure touted offerings of the High End (hand me your money, please!). 
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