DDC or Better Streamer?

My experience is streamer is more important than DDC. Gaia DDC via I2S to both Laiv Harmony and Musetec 006 icing on the cake, this vs optimized usb. I've been through at least six streamers, streamers right up there with dac as most important streaming component.

With the price range of your equipment, I would lean to trying a DDC with I2s first. The Gustard U18 is only $500 and will definitely improve your bluesound streamer. To upgrade the streamer would require north of 5k to make big improvements imo.

What of a streamer that is also a DDC? @audiostick 

@baylinor Are you saying $5k new or used?  When I say $3k used, I'm thinking something like Aurender N150 or Innuos Zen Mk3.

@kofibaffour When you say Streamer that is also a DDC, are you referring to Streamers with i2s inputs?  I was hoping LAIV would bring their NET2 to market at price point and performance level of Harmony DAC, but now I'm wondering if they will be bringing it to market at all.  Regardless, a Streamer with i2s input would be nice and would remove temptation to add DDC, even though I've heard it would help OPPO as well.

@audiostick yes I mean a streamer with an I2S output

Here you go - https://eliseaudio.com/products/holo-audio-red

@audiostick 

My point was it is best to match equipment in a similar price range because a 10k amp with 3k sources is not gonna be able to perform as a 10k amp, rather it will put out 3k signals. Of course I'm generalizing. By example all my components are in the over 7k range, talking new prices. I upgraded many times to get to this point but always trying to keep components in a similar price range. Like if I go up 2k in a unit, it's with a long term goal to go up like that eventually with all the other components. Just food for thought.

@audiostick 

I just got a Matrix Audio TT-1 and will pair that with my Laiv DAC.   Never thought using I2S would provide that much better performance.   I had the ES A8 and hope the TT-1 will up the game even more...

@audiostick 

I’m not sure about the N150, but I have a N200 and it does not have I2S or Toslink as an output.  It does have Coax, but Their preferred output is USB and it sounds very good to me.

I also have a N200.   With my DAC i thought coax sounded better.   The N200 USB is very good, but I think it's my DACs  implementation that's not so great 

I picked up a Mutec MC3+USB.   It is a reclocker and converts USB to Coax or AES  or Tos.     I have it converting USB to Coax and it is noticeably better.   

I think your most cost-effective upgrade would be a used Hermes and a LPS for the Vault from LHY, SBooster, or Teddy Pardo and then use i2S into the LAiV.  Best of luck. 

Just listened for a couple hours... if you have the ability to go from a streamer/transport via I2S to DAC, I think you will be very happy...

Innous 

Which includes Innous 

My N10 has coax, toslink and USB.  The USB sounds the best and is the only one with output of DSD files.  I can’t recommend DSD enough!

Personally I use an Innuos Pulsar even though I hate the Sense App.  It simply sounds better than any other streamer I have tried and much better than Roon which is incredibly irritating since Roon is a vastly better interface.  I use the Holo May KTE DAC.  The Denefrips Iris did nothing positive with most of the streamers I tried but the LaiV uDDC is a nice upgrade with the Pulsar or an Eversolo A8 streaming Roon to the Holo May.  I think the streamer is more important.  And if you buy used and have a few bucks left over the EtherRegen as a front end to the streamer makes a noticeable difference.  Why any of this stuff is actually true is a mystery but I think the differences are much more noticeable than the difference between most DACs.

I moved from the Bluesound node to the N150. It was a nice sonic improvement, the conductor app is very nice & the footprint is excellent. The N150 only has USB out. 

Another vote for an Innuos streamer.  I have the Zen MK3.  Upgraded from a Bluesound Node M130 streamer and I noticed a difference in sound quality immediately.  They just discontinued the Zen MK3 so you may be able to find a used one.  They make other models at different price points.  

@baylinor Ok, I think you are telling me my system is not good enough to reveal benefits of the better Aurender or Innuos Streamer.

@mbolek When I was researching the LAIV Harmony DAC, the majority of reviewers preferred i2s with it.

@curiousjim & @oddiofyl Much respect for the N200 but probably more Streamer than my system will show benefit from.  Yes, I understand Aurender to be very good with USB.  Will there never be temptation to convert to i2s?

@soix I have two other systems with Bluesound Streamers in them, and am thinking of adding an LPS to one of them.  I was not aware of an LPS option for the Vault.  Were you thinking of Node, or are you aware of LPS for Vault?

The mediocrity of my system is a valid point here.  If even a $12k Streamer would not provide benefit, I have no problem with eating humble pie and going the DDC route.  Agree?  Thanks everyone.

FYI - Schiit just came out with a balanced Mesh DAC with EQ and Preamp. Up to 32 bits/384 using USB input. Other inputs are 24/192. It has an optical input. 

Very few times will anyone (me, included) ever offer up a audio component that actually saves money, but here it is...

$349 with Forkbeard (software that enables control of devices using phone app)

Schiit came to fame via the popularity of their DAC's. I have owned BiFrost and currently use the Yggdrasil. Heck, my Yggy can't do 32/384.

I have not heard this product, but considering it's price and lineage, it amounts to near zero risk in trying it out.

@audiostick 
 

I actually asked that question and was told probably not and no by the 2 Arunder people I spoke with.

Will there never be temptation to convert to i2s?