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DDC or Better Streamer?

I’m trying to decide which would provide greater reward, adding a DDC or moving up to a better Streamer.  What am I looking for?  Just better everything including bang for the buck.

 

DDC – I’m a LAIV fan, but the Denafrips Hermes has optical inlet and would allow me to use it with both my OPPO (toslink) and Bluesound (digital coax).

Streamer – Am I better off just cutting to the chase and looking for used $3k Streamer (which would be more than twice the price of the Hermes)?

 

Will the better $3k Streamer be the better value over the $1.2k DDC?

 

Thanks for your input.

 

Room - Essentially 18'x18'x18' (ugh)

Power - Furman Elite 15i

Transport - Oppo UDP-203 with Glass Toslink

Streamer - Bluesound Vault 2i with Ice Age Ulitmate C7 Power Cable, Nordost Silver Shadow Digital Coax

DAC - LAIV Harmony with Shunyata V10 NR Power Cable, Kimber Cable Silver Streak RCAs

Amp - Music Fidelity M6si with Shunyata Black Mamba HC CX C15 

Speaker Cables - Cardas Quadlink 5-C

Speakers - Martin Logan Motion 60XT

Subwoofers - Dual SVS SB-2000 with Blue Jeans LC-1 Cables

audiostick

Showing 2 responses by audiostick

audiostick OP
70 posts
 

@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 OP
70 posts
 

@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.

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