Do I need a streamer?

I swing both ways currently with my Cambridge Evo 150. Use it’s streamer and use PC as streamer to it via USB 2. Sound quality is not the determining factor. Both are top notch. Dead quiet and detailed to the nth degree. Had to use right driver up to the task on PC to accomplish that.
 

Did not sound as good with default usb driver on the PC. It had limited resolution.

Again, I have always kept my PC well away from my hifi gear, a good 8’ or so and use long good quality USB wire. BTW I have heard from reputable sources that short digital connections are not necessarily a good thing due to potential reflections and jitter. Probably less of an issue these days with a good quality jitter resistant DAC. That matters a lot!

Also use the same PC to convert vinyl to digital for my music library. My vinyl sound is superb and the digital equivalents the same.

For those who consider themselves not “computer savey” just buy a good streamer if not cool with having to tweak computers.

Arguments about streamer versus computer are way too generalized. Many things contribute to computer sound quality and you have control over all of them. With streamers you get what you get. Most are good these days so little risk with proven products. But a computer can compete. But it may take some tweaking using good quality streaming software configured properly, drivers up to the task, Keeping the noisy computer physically apart from other sensitive line level or phono hi fi gear, etc. So do not buy the conclusion many reach that a dedicated streamer is always better. It may or may not be. DAC used always matters. It’s always a bad leap of faith to think that just because some reach a certain conclusion that is always the case. The devil is always on the details. If you want low cost high quality streaming consider a computer if you already have one. If you want to pay for a specialized device and not have to worry about it buy a good streamer. Need not cost much. Many ways to skin the cat. Google Cast and airplay on any good quality mldern device are also very solid options for CD quality and maybe more. 

@whitestix

Feel free to contact me here using private messaging to discuss if you like. I’ve been streaming various ways for many years to my pretty nice hifi setup for many years and have a good bit of experience to draw on there.

Try this experiment. Take an am radio and tune it to a moderately clear  station. Then move it closer to and further away from computer and see if that affects reception to get a handle on how much noise your computer creates or not. FM station may work also but fm is not as susceptible to RF noise that any digital device can create . Then maybe try same with a streamer and compare.

The key to good quality streaming from a general purpose computer is keep the “noisy” computer physically well away from the hifi gear by using a long wire to connect. Mine is a good 8 feet or so away connected by a long good quality USB wire and the results are very good, competitive with using the hifi streamer as the source. Also be sure to use a driver on the computer capable of doing higher res streaming. Default driver on a PC for example may not be up to the task.