First Streamer...


Hi,

I'm planning to buy my first streamer.

Honestly, I have no idea which brand of streamer to purchase and would welcome suggestions.

I'd like to use my android phone to select material which will be played through a Audio Research VSi60 amp and homemade Zaph Audio ZRT Revelator speakers.   My CD player ( a Rega Saturn) has  a DAC which could be used for streaming.

Any suggestions?   

I'm looking to stream TIDAL using Verizon's Fios service  and spend under $2000.

   

 

johndyson

Showing 3 responses by carlsbad

More important than a streamer is a DAC.  Even a mediocre stand alone DAC will be better than your CD player.  In the interim, you can stream with a tablet or a computer.  (Im assuming funding is keeping you from buying both, if not, then buy both).  You will see much more sound improvement with a good DAC.  The onboard DACs on CD players are not good.

And don't get a streamer/dac.  

@charles1dad So you have experience upgrading your streamer while using a dime store DAC?  

If a cheap DAC is "good enough" for the listener,, the my thought is that they won't even see the difference in the streamer. 

@vonhelmholtz Good breakdown on your integrated.  My DAC is the most expensive individual component in my system.  I do have a custom amp on order that will be more.

 

Jerry

@ghasley I agree.  I've heard a couple of very good streamer/dac combos and a couple of good DACs in integrated amps.  However, there are lots of aspects of a DAC to consider and it is likely to be a component that will be upgraded somewhere frequently.  The separate DAC is more convenient to upgrade.

This is a different and much less important concern that what I was talking about above.  Is less expensive combo's the DAC is likely to be much lower quality than the streamer--because a moderate quality DAC is much more expensive to make than a moderate quality streamer.

Jerry