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Help settle a streaming argument!

This is a SQ argument and is as follows-  I argue if you connect your streamer to an outboard DAC the streamer does not matter it’s just serving the music to the outboard DAC to do the work.  Therefore, buy a basic streamer.  The other is that you need to buy a top quality streamer and DAC to get great SQ. 
 

I liken it to cd players or the more pretentious cd transport argument- if the intent is to connect to outboard DAC the cd player doesn’t matter the outboard DAC DOES!
 

features and functionality aside!  Thoughts…..

polkalover

Showing 1 response by cbrinsfi001

cbrinsfi001
1 posts
 

The short answer is yes, the quality of the streamer can matter even if you’re using a high-quality outboard DAC. Here’s why:

  1. Jitter: The timing of the digital signals can be affected by the quality of the streamer, causing slight deviations known as jitter. Although a high-quality DAC can often mitigate jitter to some extent, a poor-quality streamer may introduce enough jitter that even an excellent DAC can’t fully compensate.

  2. Signal Integrity: Poor-quality streamers may not maintain the integrity of the digital signal as it’s transmitted to the DAC. While error-correction protocols can minimize the impact, they’re not perfect. In some cases, a compromised signal may lead to a less accurate analog conversion.

  3. Compatibility: High-quality streamers often offer better compatibility with various formats and resolutions. If you’re playing high-res audio files, the streamer needs to support these to take full advantage of the DAC’s capabilities.

  4. Noise: Digital streamers, like all electronic devices, can generate electrical noise. Poorly designed streamers may not isolate this noise well, leading to a contaminated digital signal which can adversely affect sound quality when converted to analog by the DAC.

  5. Connectivity: A better streamer usually offers more and better connectivity options, including higher-quality digital outputs (e.g., AES/EBU, coaxial, optical, etc.), which can impact the audio quality by maintaining a more stable and higher-integrity signal path to the DAC.

  6. Ease of Use and Features: While not directly related to audio quality, the user interface and features like streaming service integration, multi-room capabilities, and software updates are generally better in high-quality streamers.

  7. Clocking: Some high-end streamers have extremely precise clocks to synchronize data transmission more accurately. This can lead to better performance in the digital-to-analog conversion process.

So while a high-quality DAC is critical for getting the best sound, a poor-quality streamer can be a bottleneck in your system, limiting the performance of even an excellent DAC.

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