Help settle a streaming argument!

Those of us who have actually done the experiment, switching from either a computer or low quality streamer to a high quality streamer, have heard an unmistakable improvement in sound quality. Even if we don't have the technical know-how to explain it. 

Bingo!

For the rest ... ignorance is bliss

Which clock is being used, the one in the DAC or the streamer? And the quality matters. On USB input the DAC’s clock is used. On SPDIF or AES the streamer (or CD transport) clock is used. This alone can make a big difference in the sound between streamers. And subsequently how they are hooked up. So think about the consequence of this. A ‘lesser’ DAC might sound much better with a quality streamer/clock hooked up to it via SPDIF than the same DAC hooked up via USB to a laptop. Another way to look at it, if two streamers are compared against each other using the same DAC hooked up via USB, any differences between the two streamers will be less apparent because they are both using the same clock in the DAC. See the link below as an example of one explanation on this… I’m not an expert on the why’s and where’s but have heard the differences in my system.

Clocking matters

Being a dealer, we are fortunate to be able to test many servers, and DACs.  It is a very good, basic question that always comes up with customers. The short answer is everything matters, but the DAC is more important to sound quality than the server/streamer.  That being said, we have tested, for example, Aurender’s, Innuos’ and other music servers, and found that their least expensive model does not compare to their mid-level model.

However, what we have found is for the best sound quality available, you should eliminate the USB cable and it’s inherent problems by connecting ethernet directly to your DAC for streaming. Being a Bricasti dealer, we know that from their M3 up you can buy their network, player card, and connect your ethernet directly to the DAC. When comparing XYZ‘s $6.5k music server versus the Bricasti M1 Series II DAC with their network player card, the sound was pure with better detail, and resolution and better bass response, as well as a better soundstage. 

for the best sound quality available, you should eliminate the USB cable and it’s inherent problems by connecting ethernet directly to your DAC for streaming

@eastendhifi 

Thats comforting as I have a DAC with built in streaming - was wondering if I should get an external streamer for sonic uptick.

@Kennyc That is interesting because the original question was about separate streamer/DAC’s.  Congratulations on having an integrated solution.