Help settle a streaming argument!

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.

My prior research and experience led me to the same conclusion as Jimmy2615--the cable determines which clock (streamer or dac) is prioritized and therefore will influence the sound. USB sounded far superior during A/B testing SPDIF vs. USB. To no surprise, my DAC is greatly superior to my streamer. This is also the reason I've delayed upgrading my streamer as I'm afraid I may not see the benefit I'm hoping for.

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.