Is the Mytek Brooklyn Bridge or Lumin D2 good buys in 2021?

sacman1

If receiver can be build to handle the high current and maximum peak power from separate amps then it’s actually better.

Don’t be silly. By way of example, there’s no receiver made with a phono stage that can equal an ARC Ref2 or Ref3 phono. It simply isn’t practical to pack it all in one box. Do you want to have to upgrade an entire receiver just to take advantage of an improved DAC? And if you do, what happens if you find the amp in your new receiver isn’t quite as good as the amp in the old one? You’ll just end up chasing your tail.

Don’t get me wrong - I have no issue with people buying receivers, or all-in-one systems, or streamers with built-in DACs. But to claim such an arrangement is superior to well chosen separates doesn’t make sense. And you r-e-a-l-l-y have some problems if you can’t connect digital components while preserving "signal integrity" at the same time.

sacman

I would not separate the dac from the streamer ....  Having all in one streaming DAC would eliminate the need for possible noise in the transmission via the cable ... you might save money on having to buy two units along with interconnects ...

By that reasoning, we'd all buy receivers instead of separate components, especially because the risk of noise in an analog interconnection is real, whereas in a digital connection not so much. If you're into audio for the long haul, there are obvious advantages to buying separates, including being able to take advantage of advancing technology without making a wholesale change.