I don't understand what OP means by 'balanced output' into a DAC.
He might mean AES/EBU XLR 110 ohm digital output? Sometimes people refer to that as "balanced".
Need recommendations for a streamer
I would like to upgrade from a Bluesound Node to a higher quality streamer.
The Node sounds fine with my current system, but I am making a second system for my wife, and the Node is going to that new system. I thought I would take the opportunity to upgrade my streamer at this time.
My criteria are that it be a streamer only (no DAC/storage/CD player, etc), be able to hook into wi-fi/cloud without a physical wire/connection, have balanced outputs to go to my DAC, and cost less than 2,500 USD. Can anybody think of a streamer that fits this bill?
The rest of my system:
DAC: Terminator II
Preamp: Schiit Freya+
Amps: PS Audio M1200 x 2
Speakers: Thiel CS 2.3
Thanks.
Showing 6 responses by ghasley
Indeed, what clock in what component is best suited. Which power supply is best equipped to reject noise. Everything matters. Ive tried to minimize steps and where there is a component necessary I try to buy the best available within a certain price band. High quality cables…power supplies…all within the realities of my listening environment. |
@richtruss glad to see you post here. I am a happy owner of a Network Acoustics Rubicon switch, a Network Acoustics Muon cable and Muon filter. I had a very nice setup with great sound and ordered the Network Acoustics trio fully expecting to send it all back within the trial period, but I was committed to being open minded and give it a try.
Let me just say that many of us don’t realize what we are hearing and what it sounds like when we are NOT hearing noise. I’m an unapologetic fan of the Network Acoustics product line, I kept all three and appreciate that a manufacturer made the thankless and risky move to hop into the mosh pit that Audiogon forums can sometimes be. |
When you experience a really good streamer personally, in a system you know well, it will make you feel like youve been spinning your wheels for a long time while you believed that part of your system was on solid ground. When you experience a truly great streamer, others will sound to various degrees broken. I was in your camp until I heard the difference. All too often, people neglect to recognize that digital output over a cable is an analog waveform representation. You would too. Best. |
I apologize if I gave you the impression that I hadn’t heard for myself. I started streaming years ago and was in the Mac mini is good enough camp. It was when I heard the difference between the Mac and the Innuos Zenith Mk3 and the differences between usb cables when I truly began to understand that a streamer was sending an analog representation of a digital wavestream and that all of the analog variables applied to digital streaming.
I was satisfied with the Innuos until I heard the next level of streaming solutions.
Properly utilized fiber improves things in many cases, however, I did not find it favorable. There are many roads to Damascus huh? Best. |