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Options to improve digital sound

Hi,

I am looking for some, hopefully, simple advice.  My current digital system is an M4 MacMini feeding a Holo May DAC into a PrimaLuna 400 preamp and amp.  My speakers are Devore Gibbon X.  I primarily listen to downloaded and ripped files with Roon and Audirvana.  I also use Qobuz, but not as often.

The sound quality is good, but I feel like it could be improved.  The options I'm considering are a Small Green Computer SonicTransporter i7 to replace the Mini, or a SGC UltraRendu to put between the Mini and the Holo May.

Which option would be better?  Is there a better option?  I'd like to keep the cost under around $2500.

Thanks

walt8489
jerrybj
884 posts
 

I went from a MacBook Pro to a Project Stream Box S2 Ultra. Then upgraded the Project with a Teddy Pardo LPS. A very good improvement. I was happy. 

Last year upgraded to a new Antipodes K21 (on special). Darn. A big step up! Well worth the investment.

audioman58's avatar
audioman58
4,384 posts
 

The rendu nothing special go for a decent streamer innuous pulse with linear power supplies , at your router that cheap $3 wall wart power supply just adding noise.

small green computer 8 amp 12 v , look on your router most are 12 v now 

$299 LPS power supply , what is your Ethernet switch. LHY 6  best bang for the $$ 

and what are you Ethernet cables ,and usb ?  That too a big influence .I recently bought a Stealth usb cable , a excellent product , I bought their latest Tunable to adjust more or less bass  Anthony at Perrotta consultants  gives good pricing and service that’s where I bought both the innuos streamer and Stealth ,

ethernet your end point most important  quality does count for sure in digital cables too.

woots's avatar
woots
322 posts
 

Check out Lumin and Silent Angel line of products. 
 

Good luck and let us know how make out!

mahler123
3,625 posts
 

I used Mac Minis for a while but ultimately a quality dedicated streamer can do much better.  SQ just isn’t a priority with Apple

sns
3,953 posts
 

Adding a quality Endpoint to a stock mini is not the way to go, I know from direct experience. Your Core is as important as the Endpoint. Now a highly modded mini can be a pretty good streamer on it's own, again I know from direct experience, but this requires a good deal of diy mods. 

 

The OP's best route at this point is to go with a single box streamer, decide which music player to go with, Audirvana, Roon or proprietary, this will have great influence on which streamer to go with. If going with Roon, the SonicTransporter is very nice in the price range OP talking about, the I9 with optical is very, very nice if willing to pay the extra cost. And with Roon you add the second streamer sometime down the road, the OpticalRendu great match for Sonictransporters. If choosing to go with proprietary music players the Innuos and Aurender likely best way to go.

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