Streamed music sounds awful in my system and I don't know why ....


cd's spun in a transport are so much more satisfying.  Streamed content lacks body, bass, and correct timbre.

DAC is the Moon 780 driven by Moon's transport with Audience Front Row loom. Streamed source originates  from Windows Media Player platform into the same DAC 780 via CAT 6 cable hardwired into a Spectrum router.

If I wanted to upgrade the streaming experience, where would I start ?

Rest of system -Shindo Giscours pre-amp, VAC Phi 300 amp, Purist speaker cables feeding Wilson Sophia 3's.

Thanks for any guidance.

 

 

 

 

 

dr-john

Showing 2 responses by ghdprentice

This thread has gotten a bit off track.
 

I have been an early adopter of digital since it’s inception… sad, I know… thirty + years of disappointment. Digital has been improving, especially in the last fifteen to twenty years. Today with careful choice of equipment Streaming >= CD or stored files and  can = vinyl. I am not saying a $10K digital end will sound better than a  $100K analog end. I have talked about it elsewhere, but very generally at the same price level, plus or minus 20%. My system does. You can see my systems under my UserID

Like all other things in high end audio your results are going to depend on your component choices.

Qobuz uses lossless compression. Meaning your streamer unpacks the files and buffers them to be identical to a locally read file. Like every thing in high end audio, better components sound better.  I am able to directly compare on my system between the two streaming / CD or other combinations and they sound identical.

 

The place to start is thinking about equal investments in each component. Streamer, DAC, preamp, amp, phono stage, and turntable, if you have analog. My streamer and amp a bit more expensive that my other components. 

You need a real high end streamer. Your other equipment is excellent. I used to run a Moon 650 DAC / CD player. I streamed from PCs and MACs for years to get nowhere near CD quality until I bought a high quality streamer.

My first was a Auralic Aries G2. But I recommend an Aurender. I would recommend an Aurender streamer of comparable or greater value to your DAC. So my first choice would be a Aurender W20SE or if you want to conserve money an N20 (a compromise). But the Moon 780 is very revealing… which is why your streaming does not sound great. You have a $500 player attached to a $17K DAC. Your DAC deserves a W20SE.