You can modify the pc diy route as some above have mentioned, you can also go lower, medium grade off the shelf streamer, and then there are top of line streamers. My choice is top of line streamer budget allowing. Streams should be virtually indistinguishable from cd over transport or cd rips, you'll know you've arrived when this is your experience.
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.
Showing 4 responses by sns
It is possible to modify pc and get pretty nice sound, with some research and a modicum of skills possible to get there. Greatest problems with Windows platforms, Windows OS and power supplies. Even the Windows optimizing OS software doesn't turn off all possible processing for lowest noise, HDPlex solutions can help on power supply, still not optimum.
On Mac platform power supply issues easier to address, OS is greatest issue with this. Newest Mac OS loaded up with many unneeded embedded apps (for a dedicated music server), these apps cannot be erased and maintain a functioning OS. Result is mac os noisy.
One could go to third party or Linux OS for both platforms, this will help. One example of pretty nice Windows computer setup would be running something like Euphony OS with HDPLex power supply. One could also have pretty nice Mac setup with Uptone power supply running Euphony.
Above setups also dependent on quality of motherboard, RAM, SSD, processor, etc. To be really top flight all needs to be optimized. So bottom line, you can get pretty nice performance out of this type of diy pc. One should always keep in mind all music servers are computers, use computer motherboards, implementation means everything. Both off the shelf and bespoke music servers are essentially custom builds, and both beat the general service computer. I agree, general service computers have no business in high end system.
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@milpai I'd suggest doing trial with Euphony Version 4 OS for Windows platform. Run Stylus music player and compare with present setup. |
Many if not most off the shelf streamers cannot run HQPlayer dsp, not enough processing power. Probably my single greatest issue with off the shelf is this lacking. Most have chosen low power processors, their means to achieving low noise platform. With the right diy setup you can have both high speed processing and low noise. Takes more engineering prowess, but greater speed and using less of a processor's capabilities may result in superior performance.
DIY may also result in a far more adaptable streamer, I can choose between optimal usb, aes/ebu, coax, I2S, direct ethernet out with my atx board streamer. With Euphony OS can choose between various music player software, all Roon, Roon core with embedded HQPLayer, Roon with Stylus EP (Eurphony's music player), all HQPlayer, all Stylus (core and endpoint). Many other proprietary optimizations available via Euphony OS, for instance direct play from RAM.
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