Streamer creates a Wow experience

@soix 

Thanks, I do not doubt that you are enjoying much happiness with your streaming. I just know there’s considerably better CD transport sound than a stock Oppo. Nonetheless you’ve found a terrific solution for your needs and system.👍

Charles

@charles1dad I use the SPDIF from my Oppo as a transport so obviously could be better.  But I will say that steaming with the Zen Stream is vastly superior in every way over playing CDs in my current setup.   Not even close. 

A good LPS for digital is absolutely not snake oil as long as it is replacing a lower-performing built-in power supply. I’ve used separate LPS’ in many instances, all of them have made a positive difference. The most surprising? Adding a Farad Super3 LPS to power my Uptone EtherRegen when I owned it. Adding the EtherRegen to my digital delivery very subtly helped lower noise and improve timing, but adding the Farad to the EtherRegen resulted in a much bigger impact than what the EtherRegen brought on its own, increasing clarity to a greater extent and greatly reducing fatigue. I almost returned the EtherRegen until a friend convinced me to try his Farad. The moment I did I ordered one for myself. 

LPS for digital is snake oil.

That is not the impression I get.  I read plenty of reviews where using an upgraded power supply greatly improves the performance of the iFi Zen Stream, including several posters here.  

I''ve been really amazed at my ifi zen stream zen DAC 2 source in my workspace system. Sometimes think it rivals my PS audio direct stream bridge II setup, but just sometimes... LPS for digital is snake oil. Just decouple with optical before the DAC. I use a lps for my roon rock NUC I7 core only to minimize noise on local ac mains... Not the digital signal which cannot transmit analog noise. The lan cable can though...

@soix - Great to hear it worked out so well for you!

Congrats @soix. I am also impressed with the SQ of the ifi Zen Stream. It was also my experience that one can squeeze even better SQ out of the Zen with a higher quality power supply, but what really surprised me was the degree of SQ improvement made with upgrading the umbilical cord... Didn't expect that.

I'm running the Nuprime LPS12 power supply with mine. 

@soix 

Congratulations on your new found streaming success. What CD source are you comparing it with? One of the more superficial and disingenuous comments I see presented in forms is,  “bits are bits.” In my opinion this demonstrates a lack of awareness and understanding.

There’s no doubt that improving the quality of the digital source be it a streamer or CD transport make a substantial difference in the sound quality. Those who believe that only the DAC is important are misguided. Source and DAC are both major contributors to achieving excellent digital sound.

The streamer versus CD transport back and forth has gotten a bit stale for me. There’s a hierarchy for both formats, each is capable of underwhelming sound quality to exquisite sound quality depending upon the hardware chosen. Furthermore they aren’t mutually exclusive and easily can coexist.

I can attest to the superb sound of a well selected high quality CD transport. I do not stream but I certainly acknowledge that superb sound is available with it as well.

Charles 

Congratulations @soix,  I found similar advice here. I initially bought the zen stream as in interim measure, I really didn't think I'd keep it for long. As others have noticed, it punches well above its weight class. 

Thanks to @jjss49 for suggesting LPS upgrade --an incremental and audible improvement in an already great streamer.   

Sonic Orbiter Roon Core i5 (Upsampling) > Ethernet (switch) > ifi Zen stream + MCRU LPS > USB > Matrix Audio X-SPDIF 2 > I2S > Wyred4Sound  DAC-2v2SE

Congratulations! Yeah… it is hard to not think, “bits are bits, how could a streamer matter”. But, like all of audiophilia… it matters. I spent over a decade screwing around with PCs, MACs and other devices for streaming… but until I got my first dedicated streamer it all seemed academic. Then I got a Aurlic Aries G2 ($4K?), then a Aurender N100 ($3.5K, and sounding better), auditioned a Aurender N10 ($10K), and then bought a Aurender W20SE ($22K, a bargain!)… to make me truely appreciate the value of a streamer. You can see my systems under my ID. The most expensive components I have are my streamer and amp.

Good to hear of success with the iFi. It seems to live up to the good reviews.

@pdreher Nice system.  I’m using the iPowerX and haven’t had the courage to pull it out to make a comparison, but by all accounts the upgraded power supply makes a big improvement.  Love to hear your thoughts if/when you get the new PS. 

@soix 

Congrats. I really enjoy my iFi Zen Stream. An absolute bargain.

@soix like you, I was pleasantly surprised with the sound quality, especially with such an affordable device as the Zen Stream. Much better sound quality than the Bluesound products IME. In my case, I replaced a buggy Aurender N10 with a Roon Nucleus / IFi Zen Stream combo and experienced improved sound quality and dependability. I have yet to try the upgraded IFi power supply. My DAC is an old Weiss 202 direct into a vintage Music Reference RM9 tube amp with Siemens EL34’s, powering Harbeth 40.2 Anni’s.

Yep, my local files (NAS) still a bit better than streams, but streams getting very, very close with more upgrades to come. I can segregate some stream equipment upgrades from local file upgrades so expect next streaming only upgrade will further close the gap. I also expect further upgrades/innovations in streaming software/players.

@sns I will put my bet on digital file serving (on a local high-performance music server) to be the de facto standard for high resolution / high fidelity playback. Even though streaming using high quality Ethernet/optical and quality switches/reclockers get very close, the shortest path will always likely win.

I do have faith. In the last year I reached a reference grade with my digital setup, using the Aurender N30SA server/streamer going into the T+A SDV 3100 HV DAC preamp. Using the Synergistic Research Ethernet Switch UEF and DH Labs Reunion Ethernet cables improved the quality of streaming to get it close to the local files stored on the Aurender, but local files still win. Both are generally equal if not most times better than my vinyl rig, which at about a $60K MSRP is no slouch either. But digital will just continue to get better, and I can’t say the same for vinyl. But who knows what the future holds?

I love it when someone asks for advice and trusts it enough to follow it.

Bravo to you.

What DAC(s) are you feeding the iFi, and do you feel it is now close or even better to your CD playback?

@blisshifi I’m feeding the Zen Stream into a Musician Pegasus, and its not even close — the streaming is now far superior to CD.  Didn’t see that comin’, at least not to this degree.  My next move is to get a Singxer SU6 DDC so I can switch to the I2s Input on my Pegasus.  You must have lots of fun watching reactions of people hearing a good streamer for the first time.

Good for you. Good time for streaming, many new innovations and devices coming to market, expect this to continue into future. Will streaming become the de facto mode for best sound quality in the future? I think quite possible based on high level of sound quality already available.

I love reading posts like this. What DAC(s) are you feeding the iFi, and do you feel it is now close or even better to your CD playback?

I love demoing high quality streamer/servers for people to prove that bits are not just bits. That jaw-dropping moment you mention is one I often see when I work with customers and friends who do not yet understand what a quality streamer/server can do.