2. digital
  3. 154417-109885

Streamer opinion.. Pease comment on validity.

Please comment on the below statement. 

"A streamer is just a digital network appliance. It connects to a network, renders a digital stream, and spits out either analogue or digital audio stream. It's just digits; you don't need an 'audiophile network streamer' for the digital aspect. The 'audiophile' stuff is handled by the DAC. If the DAC can't clean up noise and jitter on the digital inputs, it's poorly engineered; look elsewhere."
pkvintage

Showing 1 response by ed_nyc

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ed_nyc
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Here is a post from a very experienced and knowledgeable DIY hobbyist who has built many servers and streamers

https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/taiko-audio-sgm-extreme-the-cr%C3%A8me-de-la-cr%C3%A8me.27433/page-138#post-626261

I have been heavily involved in the development of streamers / music servers for the last 5 years

Here are my takeaways
 - all streamers get the 0's and 1's right

- nearly every USB DAC gets the timing of arrival of the 0's and 1's done well

- in all digital devices the numerous clocks are significant sources of RF emissions

- the effect of RF emissions is very difficult to attenuate to levels where their effects are no longer audible

- RF emissions are sensitive to vibration and power supply

- software activity in a streamer has an immediate effect on power supply current draw and which carries a RF emission imprint

The evidence to support this chain of effects
 - streamers running different operating systems sound different
 - put any streamer on a vibration control / damping platform you will hear a difference
 - every new roon release sounds significantly better even when delivering bit perfect to the DAC
- USB cables sound different
More to discover