Streamer with R2R DAC

Separates are all I know of.  
At that budget.

not that i know of

get a bluesound node 2i as front end, then a small footprint r2r dac... cost effective and consumers very little real estate

+1 jjss49! Sane advice!

That is one of the main issues - there are so many streaming services but so few support Amazon and  Idagio.   I think the best option if your wanting to keep  Idagio is use a bluesound Node 2i for the streamer and interface to a DAC with a digital (high quality) rca to rca connection.  

Not sure why people want to go with the older technology R2R vs DAC ess9038  chipsets.  

Not sure why people want to go with the older technology R2R vs DAC ess9038 chipsets.

because it often sounds better, a bit more like real music...

Delta-sigma DACs, while they can have very impressive technical specs, still give an approximation of the original signal. In medical and scientific fields, delta-sigma DACs aren't used because they give "approximate" results. Even if the approximation is close, that still isn't good enough.  

The drawback of R2R (AKA multibit) DACs is cost -- they are more expensive to make, which make the delta-sigma DACs very attractive for consumer products. 

Another variable factor in design for both types of DACs are the filters used. Delta-sigma DACs generate a lot more high frequency noise that needs to be filtered out. While the end result for a DS DAC can be very, very quiet, it took a very aggressive filter to accomplish that.  

Finally, as with any audio electronic component, there are the issues of power supply and analog amplification states. These can be better or worse. All of these factors combine to give a DAC it's "sound" so you will still need to listen to the options available to you in your price range and make your own decision. (Full disclosure, I have used several DACs and my preference is my Schiit Bifrost.)

+1 and some, on what  mlsstl said about R2R vs DS.

Cheers George

        "+1 and some, on what  mlsstl said about R2R vs DS."

@George:  can you suggest some small footprint R2R examples, please?  Cost not too important.

Thanks, Larry

clio OP
@George: can you suggest some small footprint R2R examples, please?

Soekris from Denmark, high accuracy discrete R2R with volume control, very good from what I’m hearing and from where/who it counts.
My favourites the Dac1421 and Dac1541, and I think now that’s been replaced by the Dac2541, don’t know if it’s better or just more extras. And he has DIY also.
This guy really knows his ****.

http://www.soekris.dk/

Cheers George

George -

Any experience with the Aqua HiFi DACs?

I'm not George, but I recently acquired an Aqua La Voce S3 and it's fantastic.  Very natural sounding and musical.  Some of the other DACs I've had to compare to it are MHDT Labs Orchid (still one of my favorites), Auralic Vega, Mytek Liberty, Schiit Bifrost 2, W4S Dac 2 (my least favorite), and a few others.

For an all-in-one streamer/DAC, the TEAC NT-505 is a great unit.  Not R2R, but I much prefer the sound of the VERITA AK4497 over any Sabre based DAC that I've heard.

Big_Greg - Thanks!

I have an Innuos Zenith MK III. Currently upgrading my amp/pre-amp and likely will go with an external DAC.  

big_greg,
How closely does the NT-505 get to the La Voce S3 in performance?  Is it a big or small gap?

Be an interesting shootout, the Soekris Dac-541 at $1400 vs the La Voce s3 at $4750.
I know the Soekris has a very good volume control so you can go direct, but couldn't find if the La Voce has one. And that a big difference for me, as going direct creams going through a preamp every time when the dacs a good one, if not then preamps "can hide" not so good sounding dacs.

Cheers George  

@georgehifi The La Voce does not have a volume control.  I'm running it through a Simaudio 600i.  

@kren0006 I can't say with certainty how the La Voce compares to the NT-505 as I have not had them in the same system.  I have the NT-505 in my main and bedroom systems, using their streamers.  The La Voce is in my computer system, streaming from my PC via USB.  Different connections, different amps, preamps, speakers...

Having said that, The NT-505 is still in my main system and I'm still very happy with it.  I'd say they are more alike than different, with the NT-505 being just a tiny bit more on the "warm" side, and the La Voce having a little more detail and more "natural" sounding.  I think it handles the high frequencies just a little better than the NT-505 and is also a little more "dynamic".  Again, take all that with a grain of salt as I haven't compared them directly using all the same gear.

cool, thx