Streamers rabbit hole

Bits is bits.  The DAC doesn't care where the bits come from.  All of those expensive streamers are just Linux boxes running custom software.  No end of suckers in audio.

Start out with a WIIM Pro outputting to external DAC, or if you are into fiddling with configurations, try a Raspberry 4 or higher with HAT for sp/dif output.

Then if you want to consider spending a ton more money, try more expensive streamers from a dealer with a good return policy, and A/B the streamers.

I bet a paycheck you could never hear a difference between the streamers unless you compare one with DSP vs. no DSP.

Russbutton. Bits are bits is true. The DAC doesn’t care where the bits came from. DACs don’t have feelings like humans do. All of those streamers just use Linux boxes, blah, blah, blah. I have owned many streamers like many here and our experience tells us there are differences in sound and quality of sound. They don’t all sound the same. Better parts, better power supply and better isolation and better design will give a better product in just about everything we buy. No end for suckers in audio. True. No end to “know it all blowhards” too.

@russbutton 

Bits is bits.  The DAC doesn't care where the bits come from.  All of those expensive streamers are just Linux boxes running custom software.  No end of suckers in audio.

My first thought was that you are correct with your assumption. However, another user here ( @dhungana ) has placed a Denafrips GAIA 12th (Digital to Digital converter) between his Streamer(s) and DAC(s) and "clearly heard an improvement" with every streamer/DAC combo he used. (Lifted from another discussion on this site titled Hi-Fi Rose 130).

A summary of those testing results would suggest that when you feed a DAC a well defined digital signal (The Denafrips uses a FIFO buffer and a femtosecond clock for reclocking and jitter reduction, a process that cleans and synchronizes the data before it reaches a DAC, ultimately revealing more detail, focus, and clarity in the music) the results conflict with what you have suggested.

At this point, I simply use a laptop for streaming (if you want to call it that) but mostly play local music files. I have heard sound differences with USB cables between the laptop and DAC. Hence, the cable is reducing noise of those bits and thus, a bit is a bit, but if you switch out cables, the bits are clearly better and cleaning up any signal or noises (analog or digital) enhances clarity.

It's a puzzle, I know. And I am resisting the expensive streamer idea until I can better understand the process as I do not want to be a sucker. ;)

It would be helpful if others chimed in. It is a bit of a mystery to me as to why a DAC is unable to "properly" clean up an incoming signal and given help from a DDC device, they sound better. 

It would be helpful if others chimed in. It is a bit of a mystery to me as to why a DAC is unable to "properly" clean up an incoming signal and given help from a DDC device, they sound better. 

@goodlistening64  I found upgrading even to a budget iFi Zen Stream (with their iPowerX power supply) was a huge upgrade over a computer, and inserting a Denafrips Iris DDC and going i2S into my Musician Pegasus R2R DAC was again a significant improvement.  With Amazon, Crutchfield, etc. offering low/no risk returns there’s really no excuse for you not to at least try a decent streamer.