Go Streamer first. I'm analog-first but have been futzing with non-CD digital for a decade, having spent over two years bit-perfect-ripping 6000 CDs. DACs on two systems are currently mhdt Pagoda and Pagoda Balanced, and M2tech Young 3. R2R with tube buffer outputs and discrete i2V stages in the former; delta-sigma in the latter.
Have tried direct wire to DACs, and for several years used AppleTV Gen2 via Toslink for 16/44 as a decent convenience while I ripped discs.
Auralic Aries G2.1 on main system and G1 on secondary are revelatory. Better over their optimized wifi than (of course) AppleTV and direct copper. Now have 4TB of ripped CDs + Tidal HiFi + Quobuz streaming to the two mhdts via Auralic's excellent Lightning DS management app. Considering serious expense upgrades to DACs (Bricasti M1 Gold, M21, M3) for two systems. But while I sort that, the streamers seriously elevate the existing mhdt R2R DACs. Auralic does MQA emulation (which I think is better than real MQA) and their streamers include a 1gB playback cache with deep dejittering. I'll venture to say, the streamer is the key component before you sort the DAC.
Phil
Have tried direct wire to DACs, and for several years used AppleTV Gen2 via Toslink for 16/44 as a decent convenience while I ripped discs.
Auralic Aries G2.1 on main system and G1 on secondary are revelatory. Better over their optimized wifi than (of course) AppleTV and direct copper. Now have 4TB of ripped CDs + Tidal HiFi + Quobuz streaming to the two mhdts via Auralic's excellent Lightning DS management app. Considering serious expense upgrades to DACs (Bricasti M1 Gold, M21, M3) for two systems. But while I sort that, the streamers seriously elevate the existing mhdt R2R DACs. Auralic does MQA emulation (which I think is better than real MQA) and their streamers include a 1gB playback cache with deep dejittering. I'll venture to say, the streamer is the key component before you sort the DAC.
Phil