2. pc-audio
  3. 179645-112119

What is the added value of a streamer over a networked dedicated Computer

Hi

I see lots of sales pitches for streamers as digital sources, and plenty on this site advocating them. I get that they're a purpose-built user interface but, apart from that convenience, including a visual display on the device, (i) do they really deliver better hi-fi sound as a source over a well set up computer dedicated to hi-fibreoriduction (ii) if so, why?

Here's some background to my question(s). I currently use a dedicated Mac Mini with SSD (headlessly) and Audirvana Plus software through a USB DAC. I tend to listen to digital files on external drives (wired connections). Some are high Definition eg Flac, some are aiff ripped from my extensive CD collection. Currently I only tend to use Spotify etc to test if I like music and invest in actual downloads of the music I like.  In day to day use the Mac Mini/Audirvana Plus (virtual) player is controlled using its remote app on an iPad on the same Network. If I wanted I could add high quality online streaming from, eg, Tidal. Whilst that would expand the breadth of music I have immediate access to, it seems to me to add another potential source of interruption/corruption of data flow. The Audirvana software overrides/bypasses detrimental computer audio elements and processes keeping the data path simple and dedicated to hifi audio replay.

So what, sound quality-wise, would a standalone streamer device using NAS or other drive storage and/or online web connection bring to the party? It seems to me it's just a digital device containing effectively the components of a computer with a button (or remote) interface. I understand the old argument that it's dedicated and not doing other things simultaneously and that computers are traditionally electrically noisy environments but I'm currently sceptical that with a dedicated computer, not being used for other purposes, and running a virtual device like Audirvana Plus which effectively switches off internal functions which might compromise sound, this is a real problem. Also it seems that a "dedicated streamer" contains many elements which are effectively computing elements. Note that I have no industry connection or monetary interest from Audirvana or Apple.

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Showing 1 response by 8th-note

8th-note
347 posts
 

If you haven't done this already I would suggest that you compare a streamed album with one that you have ripped in FLAC. See if there's any difference in sound using your current setup.

In my case I have ripped my CD library (over 4k titles) into uncompressed FLAC but I still have all my CDs. I am streaming through an ASUS gaming laptop (I7 processesor) into the USB input of my PS Audio PerfectWave Mk II DAC. Note that the DAC has a "Digital Lens" feature that buffers and reclocks the data which should take care of any digital hash from the laptop. I also use Qobuz.

I have compared several CDs with the FLAC ripped version as well as the same version on Qobuz - all through the same DAC. The CDs go through my PSA PerfectWave Transport. I can't hear the difference between the three formats. They sound identical, or at least similar enough to not make a practical difference.

I wouldn't expect a FLAC version of one of my CDs to sound better than the CD itself. Using this criteria I can't see how an expensive dedicated streamer will help me. The other advantage of using a PC is that it can serve as the Roon core when I go with Roon at some point in the near future. BTW, the Qobuz version sounds the same as the other two formats which is to say that they all sound very good.

To put this another way, is anyone saying that a FLAC played through an expensive streamer actually sounds better than the corresponding CD played through the same DAC? If so, that is a demonstration I would really like to hear.

I read folks saying that an expensive streamer sounds way better than a cheaper option but I never see them using any sort of reference to help pin down the differences. I really think that you have to compare against a reference to get an accurate picture of how much difference there really is.

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