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 2 responses by yage

@napoleoninrags16

You’re on the right track. As long as the digital data is getting to your DAC intact, there’s no reason to get a ’better’ streamer. It’s already doing the job it needs to do.

 

Jitter isn’t much of an issue. For example, most USB interfaces simply drop data packets if the data stream has too much jitter / error and this will manifest itself as an interruption in playback. If you’re using another digital interface like coax SPDIF or optical, large amounts of jitter will contribute distortion to the signal. If you want to hear what that actually sounds like, here’s a link - Let’s listen to some jitter simulations. Similarly, here’s what an underperforming digital interface sounds like (e.g. not enough jitter / error to cause a dropout).

 

Noise is another supposed bugaboo. Guess what? If you don’t hear any noise when your system is turned on and set to the volume you listen to, then it’s not a problem.

 

Digital signals are actually very robust. Think about it this way - if digital signals were fragile, how would the astronauts in the ISS be able to get a 600 Mb connection? How would people be able to stream audio or video from a service that stores the files in servers (which incidentally were probably also copied over a digital network) that are hundreds of miles away?

Timing is usually a non-issue with USB since the advent of asynchronous mode. For a reference, see this document by XMOS, maker of USB audio interfaces used by manufacturers.  The key takeaway is on p.4:

Asynchronous mode enables external clock sources to be used as the master, or a low-jitter clock in the device.

Interfaces such as SPDIF (coax or optical) might exhibit higher jitter since clock recovery is done using the incoming digital signal though a clever scheme called biphase mark coding. However, considerable jitter needs to be introduced before audible effects can be heard.

 

Given that your DAC has multiple digital inputs and if you like the sound, I don't see a compelling reason why you couldn't use one of the other inputs for a streamer.