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Where to invest the most in the "digital chain"?

Dear All,

I'd love to get everyone's opinions on where best to invest/invest the most, in the "digital chain".

Using my current "basic" system as an example I have very good Internet service into a very good router with the stock PSU on a dedicated power conditioner strip with an ifi AC iPurifier. From there I have Audioquest Pearl Cat6 to a Cisco 2960G with an upgraded Russ Andrews Power Cable. There follows another AQ Pearl Cat6 to an English Electronics 8Switch with an ifi iPowerX. From there I have the Chord C-Stream Ethernet to my ifi Zen Stream with a 15V ifi iPowerX. Then a Wireworld Chroma 8 cable to an ifi iPurifier3 into a Zen DAC v2 also with ifi iPowerX. The EE8, Stream and DAC benefit from a power-conditioner/surge protector and a pair of AC iPurifiers.

I've got a SotM iSO-CAT7 on order which I am intending to put between the EE 8Switch and the network transport with a dCBL-CAT7u into the network transport.

Phew, that was a lot of words!

My question is, and this applies to all systems as a generic question, where is it best to invest the most? Should the best Ethernet cables and/or switches and/or isolators be first in the chain (i.e. from the Internet source) or at the end of the chain (into the DAC/Music Streamer/Network Transport)? Similarly, where should the best power supplies be placed? Or does it all matter equally?

This is purely about the digital chain, I'm well aware that great speakers and a great AMP with good power and speaker cables make all the difference too!

I'm interested in opinions and I will of course experiment for myself.

jabbaman

Showing 6 responses by oddiofyl

oddiofyl's avatar
oddiofyl
3,501 posts
 

I invested in the streamer and it was worth it.  DAC too, but  that was more based on listening to it.   The streamer decision was easy after weighing what Aurender does / can do .   You can't recover lost DATA  after the source , so I think of the streamer as a modern day "Transport"   

I was waiting for streamers to mature a little and bought an Aurender N200.  It's a kick ass machine.    Love it so far.

oddiofyl's avatar
oddiofyl
3,501 posts
 

Yes , I believe a great DAC needs an equally good digital front end.   I just ordered a streamer to go with my DAC.  The Vault sounds good but I question the quality of its coax digital out.   I will find out Thursday if this line of thinking is correct   
 

I really like my current DAC but I can trade up within a year (June) and I might just do that

oddiofyl's avatar
oddiofyl
3,501 posts
 

I would argue that if you mostly stream , the streamer’s quality is just as important as the DAC.   It’s a “Transport “ in the sense that an optical drive is.  It’s job is tougher than a transport because it has other issues aside from error correction like an optical drive has.   
 

I almost got the Aurender A200 but I got the N200 instead because much effort went into giving it clean digital outs.  I’ll always have an external DAC so I figured why not. Plus the features and display.   Also most importantly is that it is a caching player.  It loads the data to a SSD memory buffer and then plays it.   In addition it has user removable drive bays.    There is a lot of tech packed in there.   

oddiofyl's avatar
oddiofyl
3,501 posts
 

I see the DAC as the hub of a great digital system.   I have had a DAC long before they were in fashion.  Obviously the DAC's quality is of great importance,  but what feeds the DAC is equally important.    I really like my current DAC but in the spring I am going to bring home a few DACs and most likely upgrade within my one year window.   I want to get the most of of that DAC, so this streamer makes sense .

oddiofyl's avatar
oddiofyl
3,501 posts
 

I've said many times the Vault is good but I have my amplification sorted out , along with a recent DAC purchase.  That said , it's time for something next level for my system.  

The modern day "Transport" is a streamer .....   

oddiofyl's avatar
oddiofyl
3,501 posts
 

I have no filters or anything special "cleaning " the ethernet.   Just the N200 connected via SPDIF so yes, the streamer is the clock.    

The N200 with my DAC sounds great,  it's much better than the Vault.  Like I said before,  demo a really good streamer and it's unlikely you'll want to take it out.

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