2. digital
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why expensive streamers

@soix and others

I am unclear about the effect on sound of streamers (prior to getting to the dac). Audio (even hi-res) has so little information content relative to the mega and giga bit communication and processing speeds (bandwidth, BW) and cheap buffering supported by modern electronics that it seems that any relatively cheap piece of electronics would never lose an audio bit. 

Here is why. Because of the huge amount of BW relative to the BW needs of audio, you can send the same audio chunk 100 times and use a bit checking algorithm (they call this "check sum") to make sure just one of these sets is correct. With this approach you would be assured that the correct bits would be transfered. This high accuracy rate would mean perfect audio bit transfer. 

What am I missing? Why are people spending 1000's on streamers?

thx

 

128x128delmatae

Showing 2 responses by mclinnguy

mclinnguy's avatar
mclinnguy
710 posts
 

In summary, the science, my experience, and actual measurements tell me the same thing.  A competent streamer should not be a source of audible noise; I am convinced that any differences we hear are either due to differences in signal processing (e.g., reclocking, up sampling, etc.), our DACs, or, yes, confirmation bias. 

 

@mdalton

you have tube gear, what does your science say about the sound profiles in different tubes? Care to show us some microphonic measurements?

mclinnguy's avatar
mclinnguy
710 posts
 

Well, there it is. Again. Everyone should buy the Topping because it measures perfectly, and therefore nothing else will sound better. We are all such fools. I feel so ripped off. Guess I’ll sell all my expensive streamer and DAC gear and buy something more practical, like carbon fiber wheels for my car.

Oh, and don’t forget to like and subscribe the above video, because you know, this digital expert who has never designed any digital gear in his short life said so.

Let me guess, he is very popular in places where people can't think for themselves, like ASR.

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