>> Why does a wireless signal, when received by and transmitted from digital player to DAC via good USB connector, sound better than pure wireless received by an all-in-one streamer with DAC -- even though both use the same DAC? <<
I doubt that that’s a generalizable finding. I’d hope that manufacturers take more care in designing their most expensive equipment (separates), but still, I can see that a streamer with DAC could operate at a very high standard. For example, I’d hope that Classe’s Delta Pre at $10k would do a bang-up job.
Then, of course, there’s the question of what’s "better" in audio. I understand that things do sound different and better, but I wonder whether, when comparing products at similar levels of design and build quality, the impression of "better" might not be from slight differences in volume or frequency response. It’s amazing how a few dB boost around 10 kHz can make the sound more spacious on a good recording (and more irritating on a bad one).
I doubt that that’s a generalizable finding. I’d hope that manufacturers take more care in designing their most expensive equipment (separates), but still, I can see that a streamer with DAC could operate at a very high standard. For example, I’d hope that Classe’s Delta Pre at $10k would do a bang-up job.
Then, of course, there’s the question of what’s "better" in audio. I understand that things do sound different and better, but I wonder whether, when comparing products at similar levels of design and build quality, the impression of "better" might not be from slight differences in volume or frequency response. It’s amazing how a few dB boost around 10 kHz can make the sound more spacious on a good recording (and more irritating on a bad one).