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0s & 1s are all the same aren’t they? Is it really worth paying for a “better” Streamer?

OK, so at the moment I use a Raspberry Pi into a Denafrips DAC.

I’m looking for the best sound I can get, but also to reduce boxes if I can (SQ is the decider), so looking at either an Integrated or Preamp with DAC or buying a Streamer with DAC, which would free me up to buy any Integrated or Pre..

But my question is, fed into the same DAC, do expensive Streamers really sound any better than a Raspberry Pi?    After all, aren’t 0s & 1s just that????

I can buy an Auralic Aries at a good price.  Would I really hear a difference?

I’ve only ever heard 2 expensive Streamers, both Linn.   Wasn’t at all impressed.   All I could hear is that awful smeared Linn house sound.

Is there an outstanding Streamer with Onboard DAC I should go for?



Thanks





singintheblues
big_greg
6,567 posts
 
I've listened to at least a dozen streamers including a raspberry pi and I could never tell a difference in SQ.

That explains a lot.

djones51
4,947 posts
 
Really? Explains what exactly,  no difference between the raspberry pi or the Bel Canto or Aurrender or Innous etc.. ? 
singintheblues OP
96 posts
 
Don’t bite @djones51

Audiofools don’t like blind tests.

I once took a Chinese DAC board I’d bought from eBay to a “bake off” (not sure what you call Hifi meet-ups in US?).
It was hooked up into the same Pre amp as a fancy milled Aluminium Chord 64.   Track played & Preamp selector switched from one to the other.
12 guys & 2 women in the room.
The only two who said they heard a difference were the 2 women.
Guess which they preferred?
It wasn’t the Chord...


thyname's avatar
thyname
3,107 posts
 
Let me answer that for you Dow Jones 50. It explains one thing: you are rucking deaf low life bottom feeder imbecile 😘
ironlung
65 posts
 
Audiofools don’t like blind tests.

I once took a Chinese DAC board I’d bought from eBay to a “bake off” (not sure what you call Hifi meet-ups in US?).
It was hooked up into the same Pre amp as a fancy milled Aluminium Chord 64.   Track played & Preamp selector switched from one to the other.
12 guys & 2 women in the room.
The only two who said they heard a difference were the 2 women.
Guess which they preferred?
It wasn’t the Chord...
There are so many unmentioned variables within your anecdotal story of a "blind test".

If you're going to make a statement, why not put in the effort to describe the rest of the system components, how the DACs were connected, what source was used for the digital signal and with what connection, et al.

Most audio fools don't take the time to do the work to even know how a blind test is conducted, resulting in meaningless anecdotes like yours, containing information of no value to anyone.
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