Help settle a streaming argument!

@polkalover 

He/she did answer the question. A better streamer into the same DAC yielded noticeably better results for them.

Many of us here have experienced similar results. I upgraded my streamer going into the same DAC and noticed a more significant improvement in sound quality than I did when I upgraded my DAC going into my previous streamer.

I’ve since concluded that the streamer is at least as important as the DAC - and perhaps more so. 

Try it yourself. But, try something that is supposed to be noticeably better than your Node so that you’re not trying to split hairs.  We look forward to hearing from you regarding your findings - whatever they may be.

Short manswer:  The Streamer matters a lot.

polkalover, Yes, I did answer your question with examples. What “killer DAC”? I don’t know if my MHDT modified Orchid DAC is killer but it’s what I have settled on. Had the 2i in front of it, replaced it with the Zen. No contest, not even close. 

I ask for a friend cause he wants to get into streaming and I say buy a basic streamer cause he has a killer DAC. so I have not tested.

Everything matters in streaming and matters a lot, and the streamer is one of the most important links in the chain.  Underspend on a streamer at your peril.  You’re kidding yourself if you think a “basic” streamer performs anywhere near the level of  more accomplished models from the likes of Aurender, Innuos, Grimm, Lumin, Wolf, etc.  You’re deep in the minority here on this one.

Both the streamer and the DAC play major roles in the resultant sound. I have used, iPads PCs, inexpensive streamers, $5K, $10K, $15k, and $22K streamers and the difference is like night and day. The streamer matters. The last of those streamers is the one in my main system.

I think there are some differences in how they affect the sound. Cheap streamers are thin sounding, have high noise floor, and image poorly, I think really cheap DACs have all the problems of cheap streamers, but also strongly effect the tonal balance and some of the more musical aspects. This is a new theory of mine… I’m going to have to do some direct testing to verify it. But absolutely no question that the streamer strongly affects the sonic output as does the DAC.

My rule of thumb is for maximum sound quality invest equally in the streamer and DAC… although mine feel at $22K streamer $$17K DAC.