Help settle a streaming argument!


This is a SQ argument and is as follows-  I argue if you connect your streamer to an outboard DAC the streamer does not matter it’s just serving the music to the outboard DAC to do the work.  Therefore, buy a basic streamer.  The other is that you need to buy a top quality streamer and DAC to get great SQ. 
 

I liken it to cd players or the more pretentious cd transport argument- if the intent is to connect to outboard DAC the cd player doesn’t matter the outboard DAC DOES!
 

features and functionality aside!  Thoughts…..

polkalover

OP. I myself is new to streaming. I’m mostly and analog guy. Yes streamers do make a big difference when hooking up to an external dac. Rather than speculating and asking everyone here why not go and listen yourself and form your own conclusions? And Yes bits are bits and they “SHOULD” sound the same in an ideal situation but in reality the situation serving the data is never ideal hence there is a difference in sound. 

@niodari At the same time, I think the better is your system, in general, the less you will note the differences, although this may sound contradictory for some guys.

 

Yes this is contradictory to me.  The more resolving the system the easier it is to hear the effects of different components. I easily appreciated the upgrade path from Macbook > Node (great entry level streamer) > internal Bridges in PS Audio Direct Stream , Auralic Vega and MM Tambaqui > Auralic Aries G2 > now my Grimm MU1. (feeding MM Tambaqui DAC).

 

 

@fastfreight , yes your argument is of course clear. But curiously, based on my personal practice and  observation, the better are your amplifier and speakers, the better they do their job and these differences somehow diminish. 

based on my personal practice and  observation, the better are your amplifier and speakers, the better they do their job and these differences somehow diminish. 

Or one can interpret your observation a little bit differently. In that, upgrading your speakers AND amps yield much better, impactful, unmistakably audible, results than upgrading your streamer alone. Interpretation which I fully agree. 

Yes. Look at this in this way. Take a 8 cylinder car and a four-cylinder one. When you run fast or go up to a hill you feel that your 8-cilibder car is less forced than the 4 cylinder one.