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

As an example, my son liked more the sound from Node 2i over a much more expensive Melco server. And yes, the Node a nice steamer it is compact, easy to use and its software is quite flexible.

Modern DACs designed and built with the intention to be accurate will be audibly transparent. You’d have to really screw up a streamer to get one to audibly color the sound. 
 

No one is going to settle your argument. It will just be amplified here. 

That hypothesis is wrong. I use a $50K DAC, and upgrading the streamer made just as big of a difference as upgrading the DAC.