15k for streamer and dac....how much on each?

Audiocanada,

You're getting some great information here, all of it good.....but all of it (including mine) is subjective based on our experiences. I'd spend more on the DAC, but still get a really nice streamer. I'd go 60/70% DAC and 30/40% streamer. I personally prefer separate DAC and streamer, that way you can always upgrade one component instead of having to upgrade a more expensive all-in-one system.

That split would still get you a great streamer (better if you're okay with a used streamer), and a great DAC. Personally I'd look at once of the great Aurender/Lumin/Innuous streamers, example you can get an Aurender N20 used for about $7,000 and that would leave $8,000 DAC

Or an Aurender N200 for about $4,000 used and that would leave $11,000 for a great DAC.

I mention Aurender, because the N20 and N200 are the only high end streamers that I have had in my system....along with an N10. I just have never had a Lumin or Innuous in my system, but by all reports they are great units as well.

As others already have mentioned, pay attention to connections and their preferences, and if possible try to audition a unit, and whether you want a streamer/server for storing files locally or just a streamer.

@audiocanada, do you have a trusted audio gear dealer somewhat near where you live? Because if you do that’s where I’d start my search instead of throwing out open ended queries here on Audiogon while dangling $15K as a teaser. As the old saying goes “a fool and his money are soon parted”. Sometimes to me it seems as if half of the contributors on these forums are audio gear retailers themselves and would love for everyone to buy multi-thousand dollar streamers. If you think you need a 30lbs shiny milled aluminum electrified box sitting in your house just to play tunes off of the internet then more power to you. 
 

 But if you’re really serious about putting together a system that lets you simply enjoy listening to the music that you like instead of wondering what piece of expensive audio kit “sounds better”, then you should start with some basic questions first. What kind of music do you enjoy? Are you going to be using speakers in a dedicated listening room, and do you use headphones only or a combination of the two? Because certain DACs in my experience make different speakers and headphones sound better than others. Which is my way of saying that getting the best DAC that suits your musical preferences is far more important than buying the latest server/streamer on today’s market. What DACs have you been able to demo for yourself? 

@adasdad

clearly.... you're THAT guy

*shakes head*

Personally would never spend more than $2k on a dac. Unless you’re so wealthy this is chump change. Dac tech changes so fast that DACs lose value faster than any other part of your system. Additional, the newer DACs crush the older DACs. I’d take a $600 smsl dac from 2024 over a $10000 dac from 2018 all day long.

I do not see DACs changing that fast. I think once jitter was tamed, DAC designs seemed to have plateaued. Maybe the only exception is FPGA based DAC which are easy to update for the manufacturer.

That $2k threshold for an excellent DAC is something I agree on. My Benchmark DAC3B is less than $2k. While not the greatest DAC it can be made to sound very nice on a warm system. My other DAC is the $2400 Schitt Yggi+ LIM and that DAC is amazing. I really have no complaints about that one.

As I said earlier in a post, no need to spend a lot on a streamer, especially if you use fibre optic just before the DAC.

Buy a used Lumin X1 DAC/Streamer for around $6k used and you have a very good DAC and a tremendous streamer. Best of all you have Fibre Optic as streaming option on the X1. I owned that DAC, and it was really good, I like the new Yggi+ LIM a bit more than the X1, but the X1 comes with that amazing fibre streamer.

You can get a network switch with fibre support for $100 - $200. One of my network switches cost me about $120 when new. Today, it is selling for $500 - $600, I think because audiophiles wanted it. It sounds the same as my other $75 network switch with fibre. Point is that you do not need to spend too much to get the highest quality streaming.

BTW - for me the streaming section of the X1 is worth the $6k you see on the used market. That thing is so useful if you have a few DACs or something like the PeachTree GAN1 unit which needs SPDIF with volume.

if by “streamer” you just mean streamer, then I’d go no more than 10% on streamer.  ($7500 on a streamer is a complete waste of $.)  If you mean server and streamer, Maybe as much as, but no more than, 20-25%.  In the former case, there are also a number of really good all in one streamer/dacs so you do not have to make that decision.  For example, the Simaudio DACs are really fine streamers as well.  It would be helpful if you gave more info about your use case.  How do you stream now?  Do you use Roon?  What’s your current DAC?