Advice for Streaming Newbies - Best Bang for Our Bucks
Hi All,
I'm currently building up my 'streaming only' system having read more reviews and forums in the last three weeks than in the preceding three months!
I'm a firm believer that I don't need to spend thousands upon thousands to get the best out of Tidal but conversely, there are good investments to be made to get the best sound.
I'd like to call on your collective wisdom for either general recommendations or specific product recommendations that give good "bang for the buck".
To start the ball rolling, my specific system looks like this:
Tidal Premium
5G Mobile Router with stock PSU (on separate extension lead)
Audioquest Pearl CAT6 Ethernet Cable to English Electric 8 Switch with stock PSU (on shared core extension lead with 2 x ifi AC iPurifiers)
Chord C Ethernet Cable to ifi Zen Stream with stock PSU (12v iPower 2) (on shared core extension)
Wireworld Chroma USB3.0 to ifi Zen DAC v2 with ifi iPower X (on shared core extension)
ifi 4.4mm Connector to ifi Zen Can with stock PSU (on shared core extension)
Topping PA5 with stock PSU (on separate extension lead)
Audioquest Rocket 11 Speaker Cable to Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 Speakers
I have an ifi iPower Elite on Order and two more iPower X's
Possible upgrades I am considering:
Improved PSU for the Router
Improved Power Cable to the iPower Elite
More use of iPower Elite's
eno Ethernet Filter
Gigafoil v4
Improved Ethernet Cables
Improved USB Cable
Additional AC iPurifiers for other extensions
Starting from a basic system what areas of investment have yielded the best results? An improved PSU on the DAC or the Swtich? An ethernet filter? A better ethernet cable? etc.?
You are off to a good start, sadly it all matters in the streaming chain.
One thing worth trying for relatively little outlay is adding another switch between your router and your English electric switch. Cisco 2960 and Netgear GS105 switches can be had very cheaply (get a used Cisco). Both of these switches improved my playback when I used them between the router and an audiophile switch even with stock power supplies. I kept the cisco one, it edges the Netgear. |
I did read much on the ENO filter and I nearly tried one. I bought my speakers from Richard Truss when he wrapped up his HIFI store to focus on the network acoustics business. There are lots of folks who rate them very highly. I already owned the Etherregen I think I was in on the 3rd batch to go out. Uptone are working on a new design due to supply chain issues on the original bill of materials. Cat 8 is more robust than CAT6 I have it running along my skirting. I used Kapton tape on the sides of the RJ45 jack going in to the Cisco so no shield grounding into my system.
|
@jabbaman I had it reset to default by a friend. I use it near my system, I have it on a filtered mains block. I feed optical out to an uptone Etherregen with it. That then feeds a Lyngdorf TDAI3400, and I stream Qobuz and Spotify. Qobuz sounds better than Spotify. I use bubble upnp for Qobuz to stream, it is worth the price of the app.
My router to Cisco is CAT 8, get the best service to the property you can afford. I went from a 32mb copper service to a 900mb FTP service. I no longer get dropouts which used to spoil the listening experience on occasion.
|
