1. Home
  2. digital
  3. 155396-2693

Fairly new to streaming. Where to start?

$2k & under budget

Aralic Vega has streamer  and DAC. May be the easiest start?
Then there is Schiit...Yiggy or Gumby...which streamer?
Ladder NOS dac? Or Chip? I'm old. maybe I'll like the old school DAC?
Then there is  Benchmark DAC 3...I think it has streamer?
Then
Exasound E32
Audio Mirror?
Metrum
MHDT Orchid
Border Patrol?
Musical Paradise?
Whats a newbie to do? I am a classic rock fan with lots of FLAC & M4a files. I like detail & PRaT. Love a good bass line. I also play some 70's jazz. I have a Theta Miles CD player from the 1900's & play a lot of vinyl too. But I need to come into the 21st century.  Besides, I will probably become tired of the vinyl ritual and work at some point as I get older. I think I have done enough homework to be somewhat confused. Maybe the biggest question in light of how fast digital changes is the question of streamer with DAC or separate Streamer and DAC. One other question is the streamer & bridge the same thing? OK Thanks!! 
artemus_5
niodari's avatar
niodari
378 posts
 
A relevant question. 
I am streaming Tidal hi fi with an OPPO
BDP 105 player with a separate DAC.  Would Node 2i improve the output digital signal compared to that of OPPO? 
(Unfortunately, I do not get with Tidal hifi the sound quality that my CD player gives.)
big_greg
6,821 posts
 
Would Node 2i improve the output digital signal compared to that of OPPO?

The 105 has a pretty decent DAC.  Probably not.  You might get better sound quality sending the signal from the 105 to an outboard DAC.

jetter
3,160 posts
 
I am another very satisfied user of the Node 2i.  It is a really enjoyable product.  I think you will find that many of the posters who started with it and moved up the food chain probably did the same with every piece of equipment they own and are still looking.  As how much they ultimately paid to be satisfied.
niodari's avatar
niodari
378 posts
 
Thanks big grag for the reply. I also suggest that not. I use the same external DAC for both, streaming with OPPO and my CD transport (thought OPPO has its own ecc DAC, which is not as good as the external one). 
buellrider97's avatar
buellrider97
949 posts
 
  Hi , I'm streaming Tidal to a Schiit Yiggy from a laptop. I’m happy with the sound but consider this . A wired source will sound better than wireless . And the type and quality of your digital cable will make a huge difference . Also Tidal’s MQA sounds good to me . So consider if you want MQA decoding in your system . And with Schiit products , they don’t support MQA . A friend just went to a total Bryston front end and it sounds very nice to me . Cheers , Mike B.
More to discover