2. digital
  3. 172902-45461

Weakest digital link: DAC - Streamer - Server?

I am curious WHICH of the three is MOST important in digital playback? DAC, Streamer, or Server? I assume DAC is #1, but what about server/streamer?

 

Specifically, I have a Synology NAS which I can host ALL my music on, then using a good streamer play off it via Roon/Upnp, PLUS my streaming services.  Does it make sense to use a SEPARATE server JUST for my music? 

Like is there going to be MUCH difference between these setups?!

1. NAS (music server) --> Good Streamer (ethernet, Roon) --> DAC

2. Dedicated Music Server --> Same streamer (ethernet, Roon) --> DAC

3. Dedicated Music Server with streamer (digital out) --> DAC

 

I understand for SURE, if one connects a NAS USB out to streamer/DAC it will sound WORSE than dedicated music server with low noise components, BUT if I am sending the music over ethernet to a good streamer, WHY would a music server make ANY difference? The streamer would essentially take the same files off my NAS, as if would from Tidal and play in the same fashion... no?! 

WHAT am I missing?!

 

PS. I can also upgrade the NAS with linear PSU to lower noise, but once again, sending audio through ethernet shouldn't matter.

alexb76
cindyment's avatar
cindyment
351 posts
 

A lot of people use amplifiers, tube, many low feedback designs, etc. to alter the tone of their system. Those will definitely sound different from amplifiers designed to be a straight wire with gain. Some speaker cables may be tone controls. I guess an interconnect could be too. Some MIT seemed to be.

invalid
1,073 posts
 

lot of people use amplifiers, tube, many low feedback designs, etc. to alter the tone of their system. Those will definitely sound different from amplifiers designed to be a straight wire with gain. 

 

 

 

Too bad no amplifier is a straight wire with gain.

deer_creek_audio's avatar
deer_creek_audio
62 posts
 

In our experience, there are subtle differences between streaming from services like Tidal, streaming from a NAS or kernel streaming directly from RAM using an application like JRiver along with an ASIO driver, which is this case is optimized for the XMOS Xcore 200 that resides in the miniDSP SHD.

cindyment's avatar
cindyment
351 posts
 

Too bad no amplifier is a straight wire with gain.


No, the speaker tends to interfere with that, but many come very close. I encourage you to take some amplifiers that identified as such and see if you can tell them apart without looking.

 

invalid
1,073 posts
 

No, the speaker tends to interfere with that, but many come very close. I encourage you to take some amplifiers that identified as such and see if you can tell them apart without looking.

 

 

No thanks, those kind of amps tend to give me a headache very quickly.

 

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