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A different world

For decades I have struggled to get digital even close to comparable to analog. Then finally a couple years ago after lots of upgrading and experimentation I succeeded. Streaming is equally satisfying with analog, very, very comparable. The full soundstage, instruments suspended in space, tonal balance, dead silent background, and details of brass cymbals … etc. Red Book CDs through my CD player are bested by my streamer with Qobuz or Tidal with hi-Rez versions.

 

A new world. It takes a while to get it. No longer confined to music you “own” to play over and over. Replay is supplanted by exploration. You love an new (or old album) and hit, “add to library”. It is yours.

So, HiFi+ magazine has an article on building a European 21st Century Jazz Library. I just start with the first album in the list and listen (add to library), the 2nd album (add to library), the third… the forth, fifth… a whole new category of incredible music to sit along side Miles Davis and Hank Moberly. Just a couple days in the life of a audiophile streamer. I could have never predicted this as a possibility ten years ago.

 

You love music? The goal of having an infinite audiophile library is now possible. It is possible at any high end level… just requires knowledge that it can be done… and I guess give up the idea that there is something special about your CD collection, or players.

 

I have a 2,000 vinyl albums, play them, usually one a day. They are fun, occasionally sound ever slightly better… but not significantly, I like them for nostalgic reasons.

ghdprentice
lalitk's avatar
lalitk
6,183 posts
 

@sandthemall 

Thank you for your kind words and no worries. I do applaud you for keeping an open mind. I have been streaming long time and started my journey into streaming with N100H. If you want to take a leap of faith, you can score a great deal on N100 on used market. While the older generation players like N100 or N10 offers high performance, the newer generation models are superior across the board. My impressions below based on head to head comparison between N10, N20, ACS100 and W20SE through EMM Labs DA2 DAC. 

The older generation of Aurender players has a softer, laid back and less dynamic presentation compare to the newer models like ACS100, N150, N200 and N20 and N30SA. They have a livelier presentation excelling in terms of low frequency extension and slam. I also heard slight edge in terms of perceived detail. 
 

Hope this helps in your decision making. Good luck!

limomangus's avatar
limomangus
2,050 posts
 

I don't stream....just play my Lp,cds,cassettes, reel to reels.....you said you enjoy your 2000 plus albums....so what's the problem then...

audiom3
163 posts
 

Ohhh man what I went through last year to get my s$%t wired up... Changed my entire LAN from copper to fiber, new router with SFP+ port and all fiber-switches.  And all gear, switches, router, FMCs and EtherRegen have linear power supplies.  What my system sounds like today is beyond compare of what it sounded like a year ago.  I still find local files stored on my NAS to sound slightly better than Tidal HiFi.  As in, a little better treble extension, air, deeper bass, improved phasing, etc, etc. The audible difference is similar to adding in a new and appropriately located linear power supply unit.  But my streaming setup now rivals my Ayre, Pass, VPI/Ortofon, PS Audio and Legacy Focus driven vinyl rig.  They were so far apart a year ago that it was laughable.  And I still feel like there is more to be gained.  Experimentation is fun and frustrating all at once while draining the wallet.

ghdprentice's avatar
ghdprentice OP
9,504 posts
 

@audiom3

 

Wow, really sorry to hear all the work it took. I got a couple $69 wall wart repeaters for my two systems and and got there. I did put in a EtherRegen on my main system, but it made only a tiny improvement.

sns
4,218 posts
 

@audiom3 

I'm in process of converting to all fiber, just purchased fiber streamer, next will be fiber server. Doing fiber conversions via two FMC certainly one of best prior upgrades.

 

Also, another upgrade I don't hear much about is bridging ethernet out of server, shortcut ethernet so it doesn't have to route back through router/switch, direct out to streamer. Very few servers have this capability, can't figure out why.

 

USB out of server not best way to go unless one has something like Pink Faun, Jcat usb card, and I'd still prefer separate streamer for usb out.

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