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Digital Upgrade Recommendations

Looking to leverage the knowledge of the Audiogon experts for advice on how best to upgrade the performance of my digital front end to sound more like my vinyl rig.  Currently, I have a Roon Nucleus acting solely as a streamer feeding a Denafrips Pontus II via an Audioquest Diamond USB cable.  I’m looking to spend roughly $600 and the options as best as I can tell from scanning the forum are:

  1. Upgrade the stock SMPS on the Nucleus to a good LPS power supply
  2. Add an Etherregen and place it before or after the Nucleus
  3. Purchase the Iris DDC from Denafrips and go I2S to the Pontus II
  4. Other?

All suggestions and recommendations welcome!  

tom2441
sns
3,003 posts
 

Going optical post server is optimum way to go. Read John Swenson's papers, thoughts on streaming in general. @yyzsantabarbara  pointed to one thread. Here's another about everything under the sun.https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/topic/62477-john-swenson-tutoring-paper-considerations-regarding-usage-of-external-reference-clocks-etherregen-and-other-sine-vs-square-impedance-cables%E2%80%94and-a-money-saving-surprise-at-the-end/

 

Swenson likely the preeminent expert on audio streaming.

jjss49's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
jjss49
6,601 posts
 

one thing is definitely true, you start down this path, you do end up with lots of little boxes, cables, extra power supplies...  that aspect bugs me, but hey, at least at present, this is the drill to get the sound to be really really good... 

tom2441 OP
16 posts
 

Thanks guys for all the inputs.  It is a slippery slope you can go down but I’m primarily a vinyl guy and really just wanted to get advice on which of the three well-regarded upgrades would give the best sound improvement for my digital setup at that price point.  Sounds like the DDC is the way to go.  At least for now!

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