I started streaming using a higher-end Dell laptop, USB to the DAC. I upgraded to a Roon Nucleus Plus server and the USB port is much quieter than the one on the Dell and the server maintains its self with no work on my end (other than responding "yes" when prompted to install software upgrades). The sound quality is much better from the Roon server.
What is the added value of a streamer over a networked dedicated Computer
Hi
I see lots of sales pitches for streamers as digital sources, and plenty on this site advocating them. I get that they're a purpose-built user interface but, apart from that convenience, including a visual display on the device, (i) do they really deliver better hi-fi sound as a source over a well set up computer dedicated to hi-fibreoriduction (ii) if so, why?
Here's some background to my question(s). I currently use a dedicated Mac Mini with SSD (headlessly) and Audirvana Plus software through a USB DAC. I tend to listen to digital files on external drives (wired connections). Some are high Definition eg Flac, some are aiff ripped from my extensive CD collection. Currently I only tend to use Spotify etc to test if I like music and invest in actual downloads of the music I like. In day to day use the Mac Mini/Audirvana Plus (virtual) player is controlled using its remote app on an iPad on the same Network. If I wanted I could add high quality online streaming from, eg, Tidal. Whilst that would expand the breadth of music I have immediate access to, it seems to me to add another potential source of interruption/corruption of data flow. The Audirvana software overrides/bypasses detrimental computer audio elements and processes keeping the data path simple and dedicated to hifi audio replay.
So what, sound quality-wise, would a standalone streamer device using NAS or other drive storage and/or online web connection bring to the party? It seems to me it's just a digital device containing effectively the components of a computer with a button (or remote) interface. I understand the old argument that it's dedicated and not doing other things simultaneously and that computers are traditionally electrically noisy environments but I'm currently sceptical that with a dedicated computer, not being used for other purposes, and running a virtual device like Audirvana Plus which effectively switches off internal functions which might compromise sound, this is a real problem. Also it seems that a "dedicated streamer" contains many elements which are effectively computing elements. Note that I have no industry connection or monetary interest from Audirvana or Apple.
- ...
- 53 posts total
If you haven't done this already I would suggest that you compare a streamed album with one that you have ripped in FLAC. See if there's any difference in sound using your current setup. In my case I have ripped my CD library (over 4k titles) into uncompressed FLAC but I still have all my CDs. I am streaming through an ASUS gaming laptop (I7 processesor) into the USB input of my PS Audio PerfectWave Mk II DAC. Note that the DAC has a "Digital Lens" feature that buffers and reclocks the data which should take care of any digital hash from the laptop. I also use Qobuz. I have compared several CDs with the FLAC ripped version as well as the same version on Qobuz - all through the same DAC. The CDs go through my PSA PerfectWave Transport. I can't hear the difference between the three formats. They sound identical, or at least similar enough to not make a practical difference. I wouldn't expect a FLAC version of one of my CDs to sound better than the CD itself. Using this criteria I can't see how an expensive dedicated streamer will help me. The other advantage of using a PC is that it can serve as the Roon core when I go with Roon at some point in the near future. BTW, the Qobuz version sounds the same as the other two formats which is to say that they all sound very good. To put this another way, is anyone saying that a FLAC played through an expensive streamer actually sounds better than the corresponding CD played through the same DAC? If so, that is a demonstration I would really like to hear. I read folks saying that an expensive streamer sounds way better than a cheaper option but I never see them using any sort of reference to help pin down the differences. I really think that you have to compare against a reference to get an accurate picture of how much difference there really is. |
In the interest of clarity, since many call what I consider servers, streamers. What I'm speaking of is a DEDICATED streamer, many of us know this, but this is what is used in two computer setup. Only the DEDICATED streamer and/or really high end server/streamers do optimized rendering.
To be clear, the server provides music player library and music player processing ONLY, the DEDICATED streamer does only the rendering. |
@napoleoninrags16 keeping it simple there is only one way a computer is equal to a high-quality streamer like an Aurender, and that is when the computer has been designed/built/optimized purely for sound quality. Taiko, Pink Faun, 432 EVO, Lampizator, etc., these companies all make music servers/streamers that are really optimized computers - they are very good but very expensive, on par with high quality streamers. So you can stick to a computer if you want, just don't kid yourself that any old computer will favorably compare sonically UNLESS your system is not resolving enough for it to matter. |
I have essentially the same set up as the gentleman who started this discussion: 2012 Mac Mini: 2 tb Samsung SSD with 3000 ripped Cd's using AIFF or ALAC: Audirvania is controlled with iOs remote using iPad or iPhone. I use AQ Diamond USB connected through an AQ jitterbug: Power cable is a Synergistic Research Resolution Reference and the MM is plugged into the Discrete Symmetrical out of a Furman Ref IT-15: I use Audirvana to convert the CD Library to DSD128: I,also, use a dedicated $1200 streamer connected with a AQ Eagle Eye silver coax cable and the same SR power cord. I use the streamer for Apple Music Lossless & Tidal: I have a parallel library on a macbook pro using a samsung ssd Amarra & Audirvana In my setup, the Mac Mini trumps the streamer every time. So I use it for music discovery and not for critical listening. Of course, this is my experience. Depending on equipment and room issues results can vary. |
- 53 posts total