Sold my preamp and go straight from the Bartok into the amps! Talk about sound!
Using streaming as a main source ---DSD, FLAC, MQA Streamers and DACS
As I read these forums, and watch copious amounts of Youtube, I'm struck by what a bad idea some of the streaming / digital formats are doing. I'm trying to build a system where I have a streamer, dad, and amplifier (with pre-amp) as separate components but what I keep finding is that the streaming/digital world is totally confused.
--MQA--
MQA seems to be both advancing with new MQair support and dying (few audiophiles seem to like it).
-- DSD --
Seems to be favored by High-end audiophiles but not streaming services.
-- FLAC --
FLAC seems to be pushed by Qobuz which seems to be the preferred service for high quality audio (but not for music recommendations).
Choosing a Streamer / DAC is a nightmare -- given the industry going back and forth on quality, formats, special licensing. Does one choose the formats they want to use and then find appropriate DAC etc or does one choose a DAC that sounds great and then accept its limitations.
I don't understand why streamers don't commit to upscaling to 24/192 or DSD256 for any format so the DAC peeps can focus on a single format.
So how does one decide where to start?
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- 41 posts total
This is very true! Most rock music has been mastered in 96KHz so I really don’t know how so many 192 KHz recordings genuinely exist. MQA seems to have upped it’s game since it was called out by Golden Ears. Nevertheless it’s only really relevant if you’re a hardcore fan. The Steve Wilson re-masters of Yes, Jethro Tull and King Crimson et al are superb and are now mostly the references of these recordings. Aqualung has been truly transformed, even the SACD was very lacking. Steve Wilson’s solo albums are great too if you like prog rock. @kiwiscott You said you were looking for a $5k Bluesound, have a look at an N200 new or used, it’ll do everything you need and more. |
Just a thought. I suggest a used Lumin U1 Mini with a linear power supply. Lots of these on the used market. Along with that you can pick up a used PS Audio MK1 DAC for about $2000-2500. Use the AES/EBU connection. Great economical way to get very, very good sound. Excellent sound stage, very good imaging, very accurate timbres. That is if the rest of your system is up to par. |
I was a fairly early adopter of streaming. My mistake was buying a low-ish end Denon streamer around 2012. Denon no longer provides support for various streaming platforms on that old unit, so it became an iPhone playback unit via a Firewire cable (no Bluetooth). The unit is now collecting dust in a closet. I recently purchased a Cambridge Audio CX 81 which has an okay onboard DAC with an USB B input. I'm just streaming from a PC using an upgraded USB cable. I have an Amazon HD account which includes a very small library of 24/96 and an even smaller library of 24/192 files. The general playback is 24/48 which does sound at least comparable to CD's (on my system). As I am just a Stereo Enthusiast (Audiophiles have much larger budgets than I do). I find the PC makes a decent streaming source. And after my experience with a Gen 1 streamer, I am reluctant to buy a dedicated streamer. Besides, with my entry-level system and 67 year old ears, I don't think spending many thousands on an Aurender would benefit my system, that much. Maybe a used Bluesound. |
- 41 posts total