Will a Chord Hugo 2 make a music streamer addition obsolete?

@mlsstl 

@hayas 

@verdantaudio 

@oddiofyl 

@carlsbad 

You guys rock! 

So, I think I’m going to spend the coin for a Hugo2/ 2Go combo because it solves several problems for me: high end DAC, streamer (removing PC noise), a headphone jack, and it’s a setup I can probably live with for many years.
 

Re: Audirvana, I went the software route with Amarra SQ+ but I didn’t really dig it, most because the software is an awful mess and so unreliable.

OP,

Unfortunately the DAC will not make up for a bad streamer… like a PC.

My rule of thumb is that you want to just as carefully chose and invest about the same amount in a streamer as DAC. My streamer is actually about 20% more than my DAC and absolutely worth it.

My digital end sounds as good as my excellent high end analog end.

I recommend Aurender streamers. I own two and have tried others.

Good plan.  Hugo is a good DAC.  Good choice.

You can of course use your PC until you get money/time/research done to buy a streamer.

Jerry

I just read in a Chord Qutest forum that one of the RCA outputs can be used to run headphones (confirmed by R. Watts) so maybe I’ll go with Qutest, save $2k, add in a LPS and figure out the streamer later.

I’m so changeable!

Chord makes great stuff but it won’t replace network players ie streamers as we call them now. I went the computer/bluos route for many years and when I finally evolved from using a computer it was like night and day, I agree with @carlsbad, “it sucked.” In addition to a variety of functional things, the noise level a computer puts out kills the party. Do yourself a favor and don’t go there.