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STREAMER - WHERE DO I GO FROM HERE?

I've been using the Eversolo DMP-A8 and think it's a mid-range, feature-rich, capable, and attractive machine.  For the past few months, my focus has been on putting my system together (e.g., new caps on the amps, new tubes, getting clean power, turntable, phono stage, etc) and have felt that I've been overly focused on the analog side.  I've long wanted to work on getting my end game digital setup and pulled the trigger on a BAT Rex 3 DAC and now want a streamer that mates well with it.  I know little about streamers. . .just enough to get lost in the topic.  

Other than an easy-to-read screen and balanced outputs, what features should I look for in an endgame streamer that will deliver a significant performance boost?  I invite any suggestions. 

patrickalston
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11 posts
 

Keep in mind, many say use your existing Streamer section in your Eversolo streamer/DAC combo.  The stand alone, Eversolo T8, streamer IMHO, is waaay better SQ than their Streamer/combo DACs.  It's $1200 USD, and most Eversolo retailers have a waiting list to get one.  Eversolo put alot of engineering and premium parts into just a streamer only.   In my opinion, it's on par with an Innuos Pulsar as far as sound quality.  I suggest you try one, from a dealer who has a 30 day return policy.  If you don't like a screen, you can always turn it off

kirkwallace's avatar
kirkwallace
287 posts
 

Not sure if this helps , @patrickalston , but This Aurender N200 came to the Music Room from me in a complicated trade; it is truly in mint condition; I bought it in September 2025 from a highly respected dealer (Don Better) who was selling it for the widow of a late client of his. I only traded it because I loved the Aurender quality and had the opportunity to upgrade to the N20 by adding in some other components I had no longer had any use for.  This still had (and i assume still does) the plastic film protection over the screen.

hrlywd
5 posts
 

I'm certainly enjoying all the input about the said class of streamers / servers. Has anyone demonstrated the Matrix NT-1? It seems to have all the bells and whistles along with a couple of good YouTube reviews. Problem is that the reviewers leave an element of question by not testing apples to apples. Buhler...Anyone?

mdalton's avatar
mdalton
810 posts
 

I have a dealer friend who likes their stuff a lot.  Haven’t heard it myself, but keep in mind that the NT-1 combines a server with a streamer, which I’m not a fan of.  The TT-1, on the other hand, is streamer-only, and goes for my magical number of $2k.

soix
11,233 posts
 

Remember, Aurender, Innuos and some others offer entry level products that combine the server and the streamer in one box.  It’s a great idea for convenience, but sub-optimal for noise mitigation.  CPUs for servers typically require a lot more power than streamer CPUs, and therefore generate more noise.  So the entry-level Aurenders are noisier than their higher-priced products.  Therefore, if you want the convenience of a single-box solution, I whole-heartedly agree that it would be tough to get state-of-the-art performance for $2k.  That’s precisely why I recommend you keep your server separate from your streamer.  If you do, you can get a whole lot more performance for less $.

This is just silly reasoning trying to rationalize a faulty premise.  You do not get SOTA streamer performance from a $2k streamer even if it doesn’t have a server in it.  Anyone who thinks that has not heard a more expensive/better designed streamer or has limited resolution hearing/system.

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