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

I got Matrix audio Nt-1. The streamer is really good.

Has both giga LAN and optical 

Galvanic isolated USB and I2s output

Femto clock with FPGA control

Touch screen

Well designed native app that works well on Android iOS 

I have about 130,000 tracks in my NAS and the app read all of them no problem in its library 

HQPlayer NAA is supported and works well. You need version 5 desktop 

I use NT1 with holo may kte dac and they are match made in heaven, especially HQPlayer DSD 512 upsample via I2s. HQPlayer USB DAC correction is an impressive feature but after evaluating I still prefer I2S 

NT1 didn’t sound engaging out of box. Sounded good, clearly better than my previous streamer, holo red. However, after about 150 hours, it sounded really smooth without losing top end details. Bass is super tight clean deep. Mid range is supple and touch warm but that might be because of my dac but with my speakers they are just right. It creates deep and wide soundstage. Music is well separated and each instrument and voice has a nice definition. Compare to my vinyl setup, it doesn't sound as toneally rich and smooth but evrything else sounds no pun intended equals or better in some aspect 

 

 

 

@panerai557  -   Based on what I’ve read, the Matrix seems to be an excellent streamer, but I need something that’s USB-optimized (which the Matrix is not) to mate with my DAC’s USB-first architecture.  

I’m in the exact same place. EVERSOLO A6 w/ Beatechnik LPS > > Merason DAC 1 which is optimized for USB. Thanks for this thread.