Does anyone have a digital system that is as involving as their analogue front end?


I have a good analogue front end. Not stratuspherically good but good enough for this comparison. VPI Prime Signature 21 turntable, Pass Labs XP-25 pono preamp, Pass Labs XP-30 preamp and Hovland Radia amp. It has a lovely, very involving sound. On the right recording, I just drop everythng and am drawn in to listen.

My streamer, on the other hand, is decent but not spectacular. It is better than my CD player, but it is not jaw-dropping like my analogue front-end. My question is this: does anyone have a high-end, tier-one streamer (dCS Bartok Apex, Lumin X2, or something like them) that can rival a good analogue system?

audio-b-dog

@audio-b-dog the dropouts can be related to DNS (domain name system) which is your provider, at&t. We looked at changing DNS in TP Link Deco but there’s no way to do it. Eero allows you to change it to Google or Cloudflare  DNS and it will improve streaming. I think even the base eero might fix it. But yes try it with an extra mesh node. You can return it if it won’t make a difference. 
eero 7 https://a.co/d/03xs8O5t

good thing about eero is these are backward compatible with original which are like $40 and you can scatter them around your house. 
Just a thought…worth a try because once again if it doesn’t fix your issue you can send it back to amazon. I have a good feeling that it will address your dropouts. 
Also, qobuz connect is easy. Start a song on a qobuz app on ipad and hit the left bottom icon, select Meitner and there you go. 

Amazing that the string octet was composed by Mendelssohn when he was just 16 years old. I’ve listened using jplay Qobuz 24/96 and no dropouts. Went thru track 3 and played track 4.I really like this. Thanks to your Qobuz dropouts I added a new album to my favorites. 

@audphile1 

....to change it to Google or Cloudflare  DNS 

Yes, I forgot about this strategy. Going to have to try this again. I had it done previously but the ISP updated my hardware to the latest wifi 7 stuff a while back. However I just googled Google DNS (:) ) and it said it would have no effect on dropouts, just faster connection times, but I might as well give it a go again, as I am also still experiencing tracks quitting half way through and I assumed it was still a Qobuz issue: 

Switching to Google DNS will not fix physical signal dropouts, but it can resolve web connection errors or delays specifically caused by DNS server failures. DNS (Domain Name System) acts as the phonebook of the internet, translating web addresses like google.com into numerical IP addresses. [1, 2, 3, 4]

 

When it Helps

If your modem is connected, but pages fail to load or throw "Server Not Found" errors, your ISP’s DNS servers may be failing or overloaded. Switching to Google DNS (Primary: 8.8.8.8, Secondary: 8.8.4.4) or an alternative like Cloudflare (1.1.1.1) can offer better reliability and faster initial connection times. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

 

When it Doesn’t Help

If your physical internet drops out (e.g., your router loses sync, Wi-Fi disconnects, or download speeds crash), changing your DNS will make no difference. These issues indicate a hardware fault, cabling issue, or an outage in your local area. [1, 2, 3, 4]

 

How to Change Your DNS

If you want to test it to see if it improves your browsing stability, you can change the settings on your devices or router: [1, 2, 3]

  • Computers (Windows/Mac): Go to your Network/Wi-Fi settings, locate your current IPv4 settings, and manually update the DNS server addresses to 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4. [1]
  • Router: Log into your router’s admin portal and change the primary and secondary DNS settings there (this applies the change to all devices on your home network). [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

 

 

 

 

 

 

@mclinnguy I’ve resolved the dropouts one if my friends was experiencing with streaming TV programs using google mesh with optimum tv as isp. Changed the dns to google 8.8.8.8 and problem is gone. 3 weeks not a single issue. Not saying it’s a solution for every problem but it can potentially help. I would just do away with tp link deco as a first step. 

@audphile1 

Glad I could help you with Mendelssohn. It was reviewed in an old Stereophile and I sometimes use those reviews to be introduced to new music. I think I will start by contacting Meitner because my networking situation is so unusual, connecting directly to a fiber hub. Thank you for your help.