Hello All… I’m here for advice yet again. Thank you in advance.
Streamers. The choices are daunting. I have recently sold my “stuff” including my Rose 520. I was not using the DAC, Amp, Inputs etc. Out grew it kinda.
So I’m looking at Rose (I’m not crazy about the app) and Eversolo as the app is supposedly great. And believe it or not, in the meantime I’m using a Cambridge AXN - like a 400 dollar streamer which brings me to my questions.
Do you guys run a DAC/Streamer combo? Seems to me to get a really good example of both in the same box would be expensive. (at least in comparison to below)
Do many of you run just a transport (or just ignore the Dac like I did) and run digital out to a nice DAC?
My point is the Cambridge I’m running is not much, BUT running Coax out to my Jr and balanced up to my amp it sounds really good. As good or better than my Rose 520.
So any advice is welcome. Seems like I could get a Rose 250, or A6 or A8 - basically a 2500 (or less) streamer and with the right DAC (Jr works), all is well. I’m doing that pretty much now with a very inexpensive piece.
I spent the bulk of my $ on a new integrated amp. No point dropping more $$$ on stuff I can’t hear. What got me writing this is the fact this inexpensive “transport” plus Jr being so good really woke me up. Does the streamer just “bit herd” and the fidelity is in the DAC? Seems that way…
The Cambridge Streamers are really very good and sound very musical. Last but not least, the Cambridge app is very simple and clear. Cambridge also keeps the software up to date. You can’t go wrong with a Cambridge Streamer or a combo like the one I had. I had the Cambridge Edge NQ, which integrated streamer, DAC and preamp in one component. Really a good device with musical sound. Cambridge has had streamers in its program for a very long time. I think a DAC and amplifier makes the difference in the sound rather than the streaming module.
I have now exchanged the Cambridge Edge NQ for the Marantz Link 10n. In terms of sound, the Marantz is slightly better. But the difference is not as big as the price difference.
i am convinced a great DAC really makes a difference - my streamer + PSA DSD Mk1 DAC bested an Esoteric CD player (with on board DAC) that would cost more than the combo streamer+dac cost, and it opens up other possibilities(I also have SACDs thatI play through a Sony BluRay setup that cost less than $300 and sounds amazing through my PSA DAC
i am relatively new to the streaming world so still have a steep learning curve to fully take advantage of all my streamer’s possibilities (like DSD etc) - it is an InnuosZen Mk3 and is amazing(innuos.com).
One thing with the A6 or A8 is if you deal with Amazon you can try them for 30 days. The A8 has the better power supplies and the AKM DAC so you have the option of using the built in DAC or the Jr. depending on your mood. Same with A6 but cheaper PS and Sabre DAC.
I just picked up an A8 and am so far liking what I’m hearing, but I’m not the most critical ear. I really like the flexibility that it offers and the app so far is every bit as good as Bluesound. One reviewer (Steve Huff I believe) rated it about on par with BSN or Lumin U2 Mini as a transport but gave it high marks when considering the AKM based DAC, which is one of my primary reasons for choosing the A8 over an A6.
One bit about the A8 that may be relevant to you is the digital output of external digital inputs is limited to I2S. So it’s limited as a digital hub but this really isn’t too important to me.
The A-8 has the full compliment of inputs and outputs other than AES/EBU. On the output side the top USB out is to storage while the bottom one labeled Audio goes to the DAC. This is the same as on the A-6. The A-8 picks up the I2S output but has only an ARC input.
it does look like the A6 gen 2 has a better power supply (than the Gen 1) and it appears to add i2s OUT.
(Well, it’s labeled “HDMI Audio/DSD” but i’m guessing it works the same.) I think the gen 1 A6 only had HDMI ARC for TV stuff.
FWIW i have the A6 gen 1 (not master edition) and i upgraded the power supply. I run it through a Denafrips Pontus II DAC and I am really happy with how it sounds. I occasionally think I might upgrade to some fancy expensive Lumin thing, but I can’t see the need.
Streaming is more than just the streamer! More important for perfect streaming is the way to get there. Ethernet cables make a difference. Fiber optic cables are cheaper and less sensitive to interference and also offer perfect galvanic isolation. A switch in front of the streamer has a significant impact on the sound. A filter like the Network Acoustic Muon pro or an ENO2 offers a significant sound advantage. The streamer is just one piece of the puzzle towards a high-quality streaming experience.
I wouldn’t give the streamers too much weight in the calculation. The Dac and especially what happens in front of the streamer seems to have more impact to me.
Kinda why I started this thread. Im getting really good fidelity with a very basic Cambridge AXN. Same results as with my Rose 520. One is 299 the other 4k or so. The common factor is they both ran thru a DSJ.
So in order to herd these bits properly. To pull them from the ether and get good tidy packets to the dac…
Is that my AXN, maybe EXN, A6 if not A8 or maybe a Aurender 1000?. Those choices span from 299 to 3500. There are different features of course so find the price point that embodies those is critical. I really just need a transport. Include a dac, ok. I really dont need a preamp.
I bet a A6 is about there. Ill go A8 for the USB. Multitude of choices but this thread helps.
Never even thought of a cable etc. Interesting though that there is a sense you are listening to the dac, the power supply, the architecture. Really not so much the streaming portion of the design.
The people on this forum taught me tons since I started participating, and have learned so much - super grateful.
Regarding streaming, I had no idea about the importance ethernet cables $ETC$ until @luca.pelliccioli spent the time to explain so am now off on another quest to get the best bang for the buck cables, who knew a good ethernet cable was so important… so different to jiat a few years ago (and maybe I’ll buy an innuos switch when I have the funds: Phoenix NET - Innuos Audiophile-grade Network Switch).