Streamer differences.

[lindberggreger]

This is a great forum, and im really glad i found it in pursuit of better sound. There is way to much bro-science out there.

With that said, i havent read everything in here, so i might as well ask and see what the thoughts are.
Im thinking streamers. Streamers doesnt convert the signal so in my mind streamer doesnt matter in any way shape or form, and the DAC is doing all the heavy lifting and doing all the things needed to be done. Is this assumption correct?
Hifi forums claim to hear a difference depending on the stremer they have before an external DAC.

So does it really have an impact on the sound? Being its still only 1:s and 0:s?

 

[BDWoody]

This is a great forum, and im really glad i found it in pursuit of better sound. There is way to much bro-science out there.

With that said, i havent read everything in here, so i might as well ask and see what the thoughts are.
Im thinking streamers. Streamers doesnt convert the signal so in my mind streamer doesnt matter in any way shape or form, and the DAC is doing all the heavy lifting and doing all the things needed to be done. Is this assumption correct?
Hifi forums claim to hear a difference depending on the stremer they have before an external DAC.

So does it really have an impact on the sound? Being its still only 1:s and 0:s?

Welcome!

Not unless it is somehow broken.

Same with all the fancy cables, etc. If you want a hint on where to spend your money, focus on your speakers (and room) or headphones. If it doesn't have moving parts, it's about fundamental competence.

 

[Purité Audio]

As above, the Wiim Pro is as good as a ‘streamer’ ( this would be comparing all streamers in to the very same dac) as Eversolo which is as good as, insert most expensive streamer currently available.
Keith

 

[lindberggreger]

Welcome!

Not unless it is somehow broken.

Same with all the fancy cables, etc. If you want a hint on where to spend your money, focus on your speakers (and room) or headphones. If it doesn't have moving parts, it's about fundamental competence.

Yes that is what im thinking. I never went down the cable route, cause, i just cant see how that would make any difference. Im a musician so i do record and mix and master a bunch. So its always funny to see the Hi-Fi obsesssing about cables, when on this end no one really care about that. Mic cable mixerboard AD and into the DAW, and try to dirty the signal down with different plugins to get it more sounding oldschool or like (insert hardware)..
I never measured anything and this forum seem to be doing a great job at that, so thats why i wanted to throw out the question.

I have Hegel 360 and B&W 804s, bought the bluesound node x before i started down this rabbithole, and now i bought the SMSL SU1 for testing. WOW! What a lift.
So im gonna keep searching more for DAC:S and buy a better one in spring. (xlr connection, better SINAD, and so forth). The little things.
Thank you for answer.

 

[Purité Audio]

You almost certainly won’t get a better sounding dac than the SMSL,

SMSL SU-1 Stereo DAC Review

This is a review and detailed measurements of the SMSL SU-1 stereo USB DAC. It was arranged to be sent to me by shenzhenaudio from the company and costs US $79.99. Despite its simplicity, the SU-1 manages to look elegant with nice fonts and LED indicators for different inputs. Back panel has...

www.audiosciencereview.com

But they may be something with additional useful feature , loudspeaker and their interaction with the room is where you should be looking for real gains in SQ.
Keith

 

[JeremyFife]

Just to keep it all going - and, welcome btw

No need to change that SMSL SU1 ... you won't get audibly better. Now, if you actually need balanced connections (ground loops? or increasing the input voltage to your amp) then that's fair enough. Recognise that it's a change based on features though, not on improving the sound

 

[lindberggreger]

As above, the Wiim Pro is as good as a ‘streamer’ ( this would be comparing all streamers in to the very same dac) as Eversolo which is as good as, insert most expensive streamer currently available.
Keith

Thank you. Yes that little thing seem to be doing a perfect job for little to no money! I got my Bluesound node now for streaming and an SU1 as DAC.

 

[lindberggreger]

You almost certainly won’t get a better sounding dac than the SMSL,

SMSL SU-1 Stereo DAC Review

This is a review and detailed measurements of the SMSL SU-1 stereo USB DAC. It was arranged to be sent to me by shenzhenaudio from the company and costs US $79.99. Despite its simplicity, the SU-1 manages to look elegant with nice fonts and LED indicators for different inputs. Back panel has...

www.audiosciencereview.com

But they may be something with additional useful feature , loudspeaker and their interaction with the room is where you should be looking for real gains in SQ.
Keith

With that getting a better i was going for the measurements, i know the SU1 is in the top. The DO300 is measuring even better. And got the XLR plus a little display. The topping seem to be very good as well. Just have to sift and sort with whats out there. Gonna end up with a second stereo for the bedroom so i will need 2 dacs nevertheless.
And the room and such, i know about. Using B&W 804s so im pretty set for now. They sound magnificent! Very detailed and revealing. So the dac differences from the node is insanely big.

 

[JeremyFife]

Nothing wrong with your Bluesound Node as a streamer btw, it's absolutely fine

 

[lindberggreger]

Just to keep it all going - and, welcome btw

No need to change that SMSL SU1 ... you won't get audibly better. Now, if you actually need balanced connections (ground loops? or increasing the input voltage to your amp) then that's fair enough. Recognise that it's a change based on features though, not on improving the sound

I wont mind the added features. And my Hegel have the XLR:s for inout so might as well make sure all signalways is used as what it can perform. But i do realise, SU1 116 sinad and topping and such is 123. So yes, i imagine there wont be much audible difference!

My SU1 have had a little thing where it drops the signal from now and then for about half a second.

 

[lindberggreger]

Nothing wrong with your Bluesound Node as a streamer btw, it's absolutely fine

Yes thats what i figured as well. Its only 1s 0s until the dac. And i do like the app they have. Its easy enought to navigate and save music in and such. Good platform for that.