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How to make a streamer (Pro-Ject Stream Box S2 Ultra) playing Qobuz & Tidal to sound better than CD

=3. SOtM as above but no clock nor separate power supply. (9.2/10)
=3. Auralic Aries G1 (9.2/10)

Nice to see that a SBT stands up well. Compared the SOtM to a SBT and two persons could hear no difference (one high-end shop owner).
 
I’ve tried a number of streamers without DAC.

I would rank as follows with a mark out of 10 to show how close they are in SQ-

1. SOtM SMS-200 ultra NEO with SOtM sPS-500 power supply and SOtM sCLK-OCX10 (10/10)

2. as above but with no external clock (9.5/10)

3. Pro-ject Stream Box S2 Ultra (9.2/10).
=3. Stack Audio Link 2 (not tested with its separate PS) (9.2/10)
=3. SOtM as above but no clock nor separate power supply. (9.2/10)
=3. Auralic Aries G1 (9.2/10)

4. Chromecast Audio - can be wired via ethernet through adaptor (8/10)
=4. Home made Pi (8/10)

I would always recommend hard wiring with Ethernet.

Thanks for the information. It's good to know that you have carried out the comparison. Surely something worth exploring, the Pro-ject.
 
Change the Ethernet Cable
I had Cat5 cable under all my floorboards wiring my house up. Unfortunately I found an improvement in using Cat 7 and then again Cat 8 between the router and the switch and especially between the switch and the Stream Box. I say unfortunately as it meant that I had to have the Cat8 running over the carpet and couldn’t utilise the hidden-away Cat 5. But the Sound Quality improvement was such as for this to be necessary.

And with the above alterations the sound is now marginally better than CD.

According to HQPlayer's Jussi Laako, UTP cables (the ones with the all-plastic connectors) must be used for Ethernet's galvanic isolation to work.
 
According to HQPlayer's Jussi Laako, UTP cables (the ones with the all-plastic connectors) must be used for Ethernet's galvanic isolation to work.

For me cat 8 was better than cat 5 despite the metal connectors. However optical is better still.
 


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