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Why is a streamer needed in 2022 ?

Nickdubai

Nickdubai

pfm Member
Why do I need a streamer in 2022 when I can simply plug, pretty much any phone, tablet, laptop or desktop computer, running something like Qobuzz, into a Pre-amp or Integrated Amp with a DAC module and get the same result?

Or am I missing something?

Even assuming you have to buy a new tablet the outlay in minimal compared to a streamer plus the bonus of a large 10 inch+ HD/4k screen to navigate endless playlists and album art...
 
In my opinion you don't, especially if you have noise reduction software like Audirvana or whatever. And if you do need a streamer, it'll be out of date in a year. Bugger, I bit.
 
You’re missing something!

You’ll be using you’re phone or tablet to convert digital into an analogue output.

A streamer can be as little as Google Chromecast, still available, if you hunt for £30, or a Yamaha WXD 10 maybe £100.

The something you would be missing would be SQ.

Instead of having to browse LP’or CD’s you use the search function to find whatever you’re looking for.

Gary
 
You don’t get all the fun of trying to get a decent sound out of Pi based solutions. It’s quite easy and that’s one of my great takeaways from digital. I’m hanging on to analogue but it’s getting quite difficult at the price I’m prepared to pay.
 
IMHO you don't need a dedicated streamer, a Quiet PC or Laptop will do the same thing.
Use (Tidal or similar) with asynchronous USB out from a laptop/PC to a DAC then analogue out to you amp
You can upgrade DACs as they bring out better chips, easy to upgrade PC or laptop software or operating system
A streamer will have a built in DAC and bespoke software.
Alan
 
IMHO, the biggest benefit you get from a dedicated streamer is the software that’s running on it which allows you to seamlessly use multiple streaming apps interchangeably (Spotify, Tidal, Qobuz, Roon etc) from a phone or tablet without having to faff around on the PC/laptop to switch software etc. It’s also much easier to use for others who “just want to play some music” if you happen to have a hifi that’s used by other members of the household.
 
Single biggest improvement i experienced was moving from a Macbook Pro as my server/streamer to a dedicated, purpose built server/streamer. To give you some idea of the improvement it made, right before I took delivery of the Streamer (an LDMS Mini by Lukasz Audio, which cost me about £6k), I had been loaned a Silver Core Wanfreid Pre Amp (about £20k!) to use in my system, which at that point was simple MBP-DAC (with volume control)-Power Amps, i.e. no pre-amp.

The Silvercore pre-amp was doing amazing, wonderful things. I was quite surprised by how adding something into the signal path made such a vast improvement, but it did. I remember thinking, why would I do this to myself? Just when I should be about to enjoy the upgrade from the MBP to the dedicated sever, I'd be giving back the pre-amp and mourning it's loss. Perhaps a £6k server might offset some of that loss but I'd still be net negative.

Well not a bit of it - the server improved the system by the same order of magnitude as the Preamp did. It was remarkable.

All the devices you've cited (OP) in that list are all terrible sources, as well as being wonderful sources of noise. I don't much about the design and execution of music servers, but Lukasz Domanski does and his music server is easily among the best (we've tested it against the best from CH, Solution, Linn and Naim and it wipes the floor with them. SOme people are using his servers with £400k+ Tidal Assoluta/Kondo systems and declaring them better than units from Taiko, which cost three times the price!)

Anyway, to summarise, because they sound so much better. It's a bit like asking, why bother anything when a JBL bluetooth speaker can serve just a well.
 
FWIW, I have Allo DigiOne Sig streamer (Pi based) rubbing RoPieee and it sounds bloody marvellous. A notable step up from my Naim SuperUniti streamer stage.

It runs into a Qutest DAC. Shortly I will be plugging my MacBook Pro straight into DAC to attempt a comparison with the DigiOne.
I can’t imagine the MBO will best it (because it’s soooo good). But equally I’m not sure a DAC as good as the Qutest couldn’t resolve the stream from the MBP just as well as the one from the DigiOne.
We’ll see soon enough I guess !
 
H20GNA said:
You’re missing something!

You’ll be using you’re phone or tablet to convert digital into an analogue output.

A streamer can be as little as Google Chromecast, still available, if you hunt for £30, or a Yamaha WXD 10 maybe £100.

The something you would be missing would be SQ.

Instead of having to browse LP’or CD’s you use the search function to find whatever you’re looking for.

Gary
Click to expand...
No, the DAC in the Pre-Amp, Integrated Amp or Speaker is doing the conversion, that is the whole point, Digital USB signal from device to DAC...
 
geetee1972 said:
Single biggest improvement i experienced was moving from a Macbook Pro as my server/streamer to a dedicated, purpose built server/streamer. To give you some idea of the improvement it made, right before I took delivery of the Streamer (an LDMS Mini by Lukasz Audio, which cost me about £6k), I had been loaned a Silver Core Wanfreid Pre Amp (about £20k!) to use in my system, which at that point was simple MBP-DAC (with volume control)-Power Amps, i.e. no pre-amp.

The Silvercore pre-amp was doing amazing, wonderful things. I was quite surprised by how adding something into the signal path made such a vast improvement, but it did. I remember thinking, why would I do this to myself? Just when I should be about to enjoy the upgrade from the MBP to the dedicated sever, I'd be giving back the pre-amp and mourning it's loss. Perhaps a £6k server might offset some of that loss but I'd still be net negative.

Well not a bit of it - the server improved the system by the same order of magnitude as the Preamp did. It was remarkable.

All the devices you've cited (OP) in that list are all terrible sources, as well as being wonderful sources of noise. I don't much about the design and execution of music servers, but Lukasz Domanski does and his music server is easily among the best (we've tested it against the best from CH, Solution, Linn and Naim and it wipes the floor with them. SOme people are using his servers with £400k+ Tidal Assoluta/Kondo systems and declaring them better than units from Taiko, which cost three times the price!)

Anyway, to summarise, because they sound so much better. It's a bit like asking, why bother anything when a JBL bluetooth speaker can serve just a well.
Click to expand...

Do you think that you could tell the difference between your setup and a 30 quid DAC from Amazon inserted into your system in a blind listening test? Most of the small companies don't actually manufacture any DAC chips or server components just assemble them from a parts bin that everyone has access to, which may actually result in added noise to make the sound warmer for example which may appeal to some people and often cited as better. I think there is even more hype/mystery over digital than there is even for cables etc.
 
H20GNA said:
You’re missing something!

You’ll be using you’re phone or tablet to convert digital into an analogue output.

A streamer can be as little as Google Chromecast, still available, if you hunt for £30, or a Yamaha WXD 10 maybe £100.

The something you would be missing would be SQ.

Instead of having to browse LP’or CD’s you use the search function to find whatever you’re looking for.

Gary
Click to expand...
No, the DAC in the Pre-Amp, Integrated Amp or Speaker is doing the conversion, that is the whole point, Digital USB signal from powerful device running the latest version of Android for example to a DAC... If you look at most streamers even very expensive streamers or well regarded streamers they are running really old versions of android...
 
Look at the Hifi Rose flagship streamer for example, femto clock, linear power supply etc etc,

Rose OS Ver 1.22.4 (based on Customized Android 7.1)

Android Version 7.1 !!

Just plug your current version Tablet/Phone via a USB C to USB B cable into a decent DAC either standalone or as part of a Pre-Amp/Amp module or active or powered speaker....

Can you even buy a tablet running Android 7.1 anymore!
 
I think it may depend on how you listen to music.
I browse the internet on a Mac Mini plugged into a large TV.
The Mac also provides video and audio entertainment all with one interface with which I interact.
I don't want another interface to use with a streamer such as required by the Naim streamers.
The Naims is dependant on a 3rd party infrastructure in order to function - without that it's an expensive brick in comparison to a computer.
 
I tend to use the phone as controller though you can use it as a pseudo Squeezebox using the playback feature of IPeng. I use the Yamaha I built streamer or the Squeezebox Touch I have re-acquired for playback.
 
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