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  #41  
Old 02-05-2021, 09:00 PM
1KW 1KW is offline
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This is really easy... Buy a new M1 Macmini
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  #42  
Old 02-06-2021, 09:29 AM
PeterMusic PeterMusic is offline
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Originally Posted by 1KW View Post
This is really easy... Buy a new M1 Macmini
Definitely not. Macs are terrific if you have one already. (I still use one on my second system.) But not a good price/performance value if you need to buy new, strip it down, and then add on USB decrapifiers and decent player software, etc to get it to sound almost as good as a purpose built unit.
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  #43  
Old 02-06-2021, 10:37 AM
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W9TR W9TR is offline
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Default New Streaming Unit Suggestions

Quote:
Originally Posted by jwc View Post
I'd like to ask a question that is related to this thread. Not to deter from the Ops post I hope.

I have a yggy and have never used the Unison USB board upgrade.

I have a PC that I use for YouTube Music. I stream this only....not saving files. I mean I literal type in the web address in a browser and listen to the music there. I really don't want to change to another stream service or sign up a new account of some kind.

I appreciate the advice in the past about using Sonore, Raspberry pi, and other stuff. But I could never picture in my mind on how I could keep streaming from YouTubeMusic from a browser. Sometimes I watch the associated video too.

Now I could just start with the USB out of the back of the PC straight into Yggy and see how it goes. However, there seems to be so much chatter on the garbage that comes out of the PC. There is also "usb clean-up devices" but all those things claim a different technology on why they are the best. So I can't decide.

A thought. Why not a NUC? You know those small PC's that have an external power supply. They can power good video and have HDMI out which I would only use for video only. They run Windows 10 Pro and can have a standard onboard intel graphics card and also an intel cpu processor. Is the USB straight from here as good as say a Pi? Why would the Pi be better?

jc


Quote:
Originally Posted by jwc View Post
I'd like to ask a question that is related to this thread. Not to deter from the Ops post I hope.

I have a yggy and have never used the Unison USB board upgrade.

I have a PC that I use for YouTube Music. I stream this only....not saving files. I mean I literal type in the web address in a browser and listen to the music there. I really don't want to change to another stream service or sign up a new account of some kind.

I appreciate the advice in the past about using Sonore, Raspberry pi, and other stuff. But I could never picture in my mind on how I could keep streaming from YouTubeMusic from a browser. Sometimes I watch the associated video too.

Now I could just start with the USB out of the back of the PC straight into Yggy and see how it goes. However, there seems to be so much chatter on the garbage that comes out of the PC. There is also "usb clean-up devices" but all those things claim a different technology on why they are the best. So I can't decide.

A thought. Why not a NUC? You know those small PC's that have an external power supply. They can power good video and have HDMI out which I would only use for video only. They run Windows 10 Pro and can have a standard onboard intel graphics card and also an intel cpu processor. Is the USB straight from here as good as say a Pi? Why would the Pi be better?

jc


Let’s talk about streamers for a bit of context.
Every streamer is a digital computer. It may have a special operating system and a nice case and display, but it is a computer.

The job of a streamer is to present bit perfect data to your DAC. They all do this well, even the sub $100 Raspberry Pi’s

What’s next? The clock.

If your interface is S/PDIF or AES/EBU then the ultimate performance is determined by the quality of the clock used to output the data to your DAC. Adding a clock will make a difference here, unless the streamer has an outstanding internal clock.

If you are using USB, then your DAC determines the critical timing parameters and an expensive clock in your streamer is wasted.

So what’s left? Noise.

To say that computers as a class are dirty is a prejudicial comment without merit. Some computers have noisy USB outputs, some don’t. Just as some commercial streamers have paid ultimate attention to the elimination of noise, and some haven’t.

DAC’s vary significantly in their attenuation of noise and jitter at their digital inputs.

The Schiit Yggdrasil with Unison USB is an example of a USB input that is completely electrostatically and electromagnetically isolated. This input is also powered by the DAC instead of the computer, so electrical noise on the streamer USB output doesn’t matter.

If you like to DIY and you have a USB DAC that is immune to noise then the RPi is an excellent solution.

If you are using AES/EBU or S/PDIF then the streamer clock makes a big difference and you are into some coin to get a commercial streamer with the ability to add an external clock or one with a great internal clock.
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Last edited by W9TR; 02-06-2021 at 12:07 PM.
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  #44  
Old 05-19-2021, 08:14 AM
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dkorbal dkorbal is offline
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Default Does a streamer make a difference in SQ?

Quote:
Originally Posted by W9TR View Post
Let’s talk about streamers for a bit of context.
Every streamer is a digital computer. It may have a special operating system and a nice case and display, but it is a computer.

The job of a streamer is to present bit perfect data to your DAC. They all do this well, even the sub $100 Raspberry Pi’s

What’s next? The clock.

If your interface is S/PDIF or AES/EBU then the ultimate performance is determined by the quality of the clock used to output the data to your DAC. Adding a clock will make a difference here, unless the streamer has an outstanding internal clock.

If you are using USB, then your DAC determines the critical timing parameters and an expensive clock in your streamer is wasted.

So what’s left? Noise.

To say that computers as a class are dirty is a prejudicial comment without merit. Some computers have noisy USB outputs, some don’t. Just as some commercial streamers have paid ultimate attention to the elimination of noise, and some haven’t.

DAC’s vary significantly in their attenuation of noise and jitter at their digital inputs.

The Schiit Yggdrasil with Unison USB is an example of a USB input that is completely electrostatically and electromagnetically isolated. This input is also powered by the DAC instead of the computer, so electrical noise on the streamer USB output doesn’t matter.

If you like to DIY and you have a USB DAC that is immune to noise then the RPi is an excellent solution.

If you are using AES/EBU or S/PDIF then the streamer clock makes a big difference and you are into some coin to get a commercial streamer with the ability to add an external clock or one with a great internal clock.
Tom, nicely stated. As always, I can count on you making a complicated subject seem simple. I know this thread is a few months old but I came across it in my research that started with the question "Does a streamer make a difference in SQ?" From your explanation I not only see it does but have a direction where to start looking for new equipment. Well done!

Jean-Marc or Jimmy did you ever decide on a streamer? Findings? I'm in a similar situation, I currently use Bluesound devices with a C2700 DAC and am wondering if a more costly streamer would yield better SQ. The Grimm MU1 is intriguing but at that price it should tick a lot of boxes like server, clock, etc. as mentioned here.
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  #45  
Old 05-19-2021, 12:44 PM
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bart bart is offline
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Originally Posted by Jimmy64 View Post


I am auditioning this Gold Note DS-10 Plus in my home for a week. Pick up tomorrow, I'm excited.

Jimmy

Hi Jimmy, how did this go?
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  #46  
Old 05-19-2021, 04:33 PM
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W9TR W9TR is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dkorbal View Post
Tom, nicely stated. As always, I can count on you making a complicated subject seem simple. I know this thread is a few months old but I came across it in my research that started with the question "Does a streamer make a difference in SQ?" From your explanation I not only see it does but have a direction where to start looking for new equipment. Well done!



Jean-Marc or Jimmy did you ever decide on a streamer? Findings? I'm in a similar situation, I currently use Bluesound devices with a C2700 DAC and am wondering if a more costly streamer would yield better SQ. The Grimm MU1 is intriguing but at that price it should tick a lot of boxes like server, clock, etc. as mentioned here.


Thanks! Glad I was able to clarify a few things.

Happy hunting - there are lots of options out there.

Streamers are interesting because they are one of the few audio components that are digital-in and digital-out.
__________________
Main System:
Amati Futura Mains
Amati Homage VOX Center,
Proac Response 1sc Rears,
Three MC2301's for L,C,R
MC 602 for the rears
C 1100, MX 151, MCD 1100, MR 80
Nottingham Dais with Wave Mechanic
Sumiko Palo Santos Presentation

SurfacePro 3, RPi 4, ROON, WW Starlight Platinum USB, Schiit Yggdrasil, Benchmark DAC3 HGC

MX 151, OppO BDP-95, JVC RS-500 DILA projector, 106" diagonal Stewart Luxus Screenwall Deluxe with Studiotek 130 G3 material.

Lake House:
Ohm F, MC 275V, C2300, MR 77, Rega P3

OnDeck:
McIntosh MAC 4300v
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