⭐BEST STREAMER DAC OF 2023 - OF ALL TIME?!?! NO, NOT REALLY....🤣

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Опубликовано:

22 дек 2023

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Комментарии : 71

@abxaudiophiles 6 месяцев назад

@pierce-the-veil8305 6 месяцев назад

THANK YOU. For ME, this has been THE most informative video I have watched (out of several dozen) on my recent obsessive binge to upgrade my system, which is relatively modest. It was easier back in the day (late 80’s in NYC) when I could walk into Brooklyn Audio and listen to high end systems, tell them my budget, then sample their recommendations. Fast forward to today. I scored a mint pair of 80’s era Snell Type D speakers. Driving them I FOUND a Yamaha RX-V870 AV receiver (circa 1993) from a yard sale for all of $10. Fearing that the receiver wasn’t doing my speakers justice I ended up at a vintage Hifi store trying out “high praise” integrated amps only to find that my $10 Yammy sounded better. So easy to watch review videos or get caught up in nice packaging only to realize I wasn’t focusing on what I really needed, a good source player. For now it’s my newly acquired wiim pro + streamer. Next a cd player and possibly a preamp. Thanks again for getting me back on track.

@Mike_rem 6 месяцев назад

Great vid! Very educational and I love that you weren't just saying "these are the best" but instead to think about what you need and here are a range of options to consider. Well said! :)

@abxaudiophiles 6 месяцев назад

Exactly. I see so many folks knee jerk and then 6 months later do it again. Like, let’s just slow down and discuss things. One that always gets me, and you see it ALL DAY on social media - “what’s the best DAC for $500?…. That is nothing more than asking people to sell you on what they like. My favorite ice cream is chocolate and it should be yours too!! 🤣🤣. I always reply to those threads with - What don’t you like about your current set up and sound? Only then can we truly help each other. And you know those posts, as you scroll down and it’s 400 comments naming a single piece of gear and ZERO on the why. 🤣🤣🙌🙌

@adsph 6 месяцев назад

Well said James. This year I dove back into audio. The dac’s and streamers are mind blowing. Good conversation is essential. I thank you for it.

@abxaudiophiles 6 месяцев назад

Totally!! Welcome back and thank you for being a part of the convo...

@ericelmore887 6 месяцев назад

What I always try to do is look what is considered best on the market and do a deep dive on what makes it different. So just looking at Grimm mu1 .. between having world class clocking it is also doing up sampling/ scaling this in turns make even poor recordings sound better , now with there lasted Grimm mu2 now they have Incorporated Dac and great pre amp to allow for that perfect synergy throughout the whole unit. But there are a lot of great option out there that can pull from the quality of the higher priced units. Thanks for great video content.

@abxaudiophiles 6 месяцев назад

Good examples!! Thanks for sharing.

@tommorrison9724 6 месяцев назад

Thoughtful content, James. Thanks for sharing lessons learned from your experiences.

@abxaudiophiles 6 месяцев назад

Thanks Tom!! Cheers buddy.

@dylanemeraldgrey 6 месяцев назад

Good advice. I consider all of that and more. It's a minefield these days. The tricky part is that there are so many variables (including the room, which is huge) that you can't really know how anything will sound until you get it into your system, in your room. That and the hassle and cost get people tied up in knots about what to choose. Lately, it's even more confusing because of all the products and, somewhat ironically, all of the reviewers. That being said, the non- profit idea is interesting as well as the DIY speakers, which got a subscribe from me awhile ago. Best luck in the new year. - Cheers

@abxaudiophiles 6 месяцев назад

I feel your pain!!! I am personally DAC’d to the max my friend. It’s absurdly endless and such small differences in context to things like ROOM, SPEAKERS, EAR, MOOD, etc….. I’ve heard cables that make more difference than DACs in some case. I’m choosing my DACs based on quality of parts in the network and features I need.

@dylanemeraldgrey 6 месяцев назад

@@abxaudiophiles Most definitely. The trick is to have fun with the process as much as possible. If i notice it gets to be a bit much, i slow down and/or do something else for awhile. Most of the frustration is not being able to easily audition stuff and the carrot (or stick) of knowing if you could spend more you could get better sound, which is generally true, but there are diminishing returns after a certain point. The "problem" is that a majority of people can't spend the kind of money that gets them to that point. ;) On balance, still having fun with it though.

@abxaudiophiles 6 месяцев назад

@@dylanemeraldgrey I 100% agree… totally understand….

@TheDutchSandwich 6 месяцев назад

Whenever I get the I want ‘ems I always go back and re-read or re-watch reviews on the gear I have.

@abxaudiophiles 6 месяцев назад

Now that is a GREAT strategy!! Thank you for sharing that

@jbrc1322 6 месяцев назад

Thanks for the insightful video... Two months ago my system was a basic Yamaha AVR and Micca mb42x streaming BT from phone. I first upgraded speakers to Wharfedale Diamond 12.1's and SVS SB1000 Pro. Next, Wiim pro plus streamer and iso pucks/ soundpath isolation for speakers/sub. Feel like the AVR is the bottleneck now, so I just pulled the trigger on a Cambridge CX61 after much research. I feel it will pair well with my speakers and am interested to find out if I will prefer the sound of the Akm dac of the Wiim or the Sabre dac of the CX61. Got almost everything on sale, and it feels good to get so much bang for my buck!

@abxaudiophiles 6 месяцев назад

Well done Sir.. !! Keep us posted.

@johnsalt3680 4 месяца назад

Thank you for putting this together. I would suggest you either give a close-up of each unit or might want to slow down a little and enunciate so one can understand the name of the brand and model, especially in the first eleven minutes. Possibly add the names and links in the description.

@abxaudiophiles 4 месяца назад

Great advice!! I get excited quite a bit. 🤣🤣👍🏼

@martinmart481 4 месяца назад

Yes, couldn’t get any name.

@Dzekoslovaska 4 месяца назад

Thank you for your considerations in the video and also for being such an awesome guy with your donations to the charity. I have a short question, did you manage to test out the Denafrips Arce? I am on the lookout for a streamer for roon-only application and am only interested in sound quality compared to something like a Lumin U2 mini... If you have any opinion you could share it would be much appreciated!

@abxaudiophiles 4 месяца назад

Thank you 😊. Yes we’ve been spending time with the Arce. It’s not ROON certified yet, and sounds amazing. Haven’t compared to the U2. 👍🏼

@Dzekoslovaska 4 месяца назад

@@abxaudiophiles I read multiple articles and I still cannot understand what is the major difference between roon bridge and roon ready device. As I can understand things I can stream music to the Arce, what are the drawbacks of not being roon ready?

@abxaudiophiles 4 месяца назад

@@Dzekoslovaska it’s just not listed as a device on roon, so it won’t have access to the users manual and icon from roon itself. It still works, just doesn’t look as cool and have all the features.

@user-ps6kt7eh2m 6 месяцев назад

Hi james I purchased emotiva DR2 largely based on your review and i love it so thx. Im running a single ended system currently and now i was looking at external dac. Before i go any further trying to decide if to only look at balanced options. Is the difference in balanced vs unbalanced sound that big? Is it worth it. Id have to switch preamp too is why im asking. Any help on this greatly appreciated

@user-ps6kt7eh2m 6 месяцев назад

Opinion on xda 3? I know you said $700 is the starter point for a good dac but that unit is $700 and it has a lot more too. Just a little confused.

@abxaudiophiles 6 месяцев назад

Moving from SE to Balanced is more about lowering the noise floor and reducing noise in the chain. You also get a slight boost in gain from components typically. I would not say it’s “Worth” it as in getting all new gear just for it, but rather as you upgrade, look for gear that incorporates RCA and XLR… Many DAC’s and pre amps now a days have both….

@abxaudiophiles 6 месяцев назад

Regarding a DAC…. It’s a thing to tune your system beyond the speaker and amp.. I would ask yourself, what is the goal? What changes do you want to make to your system?

@mohiria 4 дня назад

Excellent video thank you for being so sensible. I would like to know your opinion about this: I have a Technics integrated amplifier from the 90”s still with cd, mini disc and cassete player and I still love is sound quality. I have almost 100,000 mp3 files from 128k to lossless and when I connect the computer to one of the aux amplifier I don’t like the sound quality, and it’s kinda annoying turning on the computer every time I want to listen to music. I don’t want or need to use any network streaming apps, I just want to have the mp3 files the easiest way available every time I want to listen them, best sound quality possible. I don’t mind to spend some extra bucks if I know that is going to be a long term investment same way my hi-fi system has been to this day. If you could give me your opinion… Thank you so much.

@abxaudiophiles 4 дня назад

@@mohiria Hmmm… That’s a tough one. No real great answer there. MP3 is always lossy and 128K is really not a good source quality and will sound bad on most systems. I would suggest Spotify at a minimum and a Wiim mini. I know you don’t want apps and stuff, but it’s 2024 and kinda hard to accomplish your goal without technology.

@mohiria 3 дня назад

@@abxaudiophiles Thank you so much for you honest opinion and for being so helpful.

@abxaudiophiles 3 дня назад

@@mohiria - I try.... Not always as helpful as I would like to be, but I am always here for you guys.. ;)

@legione1capone 6 месяцев назад

Some fantastic points to bring up and talk about

@abxaudiophiles 6 месяцев назад

BOOOHYAAAA BOYEEEEEEEEEEE. 🤣🥰😊

@verevolf3789 6 месяцев назад

Great video! That's the right philosophy!

@abxaudiophiles 6 месяцев назад

Thanks buddy!! We’ve chatted about this many times. 🤗🤗

@991carreras3 6 месяцев назад

Your so right about dac chips went through 6 dacs all in that $300-500 range and they don't sound any better than the burr brown dac in my Pioneer Elite receiver I brought back in 1999. But this year I allocated funds to try some dacs in the in the 800-1200 dollar range hoping to find something better.

@abxaudiophiles 6 месяцев назад

I can attest there is "Typically" a good jump in overall performance from 300 to 1200..

@CSEducator 6 месяцев назад

Great video! I have a question. I have a 5.1 system - Onkyo RZ50 along with an Emotive XPA 3 Gen 3 amp for my LCR. The Onkyo powers the surrounds. I am looking for a great sounding streamer to add to my system. I would like to stay 1k. Any recommendations? I would like to purchase something that is a little future proof is that’s a thing…..

@abxaudiophiles 6 месяцев назад

What is “great sound” to you? Clean crispy and clear? Warm, analog, and relaxed? Etc….

@CSEducator 6 месяцев назад

Warm with crystal clear presentation. @@abxaudiophiles

@edholmwood2263 6 месяцев назад

Great video my friend. Good topic and good food for thought. Another option is to skip the hardware streamer and do it with software like Audirvana or JRiver, Rune, etc. That way obsolescence is avoided.

@abxaudiophiles 6 месяцев назад

What do we use as a steamer if we eliminate it? I’m not visualizing the signal path from the source app.

@christophericeman7597 6 месяцев назад

I love lamp!

@abxaudiophiles 6 месяцев назад

One of best Gif's around... HAHAHA

@randybarrish1132 5 месяцев назад

Nice topic! For streaming, I started out with the low-cost Eskin-style unit. Low cost and just worked. Next, I spent a few more$$ and went for the Blue Dento B2. I found this significantly better with higher output, etc. Shortly after I bought this I found an iFi Zen Blue 2nd hand and cheap. I have not looked back. My only curiosity is something like a Wiim Mini.

@abxaudiophiles 5 месяцев назад

Wiim is a decent option. The DAC’s are not great. But decent streaming networks

@markconway2677 6 месяцев назад

James, If there were an annual sanity award, you'd be the winner. I'm just getting back into the audio game after a lot of years away and the array of new stuff is pretty overwhelming. Appreciate what you and Randy are doing. The more I think about it the more I think I have to start with my room(s) and fix it/them to the greatest degree possible before even trying out new gear. I'm trying to figure out at the moment what the best approach to getting educated in acoustics is (short of enrolling in a degree program).

@abxaudiophiles 6 месяцев назад

Thank you sir!! That is another space people get WAYY to deep and spend WAYY to much money. Unless you are in a square room, with hardwood floors and no furniture. Most of the time carpet, furniture, etc does a lot. Throwing up a few cheap GIK 242 panels with scatter plates on bare flat walls, and hitting the early reflections does TONS and can be done for just a few hundred bucks... I say NUMBER ONE, is identify what SOUND you like, then BUDGET, then research gear that will give you that sound in that budget. Speakers and Amp first as that will give you 90% of your flavoring is my moto. But that's just me, a guy who listens to 10 different set ups a week.. LMAO... If I can help, please let me know. Cheers.. :)

@richardsmith6708 6 месяцев назад

Excellent content. Really informative.

@abxaudiophiles 6 месяцев назад

Thank you Richard!! I try. 😉😊😊

@Feliciano12v 6 месяцев назад

Great content, I enjoy your for the people approach. Common sense isn't very common.

@abxaudiophiles 6 месяцев назад

Thank you very much! We need to discuss more as a community and judge and argue amongst each other less. 😉😉✌️✌️😍😍

@JuanGarcia-kv7yv 6 месяцев назад

Hey it was an excellent rand!!

@abxaudiophiles 6 месяцев назад

Yes yes. 🙌

@mrpmj00 3 месяца назад

If no native Apple Music lossless, then it's NO SALE. That's why I love my Eversolo DMP-A6 as a transport to external DAC Denafrips Pontus II 12th-1 and DDC Denafrips Iris 12th.

@abxaudiophiles 3 месяца назад

That’s a great combo. I still love the A6 to the ARES II Og… 😊

@mrpmj00 3 месяца назад

@@abxaudiophiles As much as I love my Parasound 2125v2 for my GoldenEar BRX, I've upgraded to the NAD C298 (similar to NAD M23). My Parasound will be moved to powering the surround L/R speakers in a mixed use music/movies 7.4.4 setup. My requirements (

@DeMorcan 6 месяцев назад

Unfortunately, no one who reviews DACs tell me if they are forward or have a deeper soundstage or better imaging. Since I like big forward immersive soundstage, the reviews are meaningless to me as no one discusses the sondstage.

@abxaudiophiles 6 месяцев назад

That’s because 99% of that comes from room and speaker. Amps, pre amps, helping or hindering some, and DAC and streamers do even less in that regard. Think fine tuning with these products. Just above cables and interconnects. If you want immersive soundstage and imaging, the ARES R2R style dacs are a good path. Cheers.

@abxaudiophiles 6 месяцев назад

Also, each DAC will act differently in my system than it does yours. One of the reasons I don’t get to deep in the weeds with these types of deep dives on soundstage, imaging, etc, as it may only be doing that based on the interactions with your gear… Check out iiWi review page, he gets deep into dacs and how they sound on his system. Good dude too.

@DeMorcan 6 месяцев назад

@@abxaudiophiles I understand that. And yet in different rooms A Qutest and Pontus have very different soundstages and imaging and even vocal (mids?) placement in the sound stage. I am interested in the differences between the DACs to make my choices of value priced DACs. So many Delta Sigma sounds more hte smae than different. The technology in DACs has changed so much in a few years andI cannot buy htem all myself. .

@abxaudiophiles 6 месяцев назад

@@DeMorcan Totally, yet put those two dacs in front of different preamps and feed them different sources, and the differences between the dacs change all around. I don't think we can say that the ARES II generally has a deeper, more expansive soundstage than the Bifrost 2 (Although I think it does). Depending on other gear, the Bifrost could, in fact, have a deeper and more expansive soundstage, depending on the overall relationship... Interesting stuff, for sure. PS - I really hate the DAC space... I am much more concerned about Room, Speakers, Amp, Ears, etc.. My belief and experience cause me to focus on things that make some significant changes in our systems. I put DACs just above cables in the hierarchy of "Things that make differences"..

@DeMorcan 6 месяцев назад

@@abxaudiophiles I am just the opposite. I have a revelaing sytem and then tune it with DACs to the sound I want for the music I am listening to. I use a DDC and different DACS on each amp input which is why I want DACs that sound different from each other. I can afford to change DAC much easier than getting different amps of speakers.