The best audio streamer in the world (in action) 

Clearly you are very confused. 1. AN is the best. But it takes a guy like me who has tried most gear in the world to realize that, meaning I have owned it and heard it at probably now 100+ places. Yes there will always be something beating it here and there. But then we are talking about systems that operate at a higher potential of what it can do, so that is then not a fair comparison. I have heard many systems beat Audio Note. But then I also realized that the only reason why that was, was because the AN setup only ran at about 5-10% effeciency while the other systems ran at more like 30-50% of what it could do, and that is why most people can't agree on what is the best, because they are not comparing the same level of effeciency potential of what the gear can do, and most have never hear these extra sound gears that I have with AN. Still that does not mean that a lot of other gear in the world is bad, quite the opposite. Forget the standard AN sound you hear at shows and shops that is like 10% of what it can do. 2. I also am not biased since I really like Nagra, Spectral, Gryphon, YBA which could not be more Opposite. And I love some very few models of Mcintosh/Accuphase/Bob Carver plus some few other brands. 3. AN makes some of the cheapest prized high level gear. Where the OTO SE signature and Meishu/Cobra proves my point. That will blow away 99% of what is on the market regardless of price/performance. But it takes one like me to set it properly up to realize that potential, except for the Cobra. In the hands of a noob or standard HIFI channel or magazine it's worth as much as anything else almost, simply because they are used to handling trash in a trashy way, like putting a Wadia CD on a Audio Note DAC or a Krell preamplifier on a AN power amp. 4. As I wrote in the comments section he took the room treatment away, because at this high level it was actually sounding artificial. (before he did need it, because before he was hearing a lot more of the standard Monitor Audio speaker sound, which generally has real big problems with the bass. But that is now fixed. Same with grounding boxes and dampeners and fuses, not at all needed at this level. Very overrated and mainly something that you do when you are dealing with most levels, except for the very very best. At the very best level, the system produces a totally different acoustic, compared to if you put it all together in a normal way in the same room like most people. If you did that, then yes it would be needed, and then you are right. 5. This setup destroys every single thing I have heard to date from any brand. And that is still even though the gear is pretty trashy. So the lesson to learn is just that my friend runs his gear at maybe 95% of it's full potential, and then later many other brands can beat that sound, once they get out of their 5-20% full potential zone like most gear in the world. 6. The thing you have to understand is that it is the best streamer in the world, that is what makes it the best, that it is a streaming system. Put Gryphon in there instead and it could most likely get 5x better. But no reason for that since my friend made a 2k USD used amp beat basically most systems in the world. 7. FYI the AN caps you can get of the regular market as not the same high quality that they use in their top designs. And the fact that they measure poorly proves that they are better, because they don't suppress the sound to produces linearity which kills music. You would anyway never be able to buy the best caps that they have in their design, as far as I know they won't be selling them, just like their boards and other things. And forget about ANK that is not even close to AN sound at level 3-5. Yes Kondo is also a great brand, and there I can understand your problems with the price, that I like but would never buy because of the price, but yeah they used to be better a lot like Accuphase and some other companies. So the lesson to learn is that the best streamer in the world is a concept of hand shake. If you integrated the Taiko streamer into this system yes it would still get better, and then yes this concept could then make this the best streamer in the world. No streamer in the world can with a 1 box solution be the best streamer in the world. But when you have a circa 5-10 box solution like my friend, then you can actually do it with a lot of gear. The whole point is understanding how to create this much higher level handshake, and that I have put it on my channel for free. So I am sorry that you don't like stuff that is for free, where I reveal all the stuff you can do to make your own sound better regardless of brand. Have a nice day.

Audio note capacitors are the same whether it's for diy or the one they use themselves. It's from the same bin. ( from a authentic audio note tech guy)

Agree NT, a lot of BS here

Not needed, he had it before and it made the sound worse.

This is my friends setup.

It's in the right corner next to the right speaker, open so he can do all the tweaks that he needs to. The laptop is the remote. Later if he makes a finished product one day we might show it. So far being able to sell it so it is plug & play and looks good is the hardest problem we have at the time. But yes it pretty much currently beats all the streamers on the market we have heard. (it isn't even a close competition) (take your Rose streamer with you, if you want. Then you can hear how good that Rose streamer really is.) But yes a good point you make. You and a single other person we know can be allowed to listen to it. No other person will get this free offer. Only you can identity what potentially needs improving.

@@RealHIFIHelp gonna be a hard pass on that.