[Flashman]

As I muse my future moves in the hi-res music streaming space, I have a simple question that probably has been asked a dozen times:

Other than the organization of the music and its display, does it really matter what device moves the digital bits?  My sense is that the DAC is the gold standard but that the device that gets the digital bits to the DAC really doesn't matter.  Of course, the software that organizes the bits and the various apps that permit one to view and select music are quite important.  But the actual transmission of the bits shouldn't matter, other than this important caveat: there are many who think that the pipe (coaxial vs. optical vs. USB) CAN make a significant difference.

But I would really like to focus on the device that moves the bits. Does it really matter, caveats above aside?

[paul79]

Yes! The digital source is even more important than the DAC. FE, feed a world class DAC a sub-par digital source, and it will sound worse than a cheap DAC fed by a world class music source. Trash in, trash out.

[Rusty Jefferson]

As I muse my future moves in the hi-res music streaming space, I have a simple question that probably has been asked a dozen times:

Other than the organization of the music and its display, does it really matter what device moves the digital bits? ..........

Yes.  Solid State drive dedicated servers (like a CAPS) sound profoundly better than your typical desk top computer delivering those bits.

[geowak]

I have the following configurations on three systems;
1) Spotify app - Iphone 5 - Pure I-20 dock - Benchmark DAC1 - Parasound Preamp/Amp
2) Spotify app - Iphone 5 - Pure I/20 dock - Schiit Audio Bifrost DAC - Line Magnetic Audio 216 tube amp
3) Macbook Pro and Ext SSD Hd with Itunes - Benchmark DAC1/USB - Parasound Preamp/Amp
4) Spotify or Itunes on Logitech server/ Macbook Pro - Squeezbox 3 (original) - Marantz 2235 receiver

All sound much better than I ever expected, even when the DAC's are switched over to two CD players I have....

[jarcher]

Yes - it's ALL matters - and the streaming device probably as much as anything else.  It's been my experience that digital audio seems particularly sensitive to the quality of the power supply.  Hence why you see upgraded power supplies for sale for PCs & squeezeboxes (and DACS of course) for sale here and elsewhere.  The player software also makes a significant difference not just to ease of access but also to the sound quality. 

So unfortunately you can't cross the media streamer off the list in the quest for better sound……

A PC will give you the most options, but dedicated streamers such as the ones that Bryston & Salk sell should also do the job nicely if you don't want to muck around so much in the options.

[BoJonJovi]

Yes.  Solid State drive dedicated servers (like a CAPS) sound profoundly better than your typical desk top computer delivering those bits.

Could you provide some links to solid state driver servers. I am in the process of also upgrading my streaming experience and am really wondering what you are referring to. I am guessing the solid state drive in my computer is not the same thing as a SSD server but maybe it is???

[steve in jersey]

Yes, all the sayings referring to "GIGO" are true, but no one mentioned the descriptive saying that I like to use
& that is......   "You can polish a turd all you want, but it's still just a turd" (sounds like someone on the farm may have been ignoring some chores & had too much time on their hands when they thought this one up)

[Vincent Kars]

If digital audio was about bits and bits only we wouldn’t have any problem.
We would stay in the digital domain and enjoy all the robustness of it.

Unfortunately audio is not only about bits but about timing as well.
If we transmit digital audio e.g. using SPDIF, the timing of the signal is used to construct the sample rate.
If the clock of the sender is jittery, we have input jitter at the DAC.

Then there is noise e.g. a ripple on the ground plane. If this creeps into the DAC, this might affect the DA conversion.

Digital audio is:
Bits , most of the time not the problem
Timing, a fully analog thing, never perfect by design
Noise, all components can en will generate some noise.

A good DAC of course has it countermeasures like PLLs, ACSR, transformer coupling, etc. etc.
In essence, jitter reduction and noise isolation.

[steve in jersey]

If digital audio was about bits and bits only we wouldn’t have any problem.
We would stay in the digital domain and enjoy all the robustness of it.

Unfortunately audio is not only about bits but about timing as well.
If we transmit digital audio e.g. using SPDIF, the timing of the signal is used to construct the sample rate.
If the clock of the sender is jittery, we have input jitter at the DAC.

Then there is noise e.g. a ripple on the ground plane. If this creeps into the DAC, this might affect the DA conversion.

Digital audio is:
Bits , most of the time not the problem
Timing, a fully analog thing, never perfect by design
Noise, all components can en will generate some noise.

A good DAC of course has it countermeasures like PLLs, ACSR, transformer coupling, etc. etc.
In essence, jitter reduction and noise isolation.

I would bet that most of us would'nt care to spend much time listening to someone who believes "bits are bits"
music system.

[Bob in St. Louis]

Well then....This is shaping up to get interesting.