Cyrus x2 - WD Live - No difference?

[DylanFan]

I recently bought the Arcam irDAC which I've used with streaming from a PC largly .flac - I also have the Kandy2 CD player I’ve recently ‘borrowed’ a Cyrus x2 streamer & have had for a while a cheap WD TV live connected via optical to the DAC - The problem is the Cyrus X2 sounds no different to the WD Live or streaming from the PC using AIMP player (via USB) , nor any worse than the Kandy CD player & are coming to the conclusion that the WD Live actually sounds better than CD played either from the Kandy's analogue out or wired to the DAC using either coax/optical.

I therefore conclude from my personal listening that streamers don't do anything other than add an interface to see what's playing - As the music flowing into the Cyrus (£999) or WD Live (£55.00) is already digital what do streamers do for the grand the Cyrus costs? I noticed in the latest What H-Fi Cyrus has brought out a CD player that has 33% less errors than previous, I can only wonder what my Kandy CD plyer is sending to my amp? Lots of errors?

And why on earth is the WD Live as good if not better than the Kandy CD player? My intention was to upgrade the WD Live to a something more esoteric now cash flow has improved, hence the returnable Cyrus X2 in my rack - I looked at the Cambridge streamer but was put off by app issues & the fact it probably wont like my 90,000+ music files - The disadvantage with the WD Live is I have to use the TV to see what’s playing but the advantage is that the TV is never out of battery or borrowed/missing like my iPad - I’m at a bit of a loss to understand why a £55 unit sounds the same as a £1000 unit using 16bit .flac? Amp is Roksan Kandy 2 Am I going deaf or daft? Shall I go to the Caribbean with the £950 I could save or upgrade from the WD plastic box? One thing is for certian after finishing ripping the Kandy CD player is going.

My hearing isn't as good as it was having not much above 10,000 Hz with a dip at 7,000 having worked is a very noisy environment but no one else who has listened to my system can hear any difference either.

 

[The_Lhc]

You're using an external DAC, it's the analogue output stage on that DAC that will determine the sound signature, all the other things you mention will simply be passing digital data out, which you'd hope would all be bit-perfect (certainly should be if they're any good).

 

[DylanFan]

Yes i appreciate that but should a £55 streamer sound the same as a £999 streamer? Is there anything to be gained with the £950 to upgrade to the Cyrus X2?

 

[The_Lhc]

Yes i appreciate that but should a £55 streamer sound the same as a £999 streamer?

If they're both outputting bit-perfect digital data into the same DAC then what do you think is going to be different?

Is there anything to be gained with the £950 to upgrade to the Cyrus X2?

The interface and whether or not you're using the analogue outputs (assuming it has them).

 

[DylanFan]

 

[DylanFan]

No I wouldn't use analogue outs, the true owner of the X2 does feel a little annoyed though & for him the jury is still out as to whether his outlay was worth it on sound alone - I prefer using the TV as an interface as the iPad app is less than perfect on the Cyrus, don't know why they don't give a HDMI output for when users have flat/missing tablet.

 

[hammill]

No I wouldn't use analogue outs, the true owner of the X2 does feel a little annoyed though & for him the jury is still out as to whether his outlay was worth it on sound alone - I prefer using the TV as an interface as the iPad app is less than perfect on the Cyrus, don't know why they don't give a HDMI output for when users have flat/missing tablet.

From what you have said the jury has returned the verdict that the Cyrus is a waste of money. Mind you, if you told the jury the Cyrus was a celebrity, they would find it not guilty regardless.

 

[DylanFan]

the Cyrus is a waste of money

I wasn't go to put it as bluntly as that but that would seem to be true at least from what I have personally heard, at least so far.

 

[DylanFan]

From what you have said the jury has returned the verdict that the Cyrus is a waste of money. Mind you, if you told the jury the Cyrus was a celebrity, they would find it not guilty regardless.

I wasn't going to put it quite as bluntly as that but that would seem to be true at least today when I'm supposed to be working but listening instead.

 

[hammill]

From what you have said the jury has returned the verdict that the Cyrus is a waste of money. Mind you, if you told the jury the Cyrus was a celebrity, they would find it not guilty regardless.

I wasn't going to put it quite as bluntly as that but that would seem to be true at least today when I'm supposed to be working but listening instead.

In my ignorance, I assumed the Cyrus had a build in DAC which you were not using, making it a waste of money in your case. I now see that it is just a streamer. That is an insane price.