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.
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.