I need a new streamer.

[Pim]

Well, I've done an evaluation on the Cary DMS-700 streamer. This thing is quite a multi purpose box. It has a lot of ways to play music, but I'm a Roon user, so that was my preferred and only used input. It has upsampling and a DAC built in. I set it up to run into the Expert's analog inputs and, I must say, these inputs showed everything the Cary did. Every change in upsampling was pretty apparent. The Cary does PCM up to 705.6 Hz and DSD up to 256. I found the DSD to sound more natural with better bass definition. Upsampling PCM just gets worse the higher you go. It just adds higher frequency stuff that doesn't add to the music, but what it does do is make it more fatiguing. DSD up higher seems to do the same, but to a lesser extent.

So I decided on DSD64 as the best output. It doesn't better the Holo Audio Red in normal PCM though. I also tried DSD from Roon through the Red, but that just makes things worse. The Red getting normal PCM sounded more full, with less glare than the Cary. Of course it's important to keep in mind that the Cary's analog output still goes through the Expert's AD/DA conversion process, so it's not a proper comparison. Still, it's nice the know the Expert is transparent enough to show all these differences.

So, my conclusion; a NUC and a Holo Audio Red plus 14k of power cables and conditioner and I'm pretty happy. I wonder what impact a higher priced streamer would have. Does anyone have any experience with the Hole Red and compared it to others?