HRT iStreamer DAC video review - a true iPod/iPhone/Ipad DAC! - Page 2

is the usb-b plug for power only or can we pair it up to a pc aswell

What I wouldn't mind know, is that if the 'white' line out cable from the i-device is the digital line-out?

If I had a better Dac in the future, at least that cable will remain.

Did you two watch the Deckhand Davy vids ? 

Quote:

Originally Posted by estreeter 

Did you two watch the Deckhand Davy vids ? 

yes i did, as far as i can tell. He didn't try to plug it to a computer through mini usb jack. And all im saying is it could have been pretty cool to get it working as a standard dac aswell

we can still get this to portable status with something like http://www.ladyada.net/make/mintyboost/

Why dident they build this into a dock, seems so unfinished in some kind of way.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Very Legal 

Why dident they build this into a dock, seems so unfinished in some kind of way.

If you want a dock, buy one of the Wadia/Onkyo offerings. If you want a CDP/music server which also bypasses the iPad/Pod's internal DAC, TEAC now offer exactly that (same technology as that employed by Wadia, Onkyo and HRT). All of the above are more expensive than the iStreamer, and the first two still require that you purchase an external DAC or DAC/amp.

iStreamer's specifications:

• 16-bit only
• 32, 44.1, and 48kHz
• 2.25 v RMS output
• S/N ratio of 98dB
• Gold plated analog RCA output
• iDevice input
• Power port (USB A-type connector), which also charges device
• Compatible with all modern iPods,  iPhones, and iPads

hugo5282, if you can tell me how you plan to take a line-level signal (analog) from the iStreamer *into* another DAC, without using a dedicated ADC (!) of some sort, I am all ears. I believe that you are making this a lot more complex than it needs to be - I hope thats opinionated enough for you.

Not intending to offend 'estreeter', I was looking for help in this forum and personally did not really want to trawl through a YouTube video, that's where I'm coming from.

I appreciate your 'current' opinion and it that is very helpful now in assisting my own understanding.

This sounds like quite a good device and I am certainly seriously considering getting one, since there's nothing else like it in the market. Since the white cable is an ordinary line out, there's a little bit of upgradability there and also the power supply, should one choose and options are available in the future.

What would really be awesome with all of this, is to use an idevice, say an ipod touch hook up permanently to the i-streamer then to a hifi system, and the ipod touch is the 'conduit' for music trasmitted wi-fi from a pc somewhere. In addition, if one has a secondary i-device, say ipad, there is an app that allows the ipad to contro the ipod touch. As far as I am aware, there are no apps that control i-device to i-device.  I know of the Tango app, but I thought it only worked with the 'ipod' function only.  It would be great if it controlled all apps, like say, if you're using stream to me/serve to me on the ipod touch/pc OR even changing songs on Accuradio.

We have a much cheaper solution to get digital out from an ipad which have the ability to get portable with right dac on hand. The device itself is not portable while iDevices are all portable?

and this is why iStreamer needs a battery of some sort that could atleast power the dac itself on set mode, it doesn't have to charge the idevice when on foot.

Digital-in to hook it up with Computer, i don't get why would i should stream from an iphone when i'm at home and with a computer available with gigabytes of 16bit 48khz music.

Digital-out to upgrade to a better dac and use the iStreamer as a dock only. But since all HRT products are lacking in terms of connections available thats to be expected i guess.

Well done, very informative review

Well,the wadia is ipod only i have seen some firm trying to build in a dac but havent heard more since. but its not ipad compatible as far as i know.  the onkyo is as far as i know only compatible with ipod and do not have a dac buildt-in either. teac seems to be ipod only also. Then we have the iStreamer that isent portable. So why dident they build it as a dock for iPad with exchangable inserts for iPad/iPod etc. In this state it seems to fill your desk with cables. Just my toughts, wasent to offend you in any way. Btw peachtree idecco is also extracing digital ipodstream but only ipod compatible. iStream could have been the first iPad dock to extract digital out with a build-in dac.
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by estreeter 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Very Legal 

Why dident they build this into a dock, seems so unfinished in some kind of way.

 

If you want a dock, buy one of the Wadia/Onkyo offerings. If you want a CDP/music server which also bypasses the iPad/Pod's internal DAC, TEAC now offer exactly that (same technology as that employed by Wadia, Onkyo and HRT). All of the above are more expensive than the iStreamer, and the first two still require that you purchase an external DAC or DAC/amp.

 

iStreamer's specifications:

• 16-bit only
• 32, 44.1, and 48kHz
• 2.25 v RMS output
• S/N ratio of 98dB
• Gold plated analog RCA output
• iDevice input
• Power port (USB A-type connector), which also charges device
• Compatible with all modern iPods,  iPhones, and iPads

 

hugo5282, if you can tell me how you plan to take a line-level signal (analog) from the iStreamer *into* another DAC, without using a dedicated ADC (!) of some sort, I am all ears. I believe that you are making this a lot more complex than it needs to be - I hope thats opinionated enough for you.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mangamonster 

 two main reasons. To keep costs down and continue providing the same cost value as the rest of their line up and to maintain the same look and feel as their other streamer products...consistency was probably key in their design decisions to keeping the HRT look and feel. My guess is that they probably chewed on the idea of using a dock before making a decision.

Bingo. If they had produced a dock named the 'iStreamer', I suspect that it would have looked incongruous alongside the USB Streamers - hasnt stopped other companies in the past, but I suspect that Kevin is keen to burn the image of the Streamer into our retinas.

Yes they may have cut the cost but however i think they would have hit a bigger marked as a dock.
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by mangamonster 

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Very Legal 

.. Then we have the iStreamer that isent portable. So why dident they build it as a dock for iPad with exchangable inserts for iPad/iPod etc. In this state it seems to fill your desk with cables. Just my toughts, wasent to offend you in any way. Btw peachtree idecco is also extracing digital ipodstream but only ipod compatible. iStream could have been the first iPad dock to extract digital out with a build-in dac.
 

Good point and I must admit, I would like to also see this in a docked solution.

 

But to be fair, if I were to put myself in HRT's shoes, they probably designed the iStreamer as they did because of two main reasons. To keep costs down and continue providing the same cost value as the rest of their line up and to maintain the same look and feel as their other streamer products...consistency was probably key in their design decisions to keeping the HRT look and feel. My guess is that they probably chewed on the idea of using a dock before making a decision.

Quote:

Originally Posted by estreeter 

Quote:

Originally Posted by mangamonster 

 two main reasons. To keep costs down and continue providing the same cost value as the rest of their line up and to maintain the same look and feel as their other streamer products...consistency was probably key in their design decisions to keeping the HRT look and feel. My guess is that they probably chewed on the idea of using a dock before making a decision.

Bingo. If they had produced a dock named the 'iStreamer', I suspect that it would have looked incongruous alongside the USB Streamers - hasnt stopped other companies in the past, but I suspect that Kevin is keen to burn the image of the Streamer into our retinas.

 

 

hi people, i know this post shouldnt be here, but i needed some helping hand..

id like to know if this product:

http://www.pure.com/products/product.asp?Product=VL-61429&Category=

functions like the istreamer.

thanks people.

(sorry, because im thinking if which is better between the two)