[Nirmalanow]

It's settled: the Plus is staying. But even though I am keeping the Streamer Plus, I actually think the Regular Streamer is the real bargain. It gets you 90% of the way there for 1/3 the price. The Plus just adds a certain extra sense of realism and a better defined bass. I am using a Dell laptop with files ripped to WAV so the plus could especially seem worth it in my case since I am using high bit rate files. The Streamer still has a wonderfully musical presentation and if you prefer a slightly softer sound it could work out well, especially if you are using mp3s or other compressed files.

Both of these units are great, but it is a very individual decision if it is worth the extra $200. Fortunately, you can order both from Music Direct and then return one. But if you have a revealing system, be prepared to pay for the Plus.

 

[Nirmalanow]

Another headfier wrote and asked some more about what I heard with the Music Streamers. Here is what he wrote:

Hey, I was wondering if you ever experienced any hiss from this DAC.
I don't have the money for the + unfortunately and was wondering if you ever tested it with any sensitive IEM's?
Does it really get 90% of the way of the + ?
Tonally, how different are they?
Can you compare it to any other DACs you have heard?

And here is my reply which I thought I would share here also:

I did not experience any hiss with the standard Streamer on my Denon MD5000 which are 25 ohm, but I no longer have any iem's. The specs say the plus version is quieter, so if the hiss did appear with your setup, the plus might be a better choice. I did feel the regular Streamer was as musical as the plus. The differences while slight were that the standard was a little more reserved or muted. the plus gives more of that illusion of you are there in the recording studio, but again that was with WAV files on my dell laptop.....and also a nice kimber usb cable ( with the ferrite beads removed) which would help either DAC. As I mentioned the Plus seems to also add more detail and more bass, which might not matter as much if you are using compressed files. And you may be able to compensate for the bass other ways with a little EQ or something. As for 90% of the plus, that is of course very subjective. Unfortunately I heard the plus and then somehow the 10 % was worth an extra $200, but I do not think I will be looking for a new DAC for a long time.

Other DACs I have owned are the Scott Nixon tube DAC, the Monica, and the DACs inside the Pico and Predator. I would say the standard equals the Nixon and the Monica. The Pico DAC is very good and very detailed, but I still like the sound of the Streamer plus better as it is warmer and more musical. The Predator sounds good once it has broken in, but I am not sure it is that great as a stand alone DAC. If you want a combination usb DAC and amp, I would definitely look into the Pico and the Predator. And all of these observations are from memory and also I used those other DACs in very different setups than what I am using to audition the Streamers.

Since Music direct has a thirty day return policy, maybe you will just need to try one out, and then you can see how it performs in your system. I find it is such an art to get everything working together in a whole system. I recently changed my whole setup and have spent a few weeks adding and removing DACs, tweaks, power conditioning, cables etc and just now I have got the sound where I love it.

And a bit I added later:

Your questions got me curious again to do a little more A/B comparisons, and I still stick by my earlier assessment that the standard version gets you 90% of the way there. When I am listening to the standard version, I do not feel like I am missing anything, and I am just enjoying the music. It is only when I switch to the plus right after listening to the standard that I then hear a little further into the music.

However I also tried to answer your first question a little more thoroughly, and when I crank the volume all the way on my 25 ohm Denons, I do hear more hiss with the standard version than with the plus, which makes sense because I think I read the S/N ratio of the plus is 20 db higher. Of course it is impossible to predict if that will be a problem for you until you hear it in your exact setup.

Hope this helps.

 

[AmanGeorge]

Have been burning my HRT Music Streamer+ in for a day so far. Early, very quick impressions are that the 6moons review is spot on about the tonal richness of this thing - I think it may exceed my PS Audio DLIII in this regard, although I'm not sure it's the last word on detail or soundstage. Will do a more extensive A/B later, maybe on Sunday.

 

[Jonio]

Dear AmanGeorge,
Thanks for these updates. I'm looking forward to read the follow up.

 

[AmanGeorge]

Okay, I've had a little more time to burn in the Music Streamer+ ($299 new) as well as do some critical listening of it versus my stock PS Audio DLIII ($699 new).

Overall, I'd say the HRT is very impressive, but I don't know that I would take it over my DLIII - that said, I think the HRT beats the PS Audio in a few key ways, and the DACs generally play on even footing - depending on your musical tastes, you may find the strengths of the HRT more appealing than those of the DLIII.

I'd say that the main story is that the PS Audio is a more refined and "technically sound" DAC, if you will (though still imperfect in a number of regards). The soundstage feels large with a very black background, the bass is full and crisp, and everything sounds very detailed. By contrast, the HRT is a shade behind in most of those regards, but it has a slightly sweeter and more euphonic midrange.

My first two test tracks were purely instrumental - "No Messin'" by Acoustic Alchemy and "Within Attraction" from Yanni's Acropolis concert. Through both of these tracks, I found myself liking the DLIII more - it was slightly more exciting and dynamic sound, with crisp attacks and decays and deep, full, and punchy bass. The only mild dislike I had here was that the DLIII could get slightly piercing in the treble and sound tipped-up on occasion.

The HRT, by contrast, had a slightly more forward presentation that tended to blur the sound slightly. Keep in mind that this is intended to capture a very slight difference between the two - don't read this and think that the HRT sounds blurred and incomprehensible. But the crispness of the DLIII, the punchiness (and a little bit of the impact) of the bass, and the stark black background were just not quite there with the Music Streamer+.

I was a little disappointed by this point because I had expected the Music Streamer+ to get in a few punches on the DLIII based on the reviews I had read so far.

I then switched over to a couple of vocal tracks - "Please Don't Be Sad" by Youn Sun Nah and "Na Osicce" by George Mraz. Both are female jazz vocalists, although the styles are slightly different. It was here that I heard the starkest contrasts between the DACs. Every time a woman's voice kicked in, the Music Streamer+ sounded extremely lush and musical. The ladies' voices sounded smoother, fuller and sweeter. This is where the technically competent DLIII fell a little short - through the PS Audio, the voices sounded a touch thin and mildly grainy relative to the Music Streamer+.

I also tried them briefly with a less well-recorded track - "A Thread Cut with a Carving Knife" by Stars. As expected, the Music Streamer+ was a little more forgiving and didn't expose the recording's flaws as brutally through my K701 as the DLIII.

If all I did was listen to vocalists, it would be a no-brainer for me - I would keep the Music Streamer+. Unfortunately, I actually tend to listen to more instrumental music than anything else, so the HRT probably won't stay in my stable for long. But for someone whose musical tastes are more closely suited to what I've described as the HRT's strengths (vocals, pop, etc.), I think the Music Streamer+ is likely to be a very attractive option, especially at its price point.

 

[Jonio]

Great review. I'm convinced that the HRT is something to evaluate.
However, I have also the Meier Stagedac in my short list.
Choises, choises..........

 

[AmanGeorge]

My advice? Get both and write up a comparison for the rest of us

.

 

[AmanGeorge]

The upside of the HRT, though, is that it can double as an awesome portable DAC, since it's small and doesn't have a separate power supply...

Right now using PC -> HRT -> iBasso P3 -> Image X10 at work to great effect.

Attachment 22660

EDIT: I'm actually really happy with this setup in my first few hours of using it at work. The smoothness (I think both a function of the DAC and the IEMs in this case) is truly wonderful with vocal-heavy music like Regina Spektor. Extremely enjoyable - I may end up keeping this DAC after all.

 

[IrishMLK]

Anyone think rolling the socketed opamp pictured here would effect the sound enough to make up for the PCM1744?

edit: NVM it looks like a microchip per a quick search I shoulda made before posting...

 

[Solitary1]

Anyone done a head-to-head with the Plus and a V-DAC or Dac Magic?

 

[xuxu]

it's pretty nice but if you read the Measurements page of the Stereophile review you will see that it measured a bit poorly in terms of resolution (14 bit). I like it for electronic/ pop music where the recording is usually compressed to begin with. Very listenable, all the same.

 

[MikeW]

I think the new Nuforce Udac will probably smoke this thing for 99$. (probably both versions)

 

[AmanGeorge]

Quote:

Originally Posted by xuxu /img/forum/go_quote.gif Very listenable, all the same.

Listenable is definitely the key here. It sounded significantly more pleasant with material that was in need of forgiving than my DLIII - it just fell behind with better-recorded stuff.

 

[ArmednInsane]

I am very interested if anyone compared this DAC with Valab DAC yet?

 

[slotcar58]

The HRT Music Streamer has made a bigger difference than any other upgrade I have ever done to my system.

My system consists of a Dynaco ST70 Amplifier, Dynaco PAS 3 Pre-Amplifier, Dahlquist DQ10 speakers, Audioquest cables, and the latest edition of I-tunes. I was listening to WAV lossless files recorded off the original CDs.

Adding the DAC was like removing a veil from my audio system. Instruments and backup singers were heard that had never been heard before. Piano, guitar, violin, and organs were heard with greater detail than I had ever heard before. The piano was heard with detail, depth, and presence I had never heard before on my system.I am a former professional drummer and the cymbals, chimes, and tamborine just sound right with the this DAC. This DAC provides a wide and deep soudstage.

Artist like Carol King, Simon & Garfunkel, and The Carpenters become magical. I heard detail that I had never heard before on albums by Supertramp, Kenny Loggins, and Dave Koz.

I use to experience fatigue listening to a regular CD player, but not with the HRT DAC.

This HRT DAC is quite addictive. It has convinced me to convert all of my 700 CD collection to WAV lossless.