[adrianm]

Before taking the plunge to the ZENith, I used a PC for a couple of years as a source.
At the time I was not using streaming services, and all my music was stored into the internal drive of the PC.

I experienced dramatic improvements by upgrading from a regular desktop PC to a highly optimized laptop, where I spent almost 1 year to continuously tweaking it.

At the peak of my madness I was running Windows 2016 Server with no GUI together with Audiophile Optimizer, JPLAY in Extreme mode (laptop screen off), Fidelizer Pro, Process Lasso, and using audiophile music players like HQPlayer, or MinimServer. All this disconnected by the network (both ethernet and wifi) and from mains (laptop running off batteries).
Basically I decided to move to a music server mostly to stop my compulsive attitude to tweaking ... and ahhh what a relief since then

Sound wise, when I compared a basic PC to the tweaked laptop the differences were stark, as I mentioned above. By comparison the improvement from the music server was more subtle, yet still apparent.

By "only" installing Audiophile Optimizer, JPLAY and Fidelizer Pro on a regular Windows 10 laptop (i.e. limited hassle, limited investment) I believe you will get more than a glimpse of what a good music server has to offer.

On the hardware side, I never tried external clocks, but I am happy with my ISO Regen USB reclocker and EtherRegen ethernet switch. On one side I hate to have to deal with all these boxes, PSU, cables etc. but I tried to remove them even recently by repeating some A/B test and I simply feel that my system sounds better with them in place.

So, if your question was about how sensitive is DAVE to upstream improvements (hardware and software, but also cables and interconnects), my experience is that it IS sensitive. Whether the amount of the improvement is worth the extra money, time and system complexity is totally subjective I suppose ...

I totally get wanting to end the madness, and i get you can get massive differences when playing files with different software tweaks and etc,but to my mind ,for streaming alone,using tidal in exclusive mode should replace most of those tweaks.I can't really see the value in getting a dedicated streamer if you're not using any files and just streaming from a service anyway.

 

[Triode User]

I totally get wanting to end the madness, and i get you can get massive differences when playing files with different software tweaks and etc,but to my mind ,for streaming alone,using tidal in exclusive mode should replace most of those tweaks.I can't really see the value in getting a dedicated streamer if you're not using any files and just streaming from a service anyway.

If only life was that simple!! Your ears will probably tell a different story and that is why many of us have invested considerable sums in dedicated streamers.

 

[adrianm]

If only life was that simple!! Your ears will probably tell a different story and that is why many of us have invested considerable sums in dedicated streamers.

It can be if you let it .I think i've mentioned this before but i tested an Auralic Vega G1 with it streaming to itself vs my Macbook streaming Tidal to it via usb.Couldn't find a difference for the life of me for 40 minutes .
Next day i tested a Dave with a Naim Nd555 via usb and a/b it vs a Node2i...there was a very slight difference but nothing groundbreaking.And this was probably due to usb on the Naim vs Coax on the Node.On my Sony TA-Zh1es the difference was a lot more apparent,but the Node via coax sounded worse than my Pc via usb with it.
Either way i'll a/b the Dave with the Naim vs my Macbook via usb again before i buy it,but i'm highly doubtful anything will change.

 

[Triode User]

It can be if you let it .I think i've mentioned this before but i tested an Auralic Vega G1 with it streaming to itself vs my Macbook streaming Tidal to it via usb.Couldn't find a difference for the life of me for 40 minutes .
Next day i tested a Dave with a Naim Nd555 via usb and a/b it vs a Node2i...there was a very slight difference but nothing groundbreaking.And this was probably due to usb on the Naim vs Coax on the Node.On my Sony TA-Zh1es the difference was a lot more apparent,but the Node via coax sounded worse than my Pc via usb with it.
Either way i'll a/b the Dave with the Naim vs my Macbook via usb again before i buy it,but i'm highly doubtful anything will change.

I have heard sufficient difference in streamers to work my way up through an Innuos Zenith SE then adding an Innuos Phoenix and finally moving on to an Innuos Statement. All I can say is that I got sufficient improvement in sound quality which justified the expense. But then again, I have replaced the Dave power supply to get an even more serious upgrade in sound quality so I readily place myself in the crazy category for seeking perfection.

You mention a Node and I also have a Node 2i in a different room. A few of us have replaced the power supply in the 2i and have got quite remarkable improvements from doing that even though only using the 2i as a streamer.

 

[adrianm]

I have heard sufficient difference in streamers to work my way up through an Innuos Zenith SE then adding an Innuos Phoenix and finally moving on to an Innuos Statement. All I can say is that I got sufficient improvement in sound quality which justified the expense. But then again, I have replaced the Dave power supply to get an even more serious upgrade in sound quality so I readily place myself in the crazy category for seeking perfection.

You mention a Node and I also have a Node 2i in a different room. A few of us have replaced the power supply in the 2i and have got quite remarkable improvements from doing that even though only using the 2i as a streamer.

Well i'm a lot more skeptical and so far i've heard nothing that would change my mind.Speaking of though,while i have you, i was curious how exactly those Wave Bnc cables between the Dave/Mscaler improve the combo.What are the improvements ?
Apparently even Rob is using them so there must be something there,i'm just not sure why a bucket of ferrites is needed to make it sound better.

 

[Triode User]

Well i'm a lot more skeptical and so far i've heard nothing that would change my mind.Speaking of though,while i have you, i was curious how exactly those Wave Bnc cables between the Dave/Mscaler improve the combo.What are the improvements ?
Apparently even Rob is using them so there must be something there,i'm just not sure why a bucket of ferrites is needed to make it sound better.

Best if I PM a response.

 

[Kirklandia]

I'm rather embarrassed to say that while improving all my downstream equipment this year, I have only started to look into source quality. I was old school with cds until a couple years ago, as the music hobby was on the back burner with move after move. A few months ago, I paid ahead for a year of Amazon HD and sound quality was ok and selection large. But as I continually improved my equipment, the sound quality did not follow as much as expected. Then I found the problem: I never looked at the Amazon HD settings and had not changed to the highest quality stream. The difference was night and day. As I said, how embarrassing, with all this discussion of source quality. And now I can hear how much of an improvement comes in from the WAVE stream bnc cables.

 

[EndGameSearch]

There's a nice recording of an interview w/ Rob Watts at the bottom of this page. Interesting and informative as always.

https://parttimeaudiophile.com/2020/06/25/top-qna-with-digital-guru-rob-watts/

 

[DaveRedRef-III]

So it sounds like we can look forward to our Dave finally running the digital signal on to a Chord Class A (digital converting) Amp with non-switching output stage some time in 2021. That is fantastic news and I can't wait to hear the benefits.

 

[DaveRedRef-III]

Btw I second what Triode User was saying about the higher sound quality provided by high quality servers/streamers and particularly the Innuos Statement. If anyone has only heard the Statement 'pre the latest software overhaul' I would recommend a second listen because it most definitely has elevated the product to a new level.

 

[adrianm]

There's a nice recording of an interview w/ Rob Watts at the bottom of this page. Interesting and informative as always.

https://parttimeaudiophile.com/2020/06/25/top-qna-with-digital-guru-rob-watts/

So what's the TLDL, new Dave coming soon or what?

 

[STR-1]

So it sounds like we can look forward to our Dave finally running the digital signal on to a Chord Class A (digital converting) Amp with non-switching output stage some time in 2021. That is fantastic news and I can't wait to hear the benefits.

Would be great if that turns out to be the case, but with the world as it is at the moment (including with shakey supply chains) “a year or two” is more likely to be 2022, if not later.

 

[Triode User]

Would be great if that turns out to be the case, but with the world as it is at the moment (including with shakey supply chains) “a year or two” is more likely to be 2022, if not later.

Yeah, within the 'next year or so' is no way 2021, might be 2022 but don't count on it!!

 

[JamieMcC]

After camping out here on the Dave thread and on the TT2 thread for the last year. As of today I've finally joined the Dave owners club. While I'm up and running navigation of the settings is going to take some working out to find out what best combination suits.

Any pointers to filter or phase combinations to try out to would be welcome.

Cheers
Jamie

 

[ubs28]

So what's the TLDL, new Dave coming soon or what?

Well, I am keeping mine. It sounds good enough.