John, yes - but. I've been thinking a lot about this. Unfortunately I'm not an expert in this area, so I am not sure my thinking is correct.
Now that I have my DAC issues sorted out, I've been comparing the sound from my iPod/Wadia source to my Touch and even though they are coming through the same DAC, there is a difference to my ears.
If we break it down, the Touch is streaming music file data via the TCP/IP Ethernet stack from a server on my network. Then it takes that stream and with its own [size=10pt]proprietary source code, digitizes it into several streams that include the music and the timing signal, and outputs it via the built-in sound card. [/size]
[size=10pt]With my iPod/Wadia combination, there is no TCP/IP network between where the music files live and the mechanism to digitize it. It's all in the iPod and the Wadia functions as an electronic lock box that uses the digital output from the iPod and sends it out its digital outputs.[/size]
[size=10pt]So if we look at just getting music data packets to the digitizer on each platform, we're talking about processing masses of data in real-time. The deal about TCP/IP that is so cool for our world today is that its strength is error correction. That is, not all data packets arrive in order, but because of information in packet headers, network cards can reorder or request the data be sent again. For the way we use computers, this works really well. But for music, there is an issue; the strength becomes a weakness, that is the transport of data is built around recovery not real-time accuracy. In listening to music, this is problematic because we hear in real time and the ears have no place to store sound and do error checking before sending it on to our brain.[/size]
[size=10pt]It's my thinking, and I can be wrong, that this error recovery colors the sound. That is, although bits is bits, the order of the bits, what bits actually make it to the stream, and how they are synchronized I think is at the heart of streaming data over a network. To me, and it is hard to verbalize this, there seems to be something extra, something I personally characterize as harshness, or glare or high frequency pressure in music over any streamed device, vs the iPod/Wadia approach. [/size]
[size=10pt]Another company, Bryston, has just come out with the BDP-1, a music player that will only stream music from a thumb drive or connected hard drive. It does have a network connector, but that is only for a website to control the player, it will not stream over a network. They have reduced data streaming error issues this way.[/size]
[size=10pt]PS Audio is an interesting example with their PWT in that they don't play CD's directly but have a 6 meg buffer that receives file data where it is error corrected first, and then streamed. My thinking is that something analogous might have to happen on the streaming media side that employ much larger buffers where file data is streamed and then error corrected before play.[/size]
[size=10pt]Again, I'm no expert and can have much of this wrong. But, bottom line for me is that I can hear the difference and streaming media has been problematic for me. I am going to look into the BDP-1. Also, I see you are using a Logitech Transporter. Do you think that is a higher quality streaming device than the Touch? [/size]
[size=10pt]On another subject, yesterday I took delivery of a GZ37 on your recommendation and I am really liking it so far. I only have about three hours on it, but right from the get go it was very smooth and easy to listen to. It was really great with classical music. I'm looking forward to it after 20 hours or so. I really appreciate your tube recommendations, thank you.[/size]
