Dedicated Streamers Vs DDC Vs iPhone CCK to EXTERNAL DAC

[ZzZzZ]

Hello Everyone,
I am using an excellent DAC Sonnet Morpheus and currently using my iPhone with Apple CCK to stream apple music lossless to my DAC.
My question is how much improvement can be expected while using a DDC like Gustard U18 in the chain or using a dedicated Streamer like Ifi Zen Stream via airplay 2 as source for Apple Music lossless ?
If anyone here tried all these three options in their digital front end, kindly provide your valuable opinions on expected improvement from either a DDC or a dedicated Streamer to DAC in sound quality and also give your inputs on comparing both options.
Sadly, i just have access to Apple music as source for lossless content so it remains my source until Qobuz is available in India.
Thanks.

 

[zeta148]

The i2s is the best input of the sonnet Morpheus. IMHO it makes sense to get DDCs or streamers which output Ethernet connector type i2s. I am tried my friend’s DF Iris with Morpheus and got deeper bass than with Metrum Ambre i2s. I am soon going to try DF Hermes with Metrum Ambre i2s

 

[ZzZzZ]

Sir it's great to know that you are also using a Sonnet Morpheus DAC.
yeah I2S is said to be best input for this specific DAC but the question is which would be better overall, either using a RJ45 I2S DDC like Singxer SU6 / DF Iris etc or using a Streamer with I2S output as Pi2aes designs Mercury or Metrum Ambre / Sonnet Hermes etc Streamers ?

And this was also my general query for all other DACs too, which approach gives better sound quality, is it using a dedicated Streamer or using a DDC in chain, what is preferred by most seasoned audiophiles?

 

[manek]

Sir it's great to know that you are also using a Sonnet Morpheus DAC.
yeah I2S is said to be best input for this specific DAC but the question is which would be better overall, either using a RJ45 I2S DDC like Singxer SU6 / DF Iris etc or using a Streamer with I2S output as Pi2aes designs Mercury or Metrum Ambre / Sonnet Hermes etc Streamers ?

And this was also my general query for all other DACs too, which approach gives better sound quality, is it using a dedicated Streamer or using a DDC in chain, what is preferred by most seasoned

Hello Everyone,
I am using an excellent DAC Sonnet Morpheus and currently using my iPhone with Apple CCK to stream apple music lossless to my DAC.
My question is how much improvement can be expected while using a DDC like Gustard U18 in the chain or using a dedicated Streamer like Ifi Zen Stream via airplay 2 as source for Apple Music lossless ?
If anyone here tried all these three options in their digital front end, kindly provide your valuable opinions on expected improvement from either a DDC or a dedicated Streamer to DAC in sound quality and also give your inputs on comparing both options.
Sadly, i just have access to Apple music as source for lossless content so it remains my source until Qobuz is available in India.
Thanks.

Stick with your Iphone -> CCK -> DAC setup. Perhaps an audio interface will help if all the fancy shmancy stuff that they are supposed to is not done by your DAC. Else its a waste of money.

My DDC helps because its supposed to be an add on to the DAC of the same family but the difference is not night and day and definitely wont be with apple music as music source.

Best is to get one on loan, plug it and find out.

Manek

 

[zeta148]

Sir it's great to know that you are also using a Sonnet Morpheus DAC.
yeah I2S is said to be best input for this specific DAC but the question is which would be better overall, either using a RJ45 I2S DDC like Singxer SU6 / DF Iris etc or using a Streamer with I2S output as Pi2aes designs Mercury or Metrum Ambre / Sonnet Hermes etc Streamers ?

And this was also my general query for all other DACs too, which approach gives better sound quality, is it using a dedicated Streamer or using a DDC in chain, what is preferred by most seasoned audiophiles?

I haven’t heard a real Hi end streamer in my setup so can’t comment on streamer vs DDC. But DDC is more flexible in that you can always change the playback device with latest software. Also DDCs have a lower price in general

 

[amit11]

Hello Everyone,
I am using an excellent DAC Sonnet Morpheus and currently using my iPhone with Apple CCK to stream apple music lossless to my DAC.
My question is how much improvement can be expected while using a DDC like Gustard U18 in the chain or using a dedicated Streamer like Ifi Zen Stream via airplay 2 as source for Apple Music lossless ?
If anyone here tried all these three options in their digital front end, kindly provide your valuable opinions on expected improvement from either a DDC or a dedicated Streamer to DAC in sound quality and also give your inputs on comparing both options.
Sadly, i just have access to Apple music as source for lossless content so it remains my source until Qobuz is available in India.
Thanks.

A DDC gives improvement.
But how much is again dependent on the quality of its power supply.

Apple CCK i have used but i think my DACs USB implementation was not that great.

Again, if we use a streamers output directly to DAC, again it's power quality is important.
For example airplay using raspberry pi, airplay using marantz streamer, airplay using yamaha streamer... or airplay using bluesound node..... ALL will tend to sound different even though all are doing airplay.

 

[manek]

If fidelity is “the prime directive”, keep AIR and all of its “playmates” out of the equation and KISS.

Run the source from the battery in this case iphone/ipad. DDC is optional if it makes a difference.

 

[amit11]

Hello Everyone,
I am using an excellent DAC Sonnet Morpheus and currently using my iPhone with Apple CCK to stream apple music lossless to my DAC.
My question is how much improvement can be expected while using a DDC like Gustard U18 in the chain or using a dedicated Streamer like Ifi Zen Stream via airplay 2 as source for Apple Music lossless ?
If anyone here tried all these three options in their digital front end, kindly provide your valuable opinions on expected improvement from either a DDC or a dedicated Streamer to DAC in sound quality and also give your inputs on comparing both options.
Sadly, i just have access to Apple music as source for lossless content so it remains my source until Qobuz is available in India.
Thanks.

The first blocker is the CCK.
As far as i know it does not output bitperfect.

In the past, with great enthusiasm i had purchased it... but ears could tell that something was not just right.

 

[amit11]

Second thing is Airplay2.
Getting bit-perfect output from v2 is not always guaranteed.
If Airplay1 is there, that is more better in terms of bit-perfect.
Either your iphone/ipad should be an older version sothat it has only airplay1, OR, your streamer should have only Airplay1.

 

[ZzZzZ]

The first blocker is the CCK.
As far as i know it does not output bitperfect.

In the past, with great enthusiasm i had purchased it... but ears could tell that something was not just right.

Afaik, apple cck is apple camera connection kit and it has bitperfect digital output through usb a type port. My DAC shows same data as apple music when using cck in chain so it should be bitperfect.

 

[amit11]

Afaik, apple cck is apple camera connection kit and it has bitperfect digital output through usb a type port. My DAC shows same data as apple music when using cck in chain so it should be bitperfect.

"Shows same data as apple music"? Do you mean it shows same sampling rate e.g. 44.1?

Even in that case, it would not necessary mean bit-perfect.

 

[kumar_saurav]

If apple music is the one you are using then get DDC and not a streamer. Airplay 2 won't support lossless.
Gustard U18 is good for its price and you can use AES. I can guarantee you better SQ then your USB.
Or try out singxer SU-6 or Denafrips Hermes and you can use I2S. In case you decide to use HQPLAYER then you can transfer 384Khz via I2S using Singxer SU-6
I would suggest to use Tidal or Qobuz. There are many who have family plan. Once you have tidal or Qobuz then go for streamer like Mercury or Ambre etc.

 

[zeta148]

If apple music is the one you are using then get DDC and not a streamer. Airplay 2 won't support lossless.
Gustard U18 is good for its price and you can use AES. I can guarantee you better SQ then your USB.
Or try out singxer SU-6 or Denafrips Hermes and you can use I2S. In case you decide to use HQPLAYER then you can transfer 384Khz via I2S using Singxer SU-6
I would suggest to use Tidal or Qobuz. There are many who have family plan. Once you have tidal or Qobuz then go for streamer like Mercury or Ambre etc.

Hi Kumar
What player are you suggesting for apple
Music which can be used with a DDC?
Thanks

 

[kumar_saurav]

Hi Kumar
What player are you suggesting for apple
Music which can be used with a DDC?
Thanks

For apple music best bet is to connect Macbook or iphone to DDC. DDC will clean out electrical noise and then use AES or I2S from DDC to Sonnet DAC...You can use something like FLIRC in laptop. Program it to control ITunes and then use remote to play, Pause, skip etc.
With streamer you will be limited by AirPlay