hi-fi+ Global Network Magazine hi-fi+ Issue 254 Retour à l'édition précédente

I often prefer the sound of a well-ripped, locally-stored CD to a streamed high-resolution version of the same, but usually this only occurs when there’s a good server in the signal path. In addition, I usually prefer the sound of streamed music fed through my Innuos server than fed directly to a streamer. It’s like the streamer takes on some of the heavy lifting of file management, and leaves the audio system to concentrate on reproducing music. The better ‘sorted’ the server, the more enjoyment you get out of the music you listen to.

The choice of server is important, too. Yes, the server is a dedicated computer, and it doesn’t need to be a particularly powerful one at that. But it needs to be looked at as a potential source of noise and interference that sits perilously close to the main system. When handled well, it transforms the way you listen to music. It does the same when handled badly, but not in the way you would want it to!