Improving sound quality of streaming setup

IMO, an external DAC would definitely be helpful. Just keep in kind that you will need to pipe digital in and out of Airport Express. I assume that you are using the AE as a wireless receiver for your pre, so the DAC would go between the AE and your preamp. The AE is going to limit you to 44.1kHz resolution, so if I were you I wouldn't spend a lot on a DAC.

I can add to this discussion with my experience. I am using synco-mesh with a sonos zp-90 along with red wine’s tube based NOS isabellina DAC to stream from a music library of ripped cd’s using dbpoweramp to flac on a NAS, and MOG music service. I have compared this to two very well reviewed DAC’s that retail for twice the price of the synco-mesh isabellina combination, using USB and jrivers media center. In both comparisons, the USB alternatives provided more noticeable pin point imaging, but I could never warm up to the sound. It became artificial after a very short while of playback, and after time I could no longer listen for long periods. The isabellina is a lush sounding DAC, sweet with wonderful tonality. I can only explain the addition of the re-clocker, as snapping the sound scape into focus, and providing an enhanced sense of ambient retrieval. Sonos is a joy to use. A wonderful interface that makes browsing music very easy. Streaming is a gift to the arm chair music lover, but for me it took time and patience to achieve a more natural sound from the digital source. For my sensibilities, the synco-mesh/NOSdac combination provides for a beautifully relaxed natural sound, without question superior to any the other alternatives I have tried, and this is from files ripped from standard redbook Cd’s that provide a whole world of music variety.

I see.

Steve, any early opinions on DSD? I have some buddies who are raving about it....

I think DSD DACs are a good development. Im not sure it is a critical element for a new DAC however. The tracks are limited and if one has to make any sonic sacrifice to get DSD, its probably not worth it.

I recently heard an Off-Ramp 5 driving a Wyred 4 Sound DAC2 using I2S. Definitely World-Class. This indicates that the Sabre chip has potential. Its not jitter-proof as advertied, but the digital filtering is better than most.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

Mas1951, your findings are no surprise. My first introduction to wireless was via the Sonos. It is an excellent product.

I have used the Zardoz since 2008, and I believe wireless is the shizzle. They are too many gremlins and too much fiddle factor in using a computer. I just wish they would uncork it so hi rez was possible. I have been told that is coming. If we can stream video content, why not....