I agree. The best bet for a high quality digital chain is to get a good DAC - which is a commodity these days - and use USB. If you like fiddling with I2S or other inputs, out of boredom or just simple curiosity, go ahead, but don’t trash USB.
Saying that the Katana DAC and Apple Pi do well for measurements not far off Grahams DAC3!!! But with these your paying quite a lot more over the standard HAT and it’s still a diy approach, where you can get a desktop which is neater, more flexible and likely less cash if you go with one of the Toppings.
1 Like
The best bet is a Roon Ready integrated amp or active speakers, I think. Let the designer build the chain. Just get a pair of those ATC actives that Lewis is apparently ready to sell his soul for.
2 Likes
Wait for you to be in emotionally pain and sell them back to you for 2 pairs of ATCs
3 Likes
Hi Lewis,
Thanks for your comment and here are my many answers.
My system:
B&W 800D
Devialet Expert pro Core 440 (on the day of listening to the Statement one Expert pro was busted for 2 days and I was heart-broken - will explain later)
Accuphase DP78 (which I don’t need to plug in anymore)….
Running Tidal, Qobuz and Spotify
I also run a set of Devialet Phantom Gold (awesome)
And Silver (ok)
But on those I don’t hear much of an upgrade through the statement (but did not give it listening time yet)
One comment of yours is straight to the point.
- We want to enjoy the best sound we can afford
Meaning I would not spend my last penny to have what I have - this would be idiotic no matter how much I love good sound - Sonos gives you an awesome sound quality - I always tell friends of mine who want something nice at a reasonable price to listen to Sonos first.
Good choice
Just place them in a way so that you get the best stereo and soundstage. Close curtains, avoid reflective surfaces and listen to the difference and find your sweet spot.
Small story on the side
A friend of mine who was intrigued by the Phantom Gold didn’t want to spend that much - so he bought the KEV LS50 WiFi. He got them the same day as I got my statement
After plugging them in he just texted that they are underwhelming.
Two days later he said that he will use them in a secondary room once his new house is finished and buy better ones. He is not a Stereophile but has deep pockets and he loves the sound of what I have.
Few more experiences
Spotify on my main system sounds ■■■■■■ on the Phantoms it’s ok but Tidal sounds better
On the main system the difference is huge
Running the main system in stereo mode (one amp only) compared to dual mono -
The strength of the bass was gone and some big part of the sound was gone no matter how I changed the settings. This only happened last week Monday
When I plugged in the statement last Friday it overcompensated the weakness of the single amp x-fold.
I had never heard Pavarotti standing live in front of me 
or Janis Joplin that live
Let’s see what happens once the repaired amp is back.
But mainly - enjoy listening
It is the most important to feel happy when the sound is right
Cheers
Florian
2 Likes
Active speakers are probably the future, but I wouldn’t insert Roon in there.
Howdy. whew… got caught-up on this one. What a ride.
I have to say… I’m a bit disappointed in the community. Why must people attack others for wanting to spend money? When did that start? Wanting to protect someone from a scam is healthy but rarely is anything in this hobby an outright scam. Just because it measures the same but costs 100k more does not make it a scam!
The OP asked for comments on benefits and the responses are few and far between but for those that did comment in direct response with your experience thank you. I learned a bit. I’m also in the market for a new streamer.
Few things about this hobby I want you all to keep in mind:
- We don’t know how to measure everything.
- There is no universal measurement for what “sounds good”.
- Music is a feeling and listening to music makes us feel. That isn’t 100% about the vibrations in the room; it can be the journey as well as the visual in front of us. “sounds better” “sounds” why do you think this has everything to do with just the ears?
Now, a personal story…
I went to an audio show recently. Every room with silly expensive power wizzybangs had this depth, intimacy, closeness, space to it. The hotel rooms were all the same size but the rooms with high-end power treatments felt less claustrophobic. All the marketing material in the world tried to explain the “why” but my limited EE background just rejected what they were peddling. But, I got home and I really wanted to experience that same thing I felt in those rooms. So, I called my dealer and I said “I’m coming to pick-up a few of your audiophile grade outlets”. He kindly loaned me 2 different samples.
You know what? I bought 2 $300 outlets because they were that good. I have no idea why an outlet makes any difference. It shouldn’t. $300 for a $2 part at Home Depot is silly money. But, I ignored my understanding of how this should or should not work and I tried it. I’m extremely happy with my $300 outlets thank you very much.
I encourage you to try and listen before passing judgement on how people spend their money. You might just surprise yourself on how much you can hear.
9 Likes
I’ve seen this about i2S written by one or two people recently. That i2S is internal. That is of course correct. It has a range of 20cm in its raw form. Nobody sends raw i2S these days. It is i2S over LVDS and PS Audio are credited with its invention. In this form it is pretty robust, has noise characteristics similar to the legacy inputs of a DAC but with the data throughput to match USB. Objectively it is a good choice for connecting digital devices. It’s problems revolve around the fact that the industry has never standardised it so interconnecting between manufacturers can be spotty.
4 Likes
The Devialet Expert Pro 440 is very nice (got one too ), and looking forward to hear your experienced when the repaired 220 is back.
What do you refer with the statement? Is this an external component?
Hallo Markus,
For the sake of everyone, I stick with English.
Check Innuos statement next gen on the Internet. It is a server/ streamer. And it makes a huge difference on high end systems.
When I got the expert pro (5 years ago) there was a promo in which you received the Innuos mini MK2 free of charge with it.
The sound was good, but I wanted to improve whatever is possible.
So I wanted to upgrade my server. Looked into Innuos Zen, Zenith and the statement next gen.
Raum Ton & Kunst in FFM (high end shop with good knowledge in stereo systems) suggested to buy the bluesound node and chord DAC (as it would save me about 12k Euro.)
I made the chord work on my system and didn’t hear any improvement so I didn’t even try the bluesound node.
(I will sell both items again)
Three months later, I purchased The Innuos Statement and yes it was the right choice.
Before plugging it in, I braced myself for minor improvement only (as all my non-audiophile friends said the same as many on this forum).
Well I can only say that much - listening and hearing is more important than philosophising on it.
It is the same with cables and outlets, even if I don’t understand why and I don’t care, but it does improve the sound.
SAC owner Axel Schäfer once called me when he started power cables and outlets.
They looked low end, but were the cheapest way to improve my system‘s sound.
It’s similar to comment that an 18 year old whiskey is the same as a 3 year old one, when all that we had was the 3 year one.
Best is to try and comment after.
My request to everyone - this should not be a forum about believe, but actual listening experience.
It is also not about financial aspects but about achieving the best listening experience for the money someone is willing/ capable to spend.
Cheers 
And happy listening
2 Likes
So given the glowing praise I took a look at the Innous server, it’d be a no purchase from me, but I’m something of a streamer sceptic anyway. My red flag is a quote from the director:
“The Statement certainly benefits from a really good power cable. In addition, a lot of our users have had very good experiences with changing the fuse to another slow-blow fuse. We tested quite a number of fuses, some of them very high end, before deciding on any. They do make a difference in terms of sound quality—they convey more air around instruments—but some aftermarket fuses negatively affect dynamics. We like our systems to have quite a lot of dynamics and rhythm—a lot of PRAT—and with some fuses, my feet weren’t tapping anymore.”
IMO there are few more ridiculous concepts than the 3 figure audiophile fuse unless you happen to make or sell them. If he could spot them in controlled tests I’d be astounded, and possibly won over but I’m pretty sure that’s unlikely. I wouldn’t buy an item from someone I didn’t trust and I don’t trust folk who believe in woo wire fuses.
Do enjoy the system, I’m sure it sounds great but I’m doubtful that the streamer is adding value.
Happy listening.
3 Likes
This is the solution to this conversation.
5 Likes
If you cannot ID it in a blind test it does not exist. 
1 Like
And I submit to you that if you were honest with yourself, and really wanted to find out what you can hear and can’t hear, you would start blind testing. And then my money would be on an amended version of what you written: “…You might surprise yourself on how much you CAN’T hear.”
Anyway, I’m throwing in the towel. These types of discussions are repetitive. Against the facts of science/ engineering principles as well as the scientific protocol of blind testing, all the other party brings to the table are personal impressions. That’s just not good enough for me.
By all means, enjoy whatever gear you have. But don’t make claims that have no grounding in anything other than the solipsistic horizon of your mind.
1 Like
Kal Rubinson says, " Originally by Audio Alchemy and Sonic Frontiers." But I’m not surprised McGowan jumped on it.
I hate to even bring this up, because if you want to talk about I²S you should already be aware of it, but the use of I²S over cables has been studied back in 2019. The conclusion?
“For now, don’t waste a penny even thinking about it, let alone using it.”
He gives them credit on a video from his YT page. Not that I am a fan but 1 year ago I was
You guys all come from a very high horse and claim science to be on your side. You don’t seem to have a clue what science encompasses. There is not just the science of numbers and measuresments, but also science of psychology and a large number of social sciences that have human narratives, accounts, experiences etc as their data points. Please stop talking about science in general but point to the electro engineering, because that is the main point anyway.
When people say they hear differences with different gear you can think whatever you want about them, but you cannot scientifically undo or silence their experience. Get real.
5 Likes
Fine, but then admit that the perceived differences are generated in the auditory cortex of the individual during sighted listening, not because a piece of equipment actually CHANGES the sound in any which is what is being claimed here.
I have used my Node 2i with a stereo amplifier and then replaced the stereo amplier with two monoblocks, what a huge difference with the monoblocks. I swear by monoblocks over stereo amplifiers. The best audio upgrade for me was retiring the stereo amplifier for the monoblocks, while the entry level streamer remained the same.
I cannot admit it because I don’t know. I don’t know what changes, but in the end I don’t care when I perceive the music differently. I think musical enjoyment is always produced in the brain with different factors at play anyway. Not just the soundwaves, but expectations and biases as well. This is human.