Annie’s Audio Adventures: High Resolutions Technologies iStreamer DAC
Those who know me know that I will most certainly pay attention to something whose name starts with a lower case i, just in case it’s from Apple. Even though the spell check is not impressed with me not capitalising the i, I like it! Having said that, the iStreamer is not made by Apple but by a company called High Resolution Technologies. They must know I’m not the only one who pays attention to the lower case i, because this product is designed for iPods, iPads and iPhones. (iSmile!)
So, what exactly is the iStreamer, you ask? Well, it’s a little grayish-white device, hardly thicker than an iPhone, with rounded edges, that connects your iPhone to your sound system. No, it’s not only a docking station! It’s actually a DAC! (That means that it changes digital signals into analogue ones to make them sound better.) Funny thing is, it actually works beautifully! Know what else? Since it has the lower case i, it’s also super easy to operate! I usually have to ask hubby to plug in all the wires for me, for fear of blowing anything up, but I did this one all by myself, without blowing anything up! (iDid!)
Of course, hubby and I (no pun intended!) played our classic game where I close my eyes and he tries to trick me to see if I’ll be able to tell which device is being used. Since we couldn’t use our testing CDs, we listened to classical music, as well as songs we know from the Internet stream. The opponents? Our Wadia 170 iTransport without a DAC, the Wadia with a DAC, and the iStreamer, all on the Marantz system (yes, we’re still babysitting!!!). Granted, the Wadia plus DAC still gives out the best sound. But to my great surprise, the iStreamer sounds way better than the Wadia without the DAC! Why such a great surprise? Well, because the Wadia usually retails around $500 (CAD), whereas the iStreamer can be yours for around $200.00! Sounds like a great graduation gift to me! Granted, I haven’t listened to the iStreamer on a more affordable system, but I have a feeling it would sound good. Usually, components that can perform well with the big guys also perform well with the more modest ones. You just might not be able to listen to its full potential, that’s all. My favourite thing to do with the iStreamer? Set it on CBC Classical, and enjoy the sound! By the way, I forgot to mention that the iStreamer also charges your iDevice as it plays! So, what’s the verdict? iLike! A lot!
Happy listening!
Product Details
Product High Resolution Technologies iStreamer DAC.
Price CAD $200.
Elite AV Distribution
PO Box 93896
Hollywood
CA 90093-0896
(323) 466-9694
www.hirestech.com