What did we learn?
Contents
This is not a review of the various devices used. It is clear that the Primo and the Rivo are not interchangeable and that asking ‘which is better’ is comparing apples to oranges. It depends entirely on what you are looking for in sound, which DAC best suits this preference and how much money you are willing to spend.
Most people looking for new equipment have a budget and wonder how to spend it most effective. Once again, this test has highlighted that for streaming, the quality of the power supply is an essential ingredient. Of course, everything has to be in balance with each other. A Dodo to a WiiM Pro+ will not deliver the results of a Dodo to a Rivo or Primo.
The more money you spend on streamers and DACs, the more often the manufacturer has paid attention to the quality of power supply in those devices. That is what partly determines the higher price tag.
So the Alpha Audio advice remains: reserve part of your budget to replace the often substandard external power supply in the box for something better. You will often get more enjoyment out of your music listening experience than diverging your budget to a slightly more expensive streamer or DAC.