HRT Music Streamer II+ USB DAC

"So much for an objective description. Now for an unabashedly subjective conclusion: Buy it. "- Stereophile

The HRT Music Streamer II+ is an external USB DAC capable of taking digital audio streamed via your Mac or PC's usb port and converting it into phenomenal quality high resolution music, as well as your run of the mill MP3's. Everything sounds great running through the Music Streamer!

With is unique topology, the Music Streamer II+ provides a completely isolated path between the computer and audio system. No more audio contamination by the computer; your music will always sound its best. There are no external power supplies to worry about because the Music Streamer II+ derives its power from the USB buss while completely regenerating power for all its internal circuitry using a sophisticated set of proprietary circuits. I hadn't realized until now that a USB port can provide peripheral devices with 5V, at up to half an amp of current! According to designer Kevin Halverson, the Music Streamer II's power supply also provides complete isolation between the product's digital and analog stages.

Mr. Halverson also offered some insights about the product's digital architecture: near the product's USB input socket is a PCM2706 D/A converter, which is made specifically for USB applications. But that 16-bit chip is used only as a USB transceiver: The actual conversion is done further downstream, by the higher-quality, 24-bit PCM1794—which also applies its own 8x-oversampling digital filtering. Completing the picture are dual-differential NE5534 op-amps for current-to-voltage conversion and a separate dual–op-amp driver, the latter a high-quality Burr-Brown OPA2132.

Supports a wide variety of Players
It has full support of iTunes and Windows media player (we recommend Foobar, Jriver and Media Monkey). You can also listen to streaming internet radio like Rhapsody, Pandora, or Slacker Radio.

The Music Streamer+ is housed in an extruded-alloy sleeve roughly the size and shape of a remote-control handset. All of its component parts reside on either a 5"-long motherboard or a smaller sub-board, the latter held in place with standoffs and a pair of machine screws. Fit and finish are quite decent—better, in fact, than would be expected for the price.

"Installation was simplicity itself. My iMac recognized the review sample as soon as I connected its USB cable"

Plug and Play
Operation of the Music Streamer + couldn't be simpler. Simply plug the it into any USB port on your computer and the Music Streamer II+ will automajically install itself in seconds (assuming your PC is newer than, oh say 1994). Once installed, use regular interconnects to connect the Music Streamer+ into any analog input on your preamp, integrated amp, or receiver just like you would a CD player.

Specs

• Input: USB
• Power Supply: 5 v USB Bus
• Processing Capability: 24 bit 96 kHz maximum
• Output voltage: 2.25 V
• Output type: RCA