Advice on my weakest link? Receiver vs source?

[johnp98]

I have a Marantz SR7002 receiver that I connect via HDMI to my laptop which runs Tidal in "Exclusive mode". I am just wondering what people think would be the 'weak link' in my setup (I have high sensitivity DIY speakers set up very well that image wonderfully and the room optimized as best as I can, and thus working my way back up the chain).

Do people think that going to separates would be the biggest upgrade... and if so, getting a better and dedicated DAC, or a better and dedicated amp first?

Is running Tidal in Exclusive mode via HDMI the best way to optimize the computer side of things?

My main goal is to further optimize 2 channel listening.

Interested in anyone's thoughts / suggestions.

 

[ryanosaur]

While you may begin to see some slight improvement in updating your AVR, just due to age and technological improvements over the years, you are likely just looking at minimal enhancements. I would argue the same for an external DAC.
Source material is always one aspect of sound quality, as is the speaker tasked with reproducing said source, followed by the Speaker-Room interaction.
If you are confident in your Speakers and your Set up... That leaves chasing the minimal performance gains that the electronics may bring you.
Of course, none of that stops you from proverbially chasing the audio dragon.

Is the AVR doing anything else in your rig?

What is the budget you are willing to spend? High end External DACs, high end network streamers... You may be chasing a 1% improvement.

What do you think you are missing?

 

[johnp98]

Of course, none of that stops you from proverbially chasing the audio dragon.

Is the AVR doing anything else in your rig?

What is the budget you are willing to spend? High end External DACs, high end network streamers... You may be chasing a 1% improvement.

What do you think you are missing?

Yeah, I have learned so much over this past year of deep diving into audio and I think this is where I should 'tap out' and say I have reached my goals and just sit back and enjoy the music.

Just making sure there was no clear upgrade and thus I can fight off the upgrade bug and just enjoy the music.

 

[ryanosaur]

I definitely do not claim expert status on these matters. I do, however, ask myself frequently about my own goals of building out .4 Atmos in my room, and how I would adapt to processing that.
Different, of course, from chasing sound quality. But similar in terms of how/when do I upgrade my SR6012. I can use this as is but am limited on recommended placement for those Tops or Heights. I can upgrade to something like the HTP-1 that will give me much greater freedom in speaker selection as I understand it, but for a significant price. That price also includes Dirac which is arguably the best at what it does, even over Aud XT32 below the Schroeder Frequency of my room.
Of course, there is one of the possible areas you could see improvement in upgrading to a more current AVR in the Denon or Marantz line. The 4700 from Denon would be comparable to the SR70xx line and you would see some improvement I am certain, considering the changes in technology over the last 13yrs since the SR7002 came out. In switching to pre-out mode exclusively and using external amps, you would realize the cleanest possible processing of the signal going through the machine as evidenced in the ASR reviews. XT32 would give you far greater control over room correction if you employ it at all: coupled with the Aud App, you can set a curtain to limit the correction to below 300-500 Hz only. Again, an improvement...
But how much? For how much?
Sounds like you are on top of it pretty much. Perhaps just planning now for that upgrade in another year or two as HDMI 2.1 actually gets ironed out and sees more necessary implementation?