2 systems - which should i use my dac with?

[kingnothing83]

Hi!

I currently have the following setup - squeezebox duet > beresford dac > Denon 2808 > tannoy mercury f1 custom's with wharfedale sw250 (bit of a monster sub). I use this setup for music and movies in the living room, although of course the dac isnt used for movies.

But i managed to pick up a pair of mission m33 floor standers from ebay for £50 - i will be using these connected to my computer in the bedroom. However i feel like i should really use the dac for this system as without using the dac i have to connect pc > amp > speakers with a 3.5mm to phono cable which sounds awful. So i have the following choice, which one do you recommend.

1. squeezebox duet > Denon 2808 > tannoy mercury f1 custom's with digital coax (qed) or

2. squeezebox duet > Denon 2808 > tannoy mercury f1 custom's with phono cable

which will sound best?

this leaves my second system as:

pc > beresford dac (via optical) > arcam alpha 8 (via phono cable) > mission m33

Or do you think removing dac from main system will really degrade the sound? i listen to most music in living room. Thanks for your advise!

Simon

 

[John Duncan]

Use the DAC with the PC - I'd bet the squeezebox sounds at least as good without it, whereas the PC probably sounds pretty average.

 

[kingnothing83]

Thanks for the tip, yeah actually i did just that late last night, it doesnt sound as clear without the dac but it sounds more bassy, so much so i had to put the sub down a few notches. Not quite as good but close enough.

However, thats with a digital coax from the sqeezebox to the denon 2808. Will it sound better if i used a good phono cable instead of the digital out? Am i right in thinking the squeezebox will be just passing on the signal without using its internal dac if i output digitaly?

cheers

Simon

 

[John Duncan]

That's right, but from what I've read the DAC in the Duet is excellent, and you may actually be doing it a minor disservice putting it through the DAC of the Denon, rather than using its own. Try it with normal interconnects and see how it sounds, and if the Denon has a 'direct' mode, use it.

 

[kingnothing83]

Cheers John,

Yeah i'll try it tonight with my chord crimson interconnects, think it should sound better than hooked up through my qed digital coax. I'll do a compare and see what i think. Think i might just have to buy a new set of interconnects as i only have 1 set. Yeah its in pure direct, makes a reasonable difference

 

[John Duncan]

Well it'll be a close run thing I think, but if it frees up your DAC to use from the PC I think that'll be the best balance. Let us know.

cheers

JD

 

[kingnothing83]

yeah i imagine the dac in the 2808 is ok although obviously its not a stereo amp. Due to get a ps3 and sky hd in a month anyway, so if think the phono connection is better its no probelm as id need an extra digital lead for sky HD anyway. So buying another phono lead will free up my digi coax.

I'll let you know what i think when i test it tonight

Cheers