A DAC based improvement for my Sonos ZP90??

[Chewy]

I currently have a Sonos ZP90 plugged directly into my Pioneer LX-83 av amp via an optical cable.

I am considering utilising an external DAC to further improve the sound quality. Can anyone suggest a suitable DAC that will give a substantial improvement in sound quality?

Or is the whole idea a waste of time? Will my amp be a factor limiting any improvments a DAC might add?

 

[Anonymous]

I would think a decent DAC would provide better sound quality than the DAC in the amp, but not sure how many channels you want to play your music on? The DAC will output 2 channel audio which I presume you would connect via a pair of analogue interconnects to your amp - so if you want to output the stereo music through your 7.1 system I'm not sure how/if your amp would be configured.

 

[Chewy]

Thanks for the reply. Configuring the amp is easy enough; stereo in stereo out. So do you have any specific DAC recommendations?

 

[professorhat]

I currently have a Sonos ZP90 plugged directly into my Pioneer LX-83 av amp via an optical cable.

I am considering utilising an external DAC to further improve the sound quality. Can anyone suggest a suitable DAC that will give a substantial improvement in sound quality?

Or is the whole idea a waste of time? Will my amp be a factor limiting any improvments a DAC might add?

I think your main issue is you'll probably need to spend quite a bit of money to get a DAC which is better than the one included in your LX83. From looking at the spec sheet and the reviews of your Pioneer, you'll probably want to be looking around the area of the Arcam rDAC budget level minimum, possibly even rising to the Rega DAC level or further still.

However, having pondered on a musical upgrade myself recently, most people in the know were in agreement that the best upgrade I could make to my Onkyo 905 receiver was to incorporate a stereo amplifier for my musical sources and connect this into my Onkyo through front pre-outs. I begun my investigation of this in this thread, but I haven't had a chance to look any further into it as yet.

I'd recommend a trip to a couple of local dealers to discuss this option (your Pioneer also has the necessary pre-outs) along with the DAC upgrade and see what they think and get a few auditions.

Of course one other big question is the type of files you're streaming through the Sonos?

 

[Anonymous]

Good post professorhat...another spin on that theme would be to get a 2 channel amp with built in DAC, but then given the quality of the LX83 DAC, you may have to spend quite a lot. Cyrus 8 XPd would be worth a listen so you can benchmark against your LX83..

 

[Anonymous]

Another 1 box amp/dac solution is the Peachtree stuff, Decco2, iDecco (which has an ipod dock). These have high quality DAC's and also a Sonos sized hole in the back to park the Sonos in. Nova also works (higher power). I have the Decco2 and am highly delighted with it. Has USB, Optical and Coax options as well for other digital input. They look cool to, very wife freindly

 

[Chewy]

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

@Professorhat: I do eventually want to get a full stereo set-up, of which any new DAC I purchase will be a part, so a dedicated stereo amp will be a future purchase, but not one I want to make (or rather can afford to make) at the moment. I would rather concentrate those funds into a dedicated DAC at this point, and settle on an amp when I know what stereo speakers I might get (especially as my current speakers are really intended more for movie soundtracks than stereo listening). I don't want to dismiss them without having even listened to them, but I wonder if the Arcam or Rega will struggle to make any improvement on the Poinerr given their price point? Have you tried them versus your Onkyo?

@ nick8858: For this reason, though the iDecco2 (infact all the Peachtree stuff) looks like a lovely bit of kit (especially with that tube amp in there!), I would rather get a straight DAC at the moment as I would have to trade an iDecco in if I moved to a dedicate steroe seperates set-up with seperate amp (or active speakers).

@ Dr Lodge: You mention the Cyrus 8 XPd, again thisis an integrated amp, so not realy what I am after, but how does the Cyrus XP+ DAC compare to others out there?

I have to openly admit, the whole idea of a seperate DAC is a little new to me, so I don't know whether getting an expensive DAC such as the Cyrus is worth the investment, not just now, but in the dedicated stereo set-up I set up in the future - or whether they are actually worth every penny and I should invest an amount in one, in line with the other componets I might be looking at when it comes to it (such as the CD player, amp etc).

 

[Anonymous]

Save yourself a whole lot of time, effort and money and continue using the AV DAC. improvement, if any will be minimal. Sit back and enjoy your already stonking system. :rockout:

revel in how good the Pioneer actually is .

Maybe start saving for those dream speakers which the Pioneer can grapple with.

 

[spockfish]

I can only advise you to listen to a few DAC's. Although your amp has an internal DAC, there's more to it. So take your amp and speakers to your dealer and do some listening...

And of course you should listen to the Rega DAC. It is a great DAC for a fine prize.

Regards

 

[professorhat]

@Professorhat: I do eventually want to get a full stereo set-up, of which any new DAC I purchase will be a part, so a dedicated stereo amp will be a future purchase, but not one I want to make (or rather can afford to make) at the moment. I would rather concentrate those funds into a dedicated DAC at this point, and settle on an amp when I know what stereo speakers I might get (especially as my current speakers are really intended more for movie soundtracks than stereo listening). I don't want to dismiss them without having even listened to them, but I wonder if the Arcam or Rega will struggle to make any improvement on the Poinerr given their price point? Have you tried them versus your Onkyo?

I haven't yet - I do own a DacMagic which I intend to use with my new stereo setup (once I've got the amp). I haven't put it into my Onkyo setup, but I will be doing this next week sometime (when I find an hour or two!) so can report back then what I find. The issue is, whilst my Onkyo is a stonking home cinema amp, I think it's a little too "brusque" in terms of musicality. So my findings may well not be the same as yours in this respect, as I believe your Pioneer is eminently more musical.

However, I have to say I agree with The Limey. I'd enjoy your system as is for the moment and plunge any money you'd spend on a DAC now into an account, ready for when you look into the full stereo setup. It would surely be better to get something which fits in with that setup, rather than having to base any future decisions for your stereo setup around a DAC you bought to integrate in your HC setup?

 

[Chewy]

@ Limey & Professorhat: Oh don't worry I absolutely love my system. The MK speakers have been a revelation, I never expected to hear such absolutle clarity and detail, with movies they are better than anything I have heard, and make going to commercial cinemas akin to listening through ear muffs! They are good with music too; I have an SACD of Maeve O'Boyle which is simply incredible, it is like she is sitting on a stool at the end of the room; I can hear every breath, every finger nail pluck on guitar string, its spine shivering stuff.

Unfortunately as someone with a clinical case of upgrade-itis, I can only draw the conclusion that, if I can experience such good music performace on an av reciever and dedicated cinema speakers, a dedicated stereo system will knock me into the next county!

That said, I agree with your advice, I will place a medical patch on my current upgrade lesion and wait until I can spec out an entire stereo system.