Apple TV with my hifi system - To DAC or not to DAC

[admin_exported]

Hi

I'm new to these forums so bear with me []

My current hifi system consists of:

• NAD C355BEE amplifier
• B&W 685 speakers on Atacama Nexus 6 stands (filled with atabites)
• Arcam CD72 CD Player
• Chord Carnival Silverscreen bi-wire speaker cable and Chord Crimson+ interconnects

I'm VERY tempted by the looks of Apple TV but wanted to know whether it'd make sense to add a DAC into the equation to make sound quality better etc...

Currently all my music is on CD but wanted to see if I could make life a little easier (and less cluttered) by putting all my music on to my computer (I use iTunes and have an iPhone 4 as well). But I fear that the sound quality may be compromised in compariosn to the CD sound quality now.

I listen to a varying range of music but includes a lot of Hed Kandi and bassy, modern electronic music (like The XX, Hot Chip, the Late Night Tales & Back to Mine series of CD's) but I also listen to some heavy metal as well (i.e. SOAD, Metallica, Iron Maiden and more).

Would getting a DAC improve the sound quality of the Apple TV if incorporated into my system (I'd also have it connected to my TV (Sony Bravia 32" LCD) and surround sound system (Sony DAVIS50). If so, where is the sequence would it be best connected?

Thanks for your time

 

[DavieCee]

The DAC would go between the Apple TV and your surround system for stereo but that adds new questions that I don't know the answer to. The Apple TV carries surround sound, 5.1 or 7.1 (not sure) but you may lose that through the DAC to analogue. Anyone?

The Apple TV HDMI output will still carry the digital surround sound to your TV and presumably on to your surround system so that may not be an issue.

For stereo, you do not NEED a DAC but if you listen to a comparison you will WANT one. A direct comparison tells me I made the right decision

 

[shreader]

I have an apple tv,i too would like to know if a DAC would provide better sound quality that is compatible. The Arcam unit looks to be agood upgrade.Going back to the apple TV on the back pannel has a hdmi output that gives you 720p output and also an optical one.but i know the arcam has a bluetooth device you plug into your ipod or iphone and tansmittes the signal wirelessly to the DAC unit weather the arcam and the apple are compatible i'm not sure i wonder if the guys at what hifi can answer our question?

pannasonic 42"plasma,yamaha RX-V1065 and BD-S1900, Virgin v+ box, Apple tv,Kef 2002.5 surround speakers, front speakers MA BX5,BX Centre,speaker cable QED micro, van den hul flat and qed p hdmi

 

[Dan Turner]

Any aftermarket DAC is likely to give a good improvement and there are some great ones at as little as £150. The connections would be ATV optical > DAC > Nad Amp AND ATV HDMI > Sony AV amp - that way you get the benefit of the DAC when listening to stereo music via the hifi.

 

[pwiles1968]

If you are looking at the new Apple TV I think you will have to get some sort of DAC if you want to listen to music on your Stereo Amp as the ATV does not have an analogue out that I am aware of.

I suppose you could hook it up to the Sony then take a line out of here to your stereo amp. But if it were me I would look at a DAC and take the Optical out of TV to DAC then to your NAD, If you have a HDMI input on the sony you can still connect this to the ATV then you have the best of both worlds.

I have my Old ATV hooked up both via optical for Music and HDMI for everything else.

 

[matthewpiano]

hifilover1979:
Hi

I'm new to these forums so bear with me

My current hifi system consists of:

• NAD C355BEE amplifier
• B&W 685 speakers on Atacama Nexus 6 stands (filled with atabites)
• Arcam CD72 CD Player
• Chord Carnival Silverscreen bi-wire speaker cable and Chord Crimson+ interconnects

I'm VERY tempted by the looks of Apple TV but wanted to know whether it'd make sense to add a DAC into the equation to make sound quality better etc...

Currently all my music is on CD but wanted to see if I could make life a little easier (and less cluttered) by putting all my music on to my computer (I use iTunes and have an iPhone 4 as well). But I fear that the sound quality may be compromised in compariosn to the CD sound quality now.

I listen to a varying range of music but includes a lot of Hed Kandi and bassy, modern electronic music (like The XX, Hot Chip, the Late Night Tales & Back to Mine series of CD's) but I also listen to some heavy metal as well (i.e. SOAD, Metallica, Iron Maiden and more).

Would getting a DAC improve the sound quality of the Apple TV if incorporated into my system (I'd also have it connected to my TV (Sony Bravia 32" LCD) and surround sound system (Sony DAVIS50). If so, where is the sequence would it be best connected?

Thanks for your time

Out of interest, have you always used the Arcam CD72, or did you originally use a C545BEE with your NAD amp?