Cyrus 6xp/6xpd and Sonos Zoneplayer - With or without DAC

[admin_exported]

Hi All,

Hope you can help. I’m new to this forum but have spent the last day and a half trying to find more info on a system I’m thinking of putting together. So here goes…

I have all my music in iTunes and would like to purchase (after demoing of course) something along the lines of Cyrus 6xp or 6xpd with eb acoustic eb2’s with the music source provided by a Sonos Zoneplayer 90/iTunes. I’m trying to build a system that I can stream music to (controlled by iPad) and incorporate multi room/upgrades in the future as funds allow. This setup is at the max of my budget.

My concerns are:

What are the real world implications of not having a DAC (either built in or separate) in this system? I'm worried by not having one I’m wasting money by having a music source that will not do the electronics justice. My logic being I could spend half as much and get the same results OR £400 more (DAC) and the setup would be optimum and money well spent?

Also, Does anyone run a similar Sonos source setup? If so, how are you getting on with it (+’s and –‘s)?

Over to you and thanks in advance for any reply’s,

 

[The_Lhc]

What's the price difference between the 6XP and the 6XPD?

 

[Anonymous]

sorry £300

 

[Anonymous]

about £400 new

 

[The_Lhc]

Hmm, that's a bit borderline then, I'd say the ZP90 would benefit from a decent DAC (mine did but I was using ropey old RCA cables, which may account for the huge difference in sound) but whether you go for a built in one that presumably allies with the Cyrus house sound but can't (easily) be upgraded later or whether you go for a standalone DAC for similar money (rDAC or Rega's new one) which will give you an easier upgrade path but may not match well with the amp (or your ears) is really a matter of personal preference.

Don't suppose you've got the option of auditioning have you?

 

[Anonymous]

Cheers for that and maybe. I’m definitely going the sonos route so I could just buy one and take it and a laptop to a demo. Do you know if Cyrus’s inboard DAC is any better/worse (noticeably) as the £300ish external options?

 

[Anonymous]

One other thing…When you changed from RCA to digital did you test the difference before adding the DAC?