DAC Recommandations

[scorpionro]

I'm wondering if it's worth getting a DAC for my system - Rotel RA-05, B&W 685 on B&W FS-700 and for source I use my PC via ASUS Xonar ST and a PS3. The choices that are available in my country are Cambridge Audio DacMagic and Firestone Spitfire. I think that the Spitfire might be a better match and the fact that it allows me to change OP-Amps is a big plus for me. My budget is around 300 pounds

 

[Anonymous]

Not sure where you live but you could get Stan Beresford to send you a TC-7250, this has changable op-amps as well.

 

[scorpionro]

I live in Romania; I'm not interested in USB input, since I intend to connect the xonar st via optical output to the DAC. I also don't really need more than a single input, as I don't intend to plug the PS3 via the DAC ( I'll just keep using PS3 -> HDMI -> TV -> AMP as I do now ). I also don't really need a headphone amp, which makes two of the features of the TC-7250 more or less useless to me. Do you think that the 7250 would be a better match for my system than the DacMagic or the Spitfire ?

 

[Anonymous]

I have not heard the Spitfire but i preferred the sound of Beresford Dac to the Dac Magic. I'm currently using the 7520 with B&W 684's and they go great together. If you don't need the headphone/pre-amp out put or the usb perhaps you could look at the 7510?

 

[idc]

The Spitfire got a cracking review in this months mag.....

http://whathifi.com/Review/Firestone-Spitfire/

 

[Anonymous]

I have a DacMagic, and all I have to compare it to is the internal DAC of the Squeezebox it is plugged into. There is a difference, but it is subtle..... although subtleties are what builds up into a great overall sound. Cambridge Audio has a reputation for build quality that is sometimes a little whiffy.

 

[scorpionro]

idc:
The Spitfire got a cracking review in this months mag.....

http://whathifi.com/Review/Firestone-Spitfire/

That's exactly the reason I'm taking it into consideration; till this week I was set on getting the DacMagic, but now it seems that the Spitfire might be a better match for what I want