DAC with Spotify

[Balloonatic]

Hi.

I really need some opinions. Currently i listen to music from my iPhone with Spotify Premium, connected via. USB to my Yamaha RX-V473 Receiver through to my Q Acoustics 3050 speakers. My question is whether a DAC is worth it in this setup or not? I have a look on the Arcam irDAC and would want to connect my iPhone via. USB. I'm have no experince with DAC's at all so I need some good ol' advice. Thanks.

 

[The Mad One]

Hi welcome to the forum.

This might be a cheaper option an Arcam miniBlink check out the awards review from What Hifi they seem to like at lot.

But if you still feel like a dac then you can't go wrong with the irdac its very good aswell.

 

[fr0g]

IMO the DAC in your AV receiver is more than capable.

 

[Balloonatic]

Thx for the answers.

I don't think the rBlink will be an upgrade though? iPhone 5s doesn't support aptX as far as I know?

But maybe you're right about the DAC included in the receiver (it's a Burr Brown) and that it would be overkill to invest in the irDAC. After buying the Q Acoustics 3050 I just got HIFI hungry. I want to upgrade!! Now I just need Spotify to go all Tidal but for $9.99 a month...

 

[ChrisIRL]

You're doomed! This is how it starts. Trust me, save now for a year or more and just buy an amp and speakers for about 1 to 1.5k each. You will do this eventually anyway. The money you will save avoiding incremental upgrades over the next couple of years will actually pay for your expensive speakers or amp.

Save this message and read it again in 2 years.

PS I could find very little difference between my ipod touch connected via Arcam rblink or irdac, regardless of aptx. Money saved straight away!!!

 

[Leeps]

It could sound worse. Yes that is what I said.

With my AV receiver, it's digital inputs (using its own internal DAC) provide a better sound than using its comparatively poor analogue inputs. So I could plug a £2000 DAC into it, but it would sound awful because it would be using the AVR's analogue inputs. To be honest, I think that spending money on a DAC in your situation would be a complete waste of money.

As an alternative, if your router is near your amp and TV, get an Amazon Fire TV box for its Spotify Connect, free up your iphone and have a wired internet connection from your router to the amp for your music source. It will save your iphone battery too.

 

[Balloonatic]

Yeah, you're probably right - I didn't even think of the analogue inputs on the AVR. So now I'm down to the best Spotify Connect solution. I already own an Apple TV but I suspect using Spotify Connect is better than Airplay (that's why I connect my iPhone at the moment).

The Amazon Fire TV is not available here in DK, but what about the "Gramofon"? It seems like a great device. Does anyone have any experience with that?

EDIT: Aaaw well I just realized the "Gramofon" only has a minijack output

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_100004211376004]

To really see the true potential of the ir dac and other decent stand alone units. I doubt you'd really notice much difference in any quality of sound using the yamaha. A good quality stereo amp is the order of the day. I'm using my i pod touch /dr dock on to the ir dac then on to a Naim nait xs to a pair of pmc twenty 21 (when I'm not playing cd's) it sounds very good. So I think if you're after good stereo sound,and prepared to spend £400 on a dac. get yourself a £400 dedicated stereo amp first , that'll give you a upgrade you will notice, multichannel receivers just can't cut it imo, unless you're prepared to spend an awful lot of cash.But you're going to do that anyway, because you like hi-fi.