Integrated amplifier vs iPod vs pc audio - what is the best connection

[admin_exported]

Hi,

I have an integrated amplifier with L/R inputs (NAD); no digital inputs, hdmi, etc.

I'd like to know what should I use to input Apple iTunes for the best sound in the L/R inputs.

Options I see:

1- NAD iPod cradle (L/R outputs straight in L/R inputs)

2- Apple iPod cradle (or other) using the line out (stereo jack) combined with a splitting cable (L/R)

3- PC - good sound card with L/R outputs

4- PC - straight from the line out (stereo jack) combined with a splitting cable (L/R)

5- iPod - straight from the headphone stereo jack combined with a splitting cable (L/R)

6- PC - HDMI to TV, then using TV L/R outputs to amp's inputs.

7- buy a Sonos or whatever wireless music transmitting device

Which one or two of these would give the best sound?

Amp - NAD C355BEE, iPod classic, B&W 683

Cheers!

Max

 

[Anonymous]

The best option is to create a digital input route for your Amp, i.e. buying an external DAC (VDAC, DACMAGIC, BERESFORD) or a GOOD sound card with DAC (so not the standard PC analog output). The former is more flexible, as you can can use other sources as well. Some have a headphone out, which also could be handy.

Or buy an airport express so that you can stream digitally to the AE and then to your stereo (much cheaper than Sonos), and if you have an iPOD touch it can act as your remote.

If you want to play music from your iPOD without needing a computer the order is best: digital dock (Wadia/Onkyo dock) + DAC, then analog dock (many options), then direct headphone.

The HDMI-route relies on the DAC in the TV, not sure how this will sound, or even if it will work.

 

[idc]

Hi Max, what is your budget?

Best of the worst options is 5 (not options 1-4 or 6), but you dont go from the ipods headphone jack. Instead you get a LOD (Line Out Dock) cable which connects to the ipods docking port and that goes to either minjack or better phono cables to connect to the amp. You can do that for as little as £5.

Otherwise I have heard a Sonos a few times and it sounds excellent, but I am not sure how it connects up. If you dont need wireless then as the above post, get a DAC.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks guys.

The DAC route seems interesting. I thought of using an Apple TV instead, which seems to have a good DAC and L/R outputs. It also has a digital output, so a DAC can be later added.

I'm thinking of returning the NAD C355 and buying something else, an AV receiver instead, which might integrate a lot more features (most of the time too much!!!).

These integrated amps are so not 2010 sometimes. You get either the AV with about 100 inputs in which you might use 3 or 4, and the integrated amp, for which you need to get everything "not digital" and which doesn't have outputs for more than 2 speakers. By the way, the C355 remote doesn't connect to any other devices (maybe NAD products...) - again, need a universal remote... yep, money again.

Any suggestions on something which would drive the 683s correctly and have good connections?

thanks!

 

[Anonymous]

Budget by the way is:

850$ (CAN) for the NAD C355 ... so something in the magnitude of less than 500 quids or 1000 US $ would be ok. All inclusive... (I am trying to convince my girlfriend to get me the Apple TV for my birthday... never know!)

 

[Anonymous]

That budget will get you a great standalone DAC (there's plenty of posts around here about those). That would give you better SQ than the options you mentioned. Keep in mind that when employing a DAC you will still need something to store your music on (a PC/Mac) and to play them. Alternatively you could get a good internal soundcard, this would be much cheaper.

You didn't ask anything about the convenience of it all, but after years of using a soundcard I found it to be too inconvenient. Your budget will also buy you a Sonos, which is what I opted for. It sounds great and is much easier to operate.

Edit Oh, and the other options: 1,2,4,5,6 don't sound very good to me.

 

[idc]

PC to DAC to amp is the best route. How you go about that route gives you two options. Wireless using Apple Express or TV or wired via a stand alone DAC.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Folks ,

on here with a similar question so figured I'd tag it onto this subject and save repeating things if thats ok ?

I have a sound card with an optical out as well as the mini jack, would I be better connecting my Beresford DAC to the PC with the optical and then connecting to Amp with phono's from the DAC or will it make no difference?

I'm a bit unsure if the DAC will serve any purpose with my set up.. does the sound card not possess one anyway and am I just doubling up the process?

Current Amp ( an old Sony TF 100 ) does not seem to " show " much difference with or without the DAC .

I'm looking to replace the amp with a Rotel Ra- 04 or a second hand Marantz or Technics from fleabay and could do with some advise re the dac in case I spend money that's not worth doing.

Speakers are Wharfedale Diamond 9.0 and the stored music varies in quality from poor downloads, reasonable mp3 and re- burning CDs to FlAC.

not looking to blast the windows out with power or bass but I do want to increase the listening experience .

so ...compressed files withstanding what should I do with the DAC?

thanks in advance.

P

 

[Anonymous]

Anybody any view on the use of optical or phono given the above post? going to spend my weekend sorting system out so any help and advice before I go off down dark useless routes would be appreciated

 

[idc]

The soundcard is the sound processor in the PC which has a DAC to convert to analogue for the PCs own speakers and to send a signal to external speakers, headphones etc. The DAC will bypass the soundcard's DAC as it takes a digital signal and then converts that to analogue. So you can only connect the Beresford to a PC with optical or coax digital or if it has it USB. You cant double up the process, it is one or the other.

You say your amp does not sound very different with or without the DAC. Does that mean if you use analogue to go to the amp from the PC using its soundcard you get a similar sound as PC to optical to Beresford to amp? If that is the case your PC has a superb soundcard or something else is wrong/faulty. Possibly it is the low resolution files?

 

[Anonymous]

pretty much as you say IDC that the difference between the direct analogue link and the optical link to DAC is no noticable difference.

I'm in the process of re ripping all my cd's ( lots and lots of them ) and looking to overhaul the entire set up including amp, interconnects, cable etc.

the sound card is a run of the mill TRUST 5.1 (12950 )

http://www.trust.com/products/product.aspx?artnr=12950

so just to recap, am I better using the optical link from the sound card as that will by-pass the cards DAC?

think better quality files will help ( have to use on non Flac files DFX to " brighten up " sound ) and the excuse to buy a new amp!

 

[idc]

Optical, coax or USB it does not matter how you connect a DAC to a PC as all bypass the soundcards DAC.