New DAC Fan

[admin_exported]

After my CD players' drawer deciding to have a life of it's own and reading positive post after post about DAC's, i decided to delve into the world of PC audio this week. I was a little sceptical about just how good the sound would be compared to my CD player (which i'm still happy with) but so far i'm VERY impressed.

I bought the Firestone Audio Fubar USB 2 DAC from Russ Andrews,a 1TB HD from PC World and ripped all my music in lossless WAV format. It was literally plug and play, and i'm so impressed with the sound. I can tell the difference between this and my CD player, but if anything prefer the sound of the PC audio. It seems to be less "analytical" and more enjoyable if anything. I have tried it with all kinds of music, rock, blues, jazz etc. I can't see my CD player being used for some time now. I imagine, more expensive DAC's should sound even more impressive, but i didn't want to spend too much until i had tried out the theory. I see all this as money very well spent.

 

[John Duncan]

(1 more down, 5.999 billion to go...)

 

[chebby]

I started out with the Fubar II USB DAC.

Nice box. Compared to the CD section of my old Arcam Solo-Mini it was just about on a par.

Once I added the dedicated Supplier PSU and upgraded the opamp it was definitely superior.

However, I then went and bought a Panasonic DVD/HDD recorder (with built in Freeview tuner) and realised I needed an optical connection - as well as the USB - to make use of digital audio output for Freeview radio (stunning and arguably better than FM with more station choice) and DVD/TV sound.

This is why I now use the Beresford TC-7520 and all my Firestone Audio kit is now in boxes and awaiting me to get off my a*** and put it all on ebay!

Enjoy your new source but only buy the extra bits if you are certain you are never going to need optical as well.

 

[Anonymous]

Cheers for the info Chebby, i was thinking about that to be honest. I nearly bought the Beresford 7510 but really liked the look of the Fubar. The size is perfect for my cabinet etc. I'm really enjoying it at the moment, but will probably require some digital inouts in the future. The way i see it, even if i upgrade the DAC in a year or whenever, it will be cheaper than having to upgrade the CD73 for a significant improvement. I just love being able to put Media player on shuffle and not know what's coming next, added to the fact that it now sounds really good. Probably the best pound for pound Hi-fi investment i have ever made!!

 

[Messiah]

JohnDuncan:(1 more down, 5.999 billion to go...)

Another converted here........(so much so I sold my Cyrus CD6s)

 

[Alec]

Messiah:

JohnDuncan:(1 more down, 5.999 billion to go...)

Another converted here........(so much so I sold my Cyrus CD6s)

Did you go and hear them? What did you demo them with, music wise?

Do let us know when you get them.

 

[Anonymous]

JohnDuncan:(1 more down, 5.999 billion to go...)

Exactly. Let cd players die a death. We can have a collective funeral on here. There's no point to them anymore. It bores me to tears the amount of people who think there is something to be saved by having a cd player. DO NOT BUY CD PLAYERS.

 

[lordmortlock]

My beresford is the best £100 ive ever spent. The DAC is a little oasis in a barren desert world of crazy price hikes and inflated SRRP's

 

[chebby]

Messiah:
JohnDuncan:(1 more down, 5.999 billion to go...)

Another converted here........(so much so I sold my Cyrus CD6s)

AVI ADM 9.1 - On Order!

Hi Messiah.

I seem to remember from previous conversations that we live in the same town (or very close).

Can you tell me if you managed to hear the ADM9.1's locally or did you travel to the factory to hear them?

 

[Big Chris]

FolsomBlues:
JohnDuncan:(1 more down, 5.999 billion to go...)

Exactly. Let cd players die a death. We can have a collective funeral on here. There's no point to them anymore. It bores me to tears the amount of people who think there is something to be saved by having a cd player. DO NOT BUY CD PLAYERS.

Sorry. But I like having my little silver discs of music, and with about 550 of 'em, I need something to play them on.

What's more, I can pick one up and take it and play it in my car, or loan one to a mate, or even just read the inlay card. Just like that! No fuss!

 

[chebby]

As with all these "this vs that" debates I have settled on a solution that works for me.

Have both. Have it all. (Vinyl, CD, iTunes, digital radio, internet radio...etc etc)

There is a price though. In order to match or exceed the quality of music through a DAC I had to get a CD player that now retails for almost five times the cost of the DAC!

I am glad I did not burn that bridge though.

 

[the record spot]

FolsomBlues:
JohnDuncan:(1 more down, 5.999 billion to go...)

Exactly. Let cd players die a death. We can have a collective funeral on here. There's no point to them anymore. It bores me to tears the amount of people who think there is something to be saved by having a cd player. DO NOT BUY CD PLAYERS.

Meh, live and let live I say.

If you want to faff around with backing up, ripping, multiple formats and the like, be my guest. I like what I have and while digital has a place, I'm with Big Chris on this one...

 

[chebby]

the record spot: If you want to faff around with backing up.

Yes indeed, because the ONLY reason you would need to back up your computer regularly is if you have your music on it.

I am always telling the family that our thousands of photographs can go to hell and the 17 year-olds revision notes and essays can rot. My wife's writing can take a walk. I am ONLY going to back up the one computer with my iTunes on it.

Good grief.

 

[Big Chris]

chebby:
the record spot: If you want to faff around with backing up.

Yes indeed, because the ONLY reason you would need to back up your computer regularly is if you have your music on it.

...But if I had music on my computer, it'd probably be the only thing I'd be bothered about losing.

 

[John Duncan]

chebby:
As with all these "this vs that" debates I have settled on a solution that works for me.

Have both. Have it all. (Vinyl, CD, iTunes, digital radio, internet radio...etc etc)

There is a price though. In order to match or exceed the quality of music through a DAC I had to get a CD player that now retails for almost five times the cost of the DAC!

I am glad I did not burn that bridge though.

Seconded. I faff with the computer music and the vinyl, my wife likes to put a CD in a drawer (when she can work out where the 'open' button is on the Primare). Hey - another reason to get a Uniti - opening the drawer is easy!

Waidaminute - does it have a puck?

 

[Lost Angeles]

I'm not against this and will probably end up with a DAC, but if all your stuffs in a rack do you sit in your armchair with your laptop on your knee and a lead trailing across the floor to the DAC or, do you have to have an airport express or something next to you as well, because if you do where will my wine glass go.
Or am I missing something?

 

[John Duncan]

Lost Angeles:
I'm not against this and will probably end up with a DAC, but if all your stuffs in a rack do you sit in your armchair with your laptop on your knee and a lead trailing across the floor to the DAC or, do you have to have an airport express or something next to you as well, because if you do where will my wine glass go.
Or am I missing something?

That's one way of doing it, certainly (hey, the new Cyrus rack has a laptop shelf), but I have an airport express and use my iPod Touch as a remote.

 

[the record spot]

chebby:
the record spot: If you want to faff around with backing up.

Yes indeed, because the ONLY reason you would need to back up your computer regularly is if you have your music on it.

I am always telling the family that our thousands of photographs can go to hell and the 17 year-olds revision notes and essays can rot. My wife's writing can take a walk. I am ONLY going to back up the one computer with my iTunes on it.

Good grief.

Good grief yerself Chebby; I didn't mention diddly about the good sense in backing up in general, but I know of plenty who've saved, uploaded and seen their latest collection go "ffft" in one fell swoop. They don't back up an entire disc every time they've loaded up a new CD, so maybe once a month and it's, to paraphrase an old Motorhead tune, a goner.

No doubt, your wife backs up, you use flickr, or photobucket (we don't use the laptop for photos anyway, except as the medium to connect the camera to the web).....blah blah, yeah I get your point, but the process of uploading and ripping is a little more detailed than making a Word doc copy no? Unless "Save As" has become significantly more convoluted overnight at any rate.

Good grief indeed.

 

[Gerrardasnails]

Lost Angeles:
I'm not against this and will probably end up with a DAC, but if all your stuffs in a rack do you sit in your armchair with your laptop on your knee and a lead trailing across the floor to the DAC or, do you have to have an airport express or something next to you as well, because if you do where will my wine glass go.
Or am I missing something?

It does make me laugh when all the non digital music file listeners think there's got to be a catch! How can it sound so good and there not be cable problems or hassle. My media center extender (does the same job as Airport Express and some) is the same size as my DacMagic (tiny). They both sit on the rack in between my AV amp and my stereo amp. That's it. I have a remote control which allows me to navigate through my library (which shows up with all the artwork on my LCD in the lounge). Oh, I need to have my pc turned on which is in my bedroom and soon to be in the spare room.

 

[Big Chris]

Gerrardasnails:Lost Angeles:
I'm not against this and will probably end up with a DAC, but if all your stuffs in a rack do you sit in your armchair with your laptop on your knee and a lead trailing across the floor to the DAC or, do you have to have an airport express or something next to you as well, because if you do where will my wine glass go.
Or am I missing something?

Oh, I need to have my pc turned on which is in my bedroom.

aHA!!! There you have it! The aforementioned 'Faff'!!

;-)

 

[John Duncan]

Big Chris:Gerrardasnails:Lost Angeles:
I'm not against this and will probably end up with a DAC, but if all your stuffs in a rack do you sit in your armchair with your laptop on your knee and a lead trailing across the floor to the DAC or, do you have to have an airport express or something next to you as well, because if you do where will my wine glass go.
Or am I missing something?

Oh, I need to have my pc turned on which is in my bedroom.

aHA!!! There you have it! The aforementioned 'Faff'!!

;-)

Mine goes on at 8am and off at midnight....

 

[Gerrardasnails]

JohnDuncan:Big Chris:Gerrardasnails:Lost Angeles:
I'm not against this and will probably end up with a DAC, but if all your stuffs in a rack do you sit in your armchair with your laptop on your knee and a lead trailing across the floor to the DAC or, do you have to have an airport express or something next to you as well, because if you do where will my wine glass go.
Or am I missing something?

Oh, I need to have my pc turned on which is in my bedroom.

aHA!!! There you have it! The aforementioned 'Faff'!!

;-)

Mine goes on at 8am and off at midnight....

I was just about to say that mine goes on as I walk towards the bathroom when I wake up and is switched off as I get into bed! When we clear the spare room next week and make it a guest room/computer room instead of a dumping ground, the pc will stay on forever!

 

[daveh75]

Why,what's the point of that,unless of course you never leave the house.

I'm no enviromentalist but that seem's somewhat wasteful to me.

 

[John Duncan]

daveh75:
Why,what's the point of that,unless of course you never leave the house.

I'm no enviromentalist but that seem's somewhat wasteful to me.

Because there's nearly always somebody in the house...

 

[Lost Angeles]

Gerrardasnails:Lost Angeles:

I'm not against this and will probably end up with a DAC, but if all your stuffs in a rack do you sit in your armchair with your laptop on your knee and a lead trailing across the floor to the DAC or, do you have to have an airport express or something next to you as well, because if you do where will my wine glass go.
Or am I missing something?

It does make me laugh when all the non digital music file listeners think there's got to be a catch! How can it sound so good and there not be cable problems or hassle. My media center extender (does the same job as Airport Express and some) is the same size as my DacMagic (tiny). They both sit on the rack in between my AV amp and my stereo amp. That's it. I have a remote control which allows me to navigate through my library (which shows up with all the artwork on my LCD in the lounge). Oh, I need to have my pc turned on which is in my bedroom and soon to be in the spare room.

I was only trying to understand how it works.
I intend to upgrade my MP3 player to a 120gig IPod in November (Long service money) and am trying to get my head around how things are set up.
We already have an 640g external hard drive so are working towards being another of John's converts.
I am currently sitting on my settee with an old laptop listening to Rush off Spotify through my headphones and logged on here.
All my MP3 music is also on the hard drive so they are backing each other up.
I would like to increase my vinyl collection but it is easier to rip CDs to my MP3 player than to convert vinyl.
I use my MP3 player every day walking to and from work which increases the amount of time I can listen to music.
I am not against any form of computer music.