Playing music from my Macbook through my hifi: Chord Mojo?

[kunmingjay]

I'm sure this topic must be running already but I can't figure out how to search the forum. Please feel free to move it to the right place.

My digital music is all stored on my macbook, and I want to play it through my hifi (Marantz PM6004 amp). I assume what I need for that is an external DAC. The Mojo is highest recommendation, but it seems to only have headphone output.

My questions: (1) is a DAC the right product for this purpose? (2) does the Mojo's headphone output matter if I'm outputting to my system rather than headphones? and (3) If so, should I get a DAC with standard audio output sockets (like irDac II or Audiolab M-Dac)

Thanks,

Jay

 

[TomSawyer]

A DAC is the right product to convert digital music to good quality analogue for your amp. A 3.5mm stereo jack can be converted to a pair of RCA plugs by just buying the appopriate cable.

I won't opine on which is the better DAC as I haven't tried any you mention.

 

[Al ears]

A DAC is the right product to convert digital music to good quality analogue for your amp. A 3.5mm stereo jack can be converted to a pair of RCA plugs by just buying the appopriate cable.

I won't opine on which is the better DAC as I haven't tried any you mention.

The answer is simply ..... quite possibly. However, I don't see the point of buying what is actually a portable headphone amp / dac if you aren't going to use it as such. There are other options.

 

[thewinelake.]

Excuse me if I'm teaching my grandmother to suck eggs, but there are all sorts of options here, and you've gone rather high end there for a relatively modest amp.

The first option would be a simple cable from the headphone out socket to your amp.

Next option might be a Google Chromecast audio. One advantage here is that it's wireless.

Then there are a bunch of cheap (£30-£100)USB DACs, such as Dragonfly, also Bluetooth DACs such as Soundblaster.

Next up is the low end audiophile products such as Cambridge Audio DAC Magic 100 or a DAC based on the open standard - JDSlabs do such a thing. This is the £150ish priceband.

Then you're getting into serious territory such as Chord Mojo, Arcam, etc. We're in the £300ish area.

Finally it's the "silly money stuff" that I know nothing of, but suspect there's little point in using if the rest of your system is worth less than about £2k-£5k.

suspect you know all that, though!!

 

[BigH]

Your Macbook has a pretty good Dac aleady, so you don't need to buy an external Dac. You can use a cable to your amp or you can stream via various devices, Apple make some like Airport Expess and ATV. Not an expert on Mac devices.

 

[MajorFubar]

Use the headphone-out from your Macbook, or if you need it to be wireless (doesn't sound like you do) then opt for an Airport Express and stream it wirelessly. The Macbook's built-in DAC, which by the looks of it you haven't tried, is better than you seemingly expect.

 

[davedotco]

From the functionality angle the AEX is the device of choice, Airplay is much better implemented than Bluetooth in an Apple system and once you get used to the flexibility of not being wired to the amp, you will not want to go back.

Given the system, the dac in the AEX will be fine and you can improve down the line with a better dac, possibly onboard an upgraded amplifier.

Cost is modest, see if you can get one from the refurb store (£60), at that price it is a no brainer.

 

[chebby]

From the functionality angle the AEX is the device of choice, Airplay is much better implemented than Bluetooth in an Apple system and once you get used to the flexibility of not being wired to the amp, you will not want to go back.

Given the system, the dac in the AEX will be fine and you can improve down the line with a better dac, possibly onboard an upgraded amplifier.

Cost is modest, see if you can get one from the refurb store (£60), at that price it is a no brainer.

£45 for latest version with 2 year warranty ...

https://uk.webuy.com/product.php?sku=SNETAPPAPEXA1392#.V2mGmjEa7wY