Quick clueless question please - demoing Rega DAC

psurquhart

Well-known member
Nov 15, 2010
318
0
18,890
Visit site
Presently watching footy but just about to start demoing a Rega DAC paired with a Sony DA5400es AV amp.

Was told to put the dac into the aux input on the back of the av amp - so far so good - however my Sony doesnt possess such a thing.

I am presuming I can put it through any anaologue input - I have selected cd for instance - and then just put the sony av amp into pure direct mode.

Is this correct ? Basic question I know, so go easy on me !

Getting excited about it all now and not entirely sure why i am still watching the footy !!!
 

psurquhart

Well-known member
Nov 15, 2010
318
0
18,890
Visit site
Im a bit confused !

I have borrowed a Chord USB Silverplus - have this connected to the rega via laptop.

Rega is connected to SA-CD/CD input into Sony amp.

Fired it all up and was a bit underwhelmed to say the least. I am obviously doing something wrong - perhaps Sony Viao PC settings ?

Sounds the same - thought it was me ? But did an a - b test - rega dac v apple airport express - using Apple lossless format ( yes I know this is not the best bit rate to do a comparison - but I was expecting a little more).

Then tried Spotify - same thing.

Have i got the basic set up right ? Any advice appreciated - in the meantime will continue digging to see if I have done something wrong ?

Got this dac till next Tuesday - so their is time to get it right !
 

SonofSun

New member
Mar 11, 2010
20
0
0
Visit site
psurquhart said:
Im a bit confused !

I have borrowed a Chord USB Silverplus - have this connected to the rega via laptop.

Rega is connected to SA-CD/CD input into Sony amp.

Fired it all up and was a bit underwhelmed to say the least. I am obviously doing something wrong - perhaps Sony Viao PC settings ?

Sounds the same - thought it was me ? But did an a - b test - rega dac v apple airport express - using Apple lossless format ( yes I know this is not the best bit rate to do a comparison - but I was expecting a little more).

Then tried Spotify - same thing.

Have i got the basic set up right ? Any advice appreciated - in the meantime will continue digging to see if I have done something wrong ?

Got this dac till next Tuesday - so their is time to get it right !

In my experience the difference is quite subtle, in fact I would go as far to say, I can't really tell the difference. Tried my Sonos with and without the Rega Dac, and I wouldn't be confident of identifying the Rega Dac in a blind test.

Maybe my hearing is not that good, now I am into my 40's.
 

moon

New member
Nov 10, 2011
47
0
0
Visit site
SonofSun said:
psurquhart said:
Im a bit confused !

I have borrowed a Chord USB Silverplus - have this connected to the rega via laptop.

Rega is connected to SA-CD/CD input into Sony amp.

Fired it all up and was a bit underwhelmed to say the least. I am obviously doing something wrong - perhaps Sony Viao PC settings ?

Sounds the same - thought it was me ? But did an a - b test - rega dac v apple airport express - using Apple lossless format ( yes I know this is not the best bit rate to do a comparison - but I was expecting a little more).

Then tried Spotify - same thing.

Have i got the basic set up right ? Any advice appreciated - in the meantime will continue digging to see if I have done something wrong ?

Got this dac till next Tuesday - so their is time to get it right !

In my experience the difference is quite subtle, in fact I would go as far to say, I can't really tell the difference. Tried my Sonos with and without the Rega Dac, and I wouldn't be confident of identifying the Rega Dac in a blind test.

Maybe my hearing is not that good, now I am into my 40's.

ive noticed the USB input in the back of my 651a is at least to my ears no worse than prevoius DACs.
 

moon

New member
Nov 10, 2011
47
0
0
Visit site
also contry to gibber gabber found on other forums, the Sonos Analogue out is really rather good... and.. just may not warrant the expenditure of an offboard DAC.
 

psurquhart

Well-known member
Nov 15, 2010
318
0
18,890
Visit site
I have to say that I am now really enjoying the Rega Dac now - I upgraded to Spotify Premium last night and its made a huge difference.

I have missed this sort of quality since selling my old Denon av amp paired with an Arcam DV79 cd / dvd player.

Its so much better than putting the Airport Express through the Sony DA5400es.

I am still not getting the best out of it though (high quality download wise) but have it over the weekend to play with.
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
Based on advice I got on this forum before I opted for the Rega DAC I run my laptop into a Musical Fidelity V-Link II via USB cable and then run an optical cable from the V-Link into the DAC.

The USB output from a laptop is not asynchronous (so transmission of bit rate can vary depending on what laptop outputting at the time so not a consistently true signal) whereas the V-Link is.

Also the WHF review and others have commented that the Rega DAC's best input is via optical cable and, although the DAC can process high resolution files such as 24/96 and 24/192 it can only process up to 16/48 via USB.

Not sure if will help in the time you have to demo but I love this DAC personally.
 

The_Lhc

Well-known member
Oct 16, 2008
1,176
1
19,195
Visit site
psurquhart said:
Rega is connected to SA-CD/CD input into Sony amp.

Stupid question time, connected to an analogue input on the Sony or a digital one?

did an a - b test - rega dac v apple airport express - using Apple lossless format ( yes I know this is not the best bit rate to do a comparison

It's lossless, you aren't going to get much better than that without going to 24bit files.
 

psurquhart

Well-known member
Nov 15, 2010
318
0
18,890
Visit site
The_Lhc said:
psurquhart said:
Rega is connected to SA-CD/CD input into Sony amp.

Stupid question time, connected to an analogue input on the Sony or a digital one?

did an a - b test - rega dac v apple airport express - using Apple lossless format ( yes I know this is not the best bit rate to do a comparison

It's lossless, you aren't going to get much better than that without going to 24bit files.

The Rega Dac is connected into the Sonys analogue cd input via Van Den Hul D 102 Mk 3 anologue cables. Then put into pure direct mode. Think thats all fine.

Have Apple Airport Express running into Regas Optical Digital Input 1 - which I know isnt using the DAC to its best but still sounding lovely imo.

I know I am not going to get the best out of it until I feed it a 24 bit file. But it still sounds great.

I have to get ready for work now so will have to continue playing with later.

I think I might be hooked already though - thinking of Audiolab M Dac already - like the idea of the headphone socket which the Rega obviously lacks.

Any thoughts and any tips to get the best out of this unit (other than getting 24 bit files singing through it) please ???

Have not linked up Sky HD box yet (for stereo broadcasts) or Blu Ray player - Sony 370 - which I will use as a cd source.

I have optical, co-ax and usb leads all to play with.
 

psurquhart

Well-known member
Nov 15, 2010
318
0
18,890
Visit site
SteveD said:
Based on advice I got on this forum before I opted for the Rega DAC I run my laptop into a Musical Fidelity V-Link II via USB cable and then run an optical cable from the V-Link into the DAC.

The USB output from a laptop is not asynchronous (so transmission of bit rate can vary depending on what laptop outputting at the time so not a consistently true signal) whereas the V-Link is.

Also the WHF review and others have commented that the Rega DAC's best input is via optical cable and, although the DAC can process high resolution files such as 24/96 and 24/192 it can only process up to 16/48 via USB.

Not sure if will help in the time you have to demo but I love this DAC personally.

Yeah thanks for this - the guys at Home Media Maidstone - whom lent me the lovely thing - suggested this route too. Of course I wont be able to do this this weekend. Cant stop thinking of the Audiolab M-DAC now.

Think this could all lead to a serious dent in the pocket - shall tell the wife it all cost alot less of course ! Once I decide what way I will go.
 

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts