Replace WXC50 ?

[cicero]

I'm running Synology servers to a WXC50 as a player, then NAD3020V2 out via very old (and still good) AEGIS 2 speakers.

Mainly heavy classical music as wav files. Tend not to use any streaming services.

I'm just curious as to what to replace the WXC50 with, if anything?

 

[Juzzie Wuzzie]

If you're happy with how it sounds and the interface, then carry on!

 

[leesaardma]

I'm running Synology servers to a WXC50 as a player, then NAD3020V2 out via very old (and still good) AEGIS 2 speakers.

Mainly heavy classical music as wav files. Tend not to use any streaming services.

I'm just curious as to what to replace the WXC50 with, if anything?

 

[Gray]

I'm just curious as to what to replace the WXC50 with, if anything?

From what you've said, it seems to being doing what you want it to.

Have you compared the sound via its own DAC with the one in your NAD amp to see which you prefer?
If not, it's an easy, obvious experiment.
Then there's the option of trying another external DAC between it and the NAD.

Maybe you could benefit from from a (touch)screen on the streamer itself - otherwise maybe stick with what you've got 👍

 

[Vincent Kars]

As you need a UPnP enabled renderer, have a look at WiiM or EverSolo

 

[Jasonovich]

I'm running Synology servers to a WXC50 as a player, then NAD3020V2 out via very old (and still good) AEGIS 2 speakers.

Mainly heavy classical music as wav files. Tend not to use any streaming services.

I'm just curious as to what to replace the WXC50 with, if anything?

The Yamaha WXC50 is an integrated amp but you're using this as a preamp.

Why not replace it with a digital media player like Vovofox AP05S. This allows NAS or direct server connectivity. You can also slot in NVME M2 SSD card, the flap is located at the base of the unit.
It lends a lot of features from Eversolo/WiiM Ultra like a touch screen. It's Linux based rather than Android OS.
I had to update my bios to 12.87 to get English throughout.

I've owned this for some time and have been using it as a digital transport in conjunction with Matrix Mini i-4, rather than a DAC.

The only proviso, you can only order it from AliExpress and delivery can take a few weeks.

It may not be what you had in mind, just food for thought .

Using it as a DAC it sounds excellent. it has an ARM CPU and FPGA to control some of the digital operations as well as a dual ESS chipset. I can't decide if it betters the Matrix, both good.

 

[Dave_]

The Yamaha WXC50 is an integrated amp but you're using this as a preamp.

Incorrect.

The WXC-50 is a streaming preamp, the WXA-50 is the integrated amp.

 

[cicero]

From what you've said, it seems to being doing what you want it to.

Have you compared the sound via its own DAC with the one in your NAD amp to see which you prefer?
If not, it's an easy, obvious experiment.
Then there's the option of trying another external DAC between it and the NAD.

Maybe you could benefit from from a (touch)screen on the streamer itself - otherwise maybe stick with what you've got 👍

Things became a little hazy after my 80th, but let's see I've got this right.
At the moment digital comes via ethernet to the WXC50 and digital out of the WXC50 goes into the amp as digital and so the amp is doing the DAC process pushing analogue to the speakers.

To use the WXC50 DAC I would need to take analogue out of the WXC50 and into the amp as analogue.

Apologies for the over-simplification. This boils down to which device has the best DAC?

Other than a new device this seems the only variation in the set up which may gain improvement.

I will give it a try.

Many thanks.

 

[Gray]

Apologies for the over-simplification. This boils down to which device has the best DAC?

No need for apologies, that's precisely what it boils down to (The DACs and their associated components)👍
You might well decide that any difference is too subtle to even bother about - but it's worth a try, you never know...