Sonos analog to stereo amp or digital to AV receiver?

[madeinstein]

Hi what in your opinion would sound better. Sonos connected via analog to stereo amp (~500£ ) or connected via digital to AV Receiver like Denon AVR-1909?

I couldn't find any stereo amp with DAC (apart from supernait for £2.5k) or CD player with digital in and I'm wondering which would be the better option?

 

[Anonymous]

Sonon? Do you mean SONOS? If yes, the SONOS sounds much better using digital into a DAC. May be you should be considering a seperate stand alone DAC.

 

[madeinstein]

Yes of course Sonos, sorry for the typo..

IanS1:the SONOS sounds much better using digital into a DAC. May be you should be considering a seperate stand alone DAC.

Yes this is exactly what I'm trying to find out if the DAC in Denon AVR 1909 is better than build in DAC.

May I ask how much was the DAC you're using (more less)?

 

[Anonymous]

The DAC/XP is a CYRUS pre amp and DAC in one box, highly regarded as one of the best products that CYRUS make. It retails at around £2000 - £2200, but can be had cheaper if you bargain hard with your dealer. The SONOS sounds excellent in my system.

If you're after just a DAC unit there are obviously much cheaper options on the market, I think the Beresford DAC is quite a popular choice. Depends really on what other kit you want to partner it with.

 

[madeinstein]

IanS1:Depends really on what other kit you want to partner it with.

At the moment I'm looking for a sonos + stereo amp + speakers and I was trying to find amplifier with build in DAC but the only think I found so far was the supernait (£2.5k) and now the CYRUS which is not much cheaper.

This is exactly why I started (again) to look at av receivers because they have digital in and that must be going through the internal DAC.

Anyway if you're aware of any stereo amps with digital in or CD players with digital in let me know.

 

[Anonymous]

Indication of budget would be helpfull. If this system is just to play music an AV receiver wouldn't be the best choice. Why not consider a stereo amp with a seperate DAC unit.

 

[drummerman]

madeinstein:
IanS1:Depends really on what other kit you want to partner it with.

At the moment I'm looking for a sonos + stereo amp + speakers and I was trying to find amplifier with build in DAC but the only think I found so far was the supernait (£2.5k) and now the CYRUS which is not much cheaper.

This is exactly why I started (again) to look at av receivers because they have digital in and that must be going through the internal DAC.

Anyway if you're aware of any stereo amps with digital in or CD players with digital in let me know.

I believe Linn's new classic 'micro', available for 1k or so, features an inbuilt dac with processing for external sources. It looks good too.

 

[drummerman]

Alternatively, look up AVI's ADM9.1. Superb active speakers with pre-amplifier and DAC.

 

[madeinstein]

IanS1:Indication of budget would be helpfull. If this system is just to play music an AV receiver wouldn't be the best choice. Why not consider a stereo amp with a seperate DAC unit.

Budget.. anything around £500-700 maybe a bit more for an amp + DAC. Really the question is how much do I need to spend on amp+DAC to have better sound than from Denons AVR1909 DAC?

This system is for both TV and Music but as I'm going to have only 2 floorstanders stereo amp would be sufficient.

 

[madeinstein]

drummerman:
I believe Linn's new classic 'micro', available for 1k or so, features an inbuilt dac with processing for external sources. It looks good too.

I think that looks like what I need. For 1k I would have everything, or even more (CD player) and I would hope that a music quality should be good as it's a linn product (and probably far better than Denon receiver)

I was listening to Linn Majik integrated Amp + Linn Majik DS + PMC GB1i last week and I loved the system but it's difficult for me to justify spending £1.7k for a DAC + £1.5k for amp + £1.3k for speakers especially because there is no way to connect Sonos to that system.

I compared this with Arcam A38 and Naim 5i and I liked Linn so much more.

I'm going to schedule a demo for Sonos + Linn classic and let you know how does it sound.

If you know of any other amp with digital in please let me know. Thanks for this recommendation drummerman!

 

[madeinstein]

madeinstein:drummerman:
I believe Linn's new classic 'micro', available for 1k or so, features an inbuilt dac with processing for external sources. It looks good too.

I think that looks like what I need.

Classik Music infosheet says that it has 2 digital inputs (1 x coaxial RCA, 1 x optical T TOSLINK) what is the different between them?

Is it possible to connect Sonos as one source and TV as another? I've got PS3 and Pioneer 50'' plasma tv.

 

[madeinstein]

drummerman:Alternatively, look up AVI's ADM9.1. Superb active speakers with pre-amplifier and DAC.

Is it possible to connect 2 sources to these speakers? I need to connect Sonos (digital in) and TV as 2nd source.

 

[drummerman]

I believe thats possible, they also feature an analogue in. As with regards to the Linn, again I think you should be fine. If you need info contact ashley james directly on his AVI website, he is very helpful.

 

[Gerrardasnails]

madeinstein:
Hi what in your opinion would sound better. Sonos connected via analog to stereo amp (~500£ ) or connected via digital to AV Receiver like Denon AVR-1909?

I couldn't find any stereo amp with DAC (apart from supernait for £2.5k) or CD player with digital in and I'm wondering which would be the better option?

CD player with digital in? Cambridge Audio 840C. The DAC is supposed to be excellent and it's only £750.

 

[madeinstein]

Gerrardasnails:CD player with digital in? Cambridge Audio 840C. The DAC is supposed to be excellent and it's only £750.

Thanks.. I've just checked both 740C and 840C have digital in.. it's getting really interesting now!

 

[John Duncan]

Or see what WHF have to say about the £200 Cambridge DacMagic (presumably a DAC of some repute) this month. Am on tenterhooks myself.......

 

[Gerrardasnails]

JohnDuncan:Or see what WHF have to say about the £200 Cambridge DacMagic (presumably a DAC of some repute) this month. Am on tenterhooks myself.......

First I'd heard of that...looks great!

http://www.cambridgeaudio.com/summary.php?PID=320&Title=DacMagic

 

[madeinstein]

Oh yes this DAC looks great.. I would assume it's the same DAC as in one of the CA cd players, the question is which one?

 

[Gerrardasnails]

madeinstein:Oh yes this DAC looks great.. I would assume it's the same DAC as in one of the CA cd players, the question is which one?

I think the price gives that one away - it's the same as the 740C's DAC. The 840 will be on another level.