Sorry - Yet another DAC advice question.

Jason36

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Hi guys,

Current set up as per signature - but includes Caspian Pre/Power Amplifier and Castle Richmond Speakers.

Over the next couple of weeks I am looking to add either a Sonos Bridge & ZP90 or a 160Gb Apple TV (1st Generation) both of which will be controlled by the relevant IPad App and will also stream music from Spotify Premium.

At the moment I am verging on the Apple TV as I do not need multi room music (till we move house later next year). 1st question is will the Apple TV allow me to stream BBC iPlayer / 4OD etc?

I also want to add a DAC to the setup to sit between the ATV and Amps however I am completely lost on where to start or which of the many choices would be the better choice. All my music is saved as Apple Lossless.

I would like the full gambit of connections ideally, including USB, and also feel it would be beneficial to get a DAC which will allow me to stream High Res music in the future (I don't have any at the moment, but you never know)

I know there is likely to be differing opinions on sound etc but can anyone suggest where would be a good idea to start on the Demo front? I suppose it goes without saying the REGA DAC should be on the demo list, although I am not sure I want to spend that much at the present time. Is it really as good as everyone says?

What other DAC's would people suggest for my set-up?
 

dannycanham

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It is the in fashion DAC of the moment. It isn't the be all and and end all of DACs.

A USB connection on a DAC requires a computer to use. Obviously you can use another digital connection on an Apple TV. You probably know that but just saying.

I would put the v-dac II (£200) on your list and the music fidelity m1 dac (£300-£400). Both are cheaper than the Rega Dac and may easily suit your needs. If you buy second hand the rDac if you can find one for around £200.
 

neilmistry

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I recently purchased a Beresford Caiman for use with my Squeezebox Classic. After leaving it to run in for 4 days, just playing random tracks continuously from my library, I am extremely pleased with the sound. The selling point over other similarly priced DACS for me was the headphone amp as I mainly listen through headphones these days. The sound is so much clearer and separated. Bass it much more weighty, and initially the treble was ear splitting, but has mellowed dramatically following burn in. It has a number of connections including optical and USB - I'm using optical.
 

fatman

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some comments on ATV / Spotify -

I have a 1st gen ATV which is brilliant and has a really slick interface with igadgets and TV. Since signing up for Spotify premium service I had an Ipod Touch in a digital dock hooked up to the DAC/Amp as airplay was never enabled on the 1st gen ATV. I wanted something more permanent and a better solution to be able to use the Ipod as a remote rather than having to dock so was set on the Sonos ZP90 with the intention on adding more Sonos at a later date.

Saw the Squeezebox Touch for £150 on Amazon last week and thought too good to miss. This arrived yesterday and is much better than any expectations I had - both in finish and sound! I haven't connected to my music library or installed Squeezebox server. I have however enabled Spotify and downloaded the free app to the Ipod Touch. Very highly recommended.

Oh, am not sure about the iPlayer / 4OD from the ATV - dont think so but may have been some updates to software.

To reiterate - the ATV 1st gen will not stream from Ipad. There is a workaround (search youtube) but I wasn't happy with this. The 2nd gen will work but no hard drive. I do think is best to get device with Spotify client tho and use the Ipad as a remote so you can switch between apps whilst listening!

I'll probably end up with Sonos at some stage but will definitely keep the Squeezebox Touch - have plans to hook up to a desk DAC and headphones.

What's the budget for the DAC? Firestone Audio will be having a great promotion later in the year on the FUBAR IV plus but I suspect REGA or Audiolab more suited to your set up - dunno about USB on these though.....
 

Jason36

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fatman said:
some comments on ATV / Spotify -

I have a 1st gen ATV which is brilliant and has a really slick interface with igadgets and TV. Since signing up for Spotify premium service I had an Ipod Touch in a digital dock hooked up to the DAC/Amp as airplay was never enabled on the 1st gen ATV. I wanted something more permanent and a better solution to be able to use the Ipod as a remote rather than having to dock so was set on the Sonos ZP90 with the intention on adding more Sonos at a later date.

Saw the Squeezebox Touch for £150 on Amazon last week and thought too good to miss. This arrived yesterday and is much better than any expectations I had - both in finish and sound! I haven't connected to my music library or installed Squeezebox server. I have however enabled Spotify and downloaded the free app to the Ipod Touch. Very highly recommended.

Oh, am not sure about the iPlayer / 4OD from the ATV - dont think so but may have been some updates to software.

To reiterate - the ATV 1st gen will not stream from Ipad. There is a workaround (search youtube) but I wasn't happy with this. The 2nd gen will work but no hard drive. I do think is best to get device with Spotify client tho and use the Ipad as a remote so you can switch between apps whilst listening!

I'll probably end up with Sonos at some stage but will definitely keep the Squeezebox Touch - have plans to hook up to a desk DAC and headphones.

What's the budget for the DAC? Firestone Audio will be having a great promotion later in the year on the FUBAR IV plus but I suspect REGA or Audiolab more suited to your set up - dunno about USB on these though.....

Ah I didn't realise the ATV 1st Gen wasn't AirPlay enabled and too be quite honest if that's the case it's not suitable for my requirements......I didn't want the newer ATV as there is no hard drive and wouldn't be getting the DAC for two or three months, so wouldn't be able to connect it to the Pre amp :-(

So that leaves me with the Sonos or the Squeezebox options.....I know nothing about Squeezebox or how it works.......I use Spotify Premium a lot for music both on and off line and would be using my iPad as the controller.

Does the Squeezebox need to be hardwired to my router.....as they are too far apart to connect via ethernet cable (different rooms) which is why I would use the Bridge on a SONOS system. Sonos is just expensive thought if I am not looking for multi room music.

Ok need to do some reading on the squeezebox now then.
 

fatman

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Squeezebox Touch will work wireless - mine is hardwired so I cannot comment on how good the wireless is.

Spotify offline is worth every penny of the premium subscription. And then some.

Having read plenty comparisons on the Sonos vs Squeezebox I was sold on the Sonos but price of the Squeezebox was too good an offer.

There are plenty comments around the forums that the DAC in the Squeezebox is very good - i wired optical out to the DAC/Amp which I am sure sounds much better than the previous Ipod Touch / Pure digital dock solution.

I did see last week that WD are introducing Spotify on their boxes - these are more geared up for TV too so may tick your iPlayer & 4OD box. Am pretty sure I read this on the WHF site.

Yep, i did - both a streamer option and one with a huge hard drive. Decisions, decisions!

http://www.whathifi.com/news/western-digital-adds-spotify-to-wireless-streamer-range
 

Jason36

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fatman said:
Squeezebox Touch will work wireless - mine is hardwired so I cannot comment on how good the wireless is.

Spotify offline is worth every penny of the premium subscription. And then some.

Having read plenty comparisons on the Sonos vs Squeezebox I was sold on the Sonos but price of the Squeezebox was too good an offer.

There are plenty comments around the forums that the DAC in the Squeezebox is very good - i wired optical out to the DAC/Amp which I am sure sounds much better than the previous Ipod Touch / Pure digital dock solution.

I did see last week that WD are introducing Spotify on their boxes - these are more geared up for TV too so may tick your iPlayer & 4OD box. Am pretty sure I read this on the WHF site.

Yep, i did - both a streamer option and one with a huge hard drive. Decisions, decisions!

http://www.whathifi.com/news/western-digital-adds-spotify-to-wireless-streamer-range

Cheers Fatman, But I'm really confused now, mainly because Squeezebox is new to me. So the Squeezebox has a built in DAC which is used if I connect the SB to my Amp via RCA? Also how do I stream my music collection without having to have my laptop connected (or does it need a NAS drive / laptop connected for iTunes)? Also when you are talking about Spotify controllers do you mean the Spotify app for iPad or is there a specific SB App I need to stream Spotify to the SB? Sorry for all the questions.
 

fatman

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Squeezebox Touch has a good internal DAC, you can connect via RCA to your amp and add an external DAC later on if you wish.

There is a USB on the SB, I believe you can hook up an external hard drive with your library - mixed reviews on this.

Most users probably have a NAS (one which supports SB server) on their network. I guess the storage solutions will be the same as if using Sonos but you do need to install the SB server software on something that will be running. I have not set up SB server yet - for now just using Spotify and radio.

You add the Spotify app on the Squeezebox itself and enter your Spotify userid and password at setup. The Squeezebox stores these details and Spotify is then available instantly from it's main menu. You can either control from the SB touch screen, the remote control it comes with (point & shoot - no display), an Ithing or from a web login on a computer.

I have installed the free Squeezebox remote control app onto an Ipod Touch which then acts as a remote control rather than a streamer.

And finally, there is also a website mysqueezebox.com which you can sign into and control from there......

All in all, you get alot for your money. I am sure there are many more functions I have not used, there are certainly several apps as well as Spotify available......
 

Jason36

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fatman said:
Squeezebox Touch has a good internal DAC, you can connect via RCA to your amp and add an external DAC later on if you wish.

There is a USB on the SB, I believe you can hook up an external hard drive with your library - mixed reviews on this.

Most users probably have a NAS (one which supports SB server) on their network. I guess the storage solutions will be the same as if using Sonos but you do need to install the SB server software on something that will be running. I have not set up SB server yet - for now just using Spotify and radio.

You add the Spotify app on the Squeezebox itself and enter your Spotify userid and password at setup. The Squeezebox stores these details and Spotify is then available instantly from it's main menu. You can either control from the SB touch screen, the remote control it comes with (point & shoot - no display), an Ithing or from a web login on a computer.

I have installed the free Squeezebox remote control app onto an Ipod Touch which then acts as a remote control rather than a streamer.

And finally, there is also a website mysqueezebox.com which you can sign into and control from there......

All in all, you get alot for your money. I am sure there are many more functions I have not used, there are certainly several apps as well as Spotify available......

Cheers Fatman,

That all makes sense now.

Initially I really just wanted the capability to stream Spotify from the iPad to whatever I bought (ATV / Sonos / SB) and the SB now seems like the best and most cost effective solution. Eventually I would be planning to add a NAS drive, which would be hardwired to my router and contain all my Apple Lossless files.

Until I get the NAS drive my IPod will be connected directly into my amp via the Onkyo dock.

I use Spotify premium a lot at the moment and so that was the main criteria rather than having to connect the iPad to the amp or listen through my Grado's.

Eventually, when we have the bigger house, I would be looking for multi room and then hence Sonos, but for now Squuezebox seems like the simple solution at half the cost of Sonos :)
 

neilmistry

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Squeezebox does multiroom. The iPeng app (I have it running on my iPad) is brilliant and so much better than the Logitech one. It interogates your Squeezebox library and caches the results on the iPad, making it really quick to navigate through your music - presentation is simlar to iTunes. Internet radio and apps are supported. It was well worth the money as it makes the Sqeezebox so much more usable.
 

The_Lhc

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Jason36 said:
Cheers Fatman, That all makes sense now. Initially I really just wanted the capability to stream Spotify from the iPad to whatever I bought (ATV / Sonos / SB) and the SB now seems like the best and most cost effective solution. Eventually I would be planning to add a NAS drive, which would be hardwired to my router and contain all my Apple Lossless files. Until I get the NAS drive my IPod will be connected directly into my amp via the Onkyo dock. I use Spotify premium a lot at the moment and so that was the main criteria rather than having to connect the iPad to the amp or listen through my Grado's. Eventually, when we have the bigger house, I would be looking for multi room and then hence Sonos, but for now Squuezebox seems like the simple solution at half the cost of Sonos :)

You might want to ask Dr Lodge on one of the other threads how "simple" it was for him to set up Squeezebox server on his NAS. Sonos is FAR simpler to set up but as you say, it's more expensive, so you pays your money...
 

Jason36

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The_Lhc said:
Jason36 said:
Cheers Fatman, That all makes sense now. Initially I really just wanted the capability to stream Spotify from the iPad to whatever I bought (ATV / Sonos / SB) and the SB now seems like the best and most cost effective solution. Eventually I would be planning to add a NAS drive, which would be hardwired to my router and contain all my Apple Lossless files. Until I get the NAS drive my IPod will be connected directly into my amp via the Onkyo dock. I use Spotify premium a lot at the moment and so that was the main criteria rather than having to connect the iPad to the amp or listen through my Grado's. Eventually, when we have the bigger house, I would be looking for multi room and then hence Sonos, but for now Squuezebox seems like the simple solution at half the cost of Sonos :)

You might want to ask Dr Lodge on one of the other threads how "simple" it was for him to set up Squeezebox server on his NAS. Sonos is FAR simpler to set up but as you say, it's more expensive, so you pays your money...

Cheers LHC, I will probably just double check with him how easy it was (however I believe, but dont quote me on this) you can actually get NAS drives which have SB Server pre loaded onto them?? Also if Sonos SB is multiroom capable then that does meet my longer term criteria.

Initial I would only set SB up to stream Spotify, which would give me access to new music and then carry on using my iPod for my iTunes music pending getting a NAS Drive.
 

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