Standalone Hifi DAC with HDMI input?

[nathanc]

This has been posted before but I've just been wondering about this myself as I have a new universal transport type blu ray player (Pioneer PDB-LX55) that can output sound only over HDMI .

If I wanted to use it as a disc based music transport, I'd have to go through my AV amp, then back to my HiFi amp. Assuming I had a decent separate DAC I could get good sound quality but I'd imagine there would be loads of jitter and stuff introduced by the extra steps ....

Otherwise, I have to rely on the DAC in the player, or AV amp - they are just never going to do that good a job compared to a decent standalone DAC.

In 2014, the year of High Def music, surely its about time HiFi DACs have HDMI inputs, in the same way they have adopted Async USB etc.

Its just another feature to destinguish one product from another.

Thoughts?

 

[cheeseboy]

given hdmi is meant to carry video and audio, it's understandable that hifi companies don't see that much need to include hdmi on audio only products that don't do any video passthrough/processing. Plus there's the licensing fee involved as well, which would push the price up.

As for the dac in the player/av amp not being as good as a standalone, that totally depends on what the dac is. You can't necessarily say that a catch all fact I'm afraid. For example, the oppo has a great dac in it.

 

[Juzzie Wuzzie]

That is why I'm liking the look of (do not yet own one) the Linn DSM products which have HDMI, even though stereo products.

 

[cheeseboy]

That is why I'm liking the look of (do not yet own one) the Linn DSM products which have HDMI, even though stereo products.

look nice don't they

 

[clinton333]

http://www.whathifi.com/review/nad-m51

:shifty:

 

[oldric_naubhoff]

This has been posted before but I've just been wondering about this myself as I have a new universal transport type blu ray player (Pioneer PDB-LX55) that can output sound only over HDMI .

If I wanted to use it as a disc based music transport, I'd have to go through my AV amp, then back to my HiFi amp. Assuming I had a decent separate DAC I could get good sound quality but I'd imagine there would be loads of jitter and stuff introduced by the extra steps ....

Otherwise, I have to rely on the DAC in the player, or AV amp - they are just never going to do that good a job compared to a decent standalone DAC.

In 2014, the year of High Def music, surely its about time HiFi DACs have HDMI inputs, in the same way they have adopted Async USB etc.

Its just another feature to destinguish one product from another.

Thoughts?

I don't know what your budget is but what about NAD M51 for instance?

http://www.stereophile.com/content/nad-m51-direct-digital-da-converter-measurements

http://www.audioaffair.co.uk/hifi/nad-m51-dac-and-pre-amplifier-customer-return

 

[nathanc]

http://www.whathifi.com/review/nad-m51

:shifty:

Interesting... for 2 channel audio off a universal player this would be a good choice.

 

[nathanc]

Actually there is no budget so to speak off... I was wondering what people thought about the concept of a non video based HDMI DAC solution and whether any products were actually available.

If there was a budget though, that would blow it

I would rather upgrade my Cyrus PreX to an XPd for that kind of money!

 

[the record spot]

I think that Cyp may do something that fits your bill. Can't recall model number though. Around £350-400 from memory.

 

[daveh75]

Cyp AU-D250