Upgrading separates to the digital age

[Ian Graham]

I′m thinking of upgrading my Hifi system so that I can enjoy SACD-quality recordings and DAB+ radio. I am thinking of buying an Audiolab M-DAC+ but am not sure what else I will need. These are my questions.
[*]
Rather than buying an SACD player, I understand that I can buy downloads of similar quality. What is the spec. for these? How can I best connect to a computer or diskdrive?
[*]
What sort of DAB+ box would match the sound qulaity of my current analogue tuner?
[*]
How do I plug the DAC into my amp?
[*]
Would streaming via WiFi degrade bandwidth or would a portable hard drive connected to the DAC be a better option?

My current setup is as follows:

• 
  Castle Chester speakers
• 
  Audiolab 8000A amp
• 
  Audiolab 8000T tuner
• 
  Audiolab 8000CD CD player
• 
  Pioneer CT-S380S cassette deck
• 
  Sony CD recorder (connected to Tape2)

My computers are Wifi enabled with the router a few metres (3?) away from the physical HiFi location.

 

[MajorFubar]

Welcome, Personally, I would ignore DAB in any form. Find instead some way to stream internet radio, it is usually of higher quality and there are more stations. There are various solutions including internet radios to apps on your phone you can stream to an Airplay or Chromecast receiver plugged into your amp.

You would plug the DAC into any line-level input on your amp, so anything except the turntable input, using the RCA (phono) outputs. The other questions I can't answer but I'm sure someone else will.

 

[nopiano]

I agree that a simpler approach is better, plus a bit of homework. None of us here can write you a personal essay to answer all of this!

Get a Chromecast for £30 or less. Plug it in per the instructions. Get a trial subscription to Tidal, Spotify or Qobuz and learn as you go. You might need to buy a stereo 3.5mm plug to two RCA phonos to plug into your amp, if you dont already have one.

As MF says, DAB is pointless. You might choose a streaming device or DAC route (a simple Dragonfly, maybe?) after learning the options. Here's a starter, and you'll pick up much more, if you read this forum for a few weeks, or one of countless others.

http://www.whathifi.com/advice/high-resolution-audio-everything-you-need-to-know

Good luck!

 

[Gazzip]

I agree that a simpler approach is better, plus a bit of homework. None of us here can write you a personal essay to answer all of this!

Get a Chromecast for £30 or less. Plug it in per the instructions. Get a trial subscription to Tidal, Spotify or Qobuz and learn as you go. You might need to buy a stereo 3.5mm plug to two RCA phonos to plug into your amp, if you dont already have one.

As MF says, DAB is pointless. You might choose a streaming device or DAC route (a simple Dragonfly, maybe?) after learning the options. Here's a starter, and you'll pick up much more, if you read this forum for a few weeks, or one of countless others.

http://www.whathifi.com/advice/high-resolution-audio-everything-you-need...

Good luck!

Unless you want to listen to football on 5 live extra. Maybe I am doing things wrong but internet radio seems to prevent you from doing this due to licensing issues. Like I say this may be my erroneous use of Internet radio...

 

[nopiano]

Are you in the UK, gazzip?

 

[gowiththeflow]

...Unless you want to listen to football on 5 live extra. Maybe I am doing things wrong but internet radio seems to prevent you from doing this due to licensing issues. Like I say this may be my erroneous use of Internet radio...

Using an internet radio portal, e.g. like Tune-In, you will be able to access almost all worldwide internet radio stations. This will be built-in to most streamers and internet radios.

On a PC or Mac, you can either access radio stations directly, via the stations web site, or via an internet radio portal (again, like Tune-In), either through the browser, or through a downloadable app.

z

 

[Ian Graham]

Thanks, all of you. Most helpful.

 

[thewinelake.]

With SACD are you going multichannel or just stereo?

I've got an Audiolab 8000a. Got to say that adding an expensive DAC is probably not worth it. I only use mine as a phono stage/source selector.

Echo the suggestions of others to try out a Google Chromecast audio, or if you're feeling flash, then a Yamaha WXC50

 

[Leeps]

A Bluesound Node or recently released (but not yet in the shops) Pioneer N-30AE would do everything you want. It can do wifi, but I'd recommend hardwiring an ethernet cable between the Node and your router.

A wide choice of subscription-based music services.

Local streaming ability from hard drive or USB stick: including hi-res capability.

Internet Radio.

As per other comments, DAB is already pretty out of date. It's poorer quality than FM and has far less stations available (by a magnititude of many 1000's) than internet radio.

If you're a radio fan and own a smart phone or tablet, there are many very good apps out there, including the BBC Radio app, which is excellent.

 

[Ian Graham]

I think you're right. The solution seems to be just a network audio player WHF recommended a Pioneer one), a long screened ethernet cable and a NAS drive for storing FLAC files etc. Total cost around £460.