USB DACS to play music from laptop to a integrated stereo amp

[admin_exported]

Hi

i currently have a yamaha a-s500 stereo integrated amp with a pair of wharfedale 10.6 speakers and a pair of B&W 602 s3's connected to my amp.

I play a huge amount of music from my hp DV6 laptop to the amp via a QED j2p wire.

The soundcard on my laptop is just the standard one it came with

Im not happy with the sound that im getting when running music through my laptop to the amp so im wondering if anyone could advise me on a DAC to buy.

Im trying to choose between:

Music fidelity V-Dac

Nuforce icon UDAC 2

HRT music streamer 2

My budget is around £160

I listen to mostly trance, D n B and other electronic music.

could someone who has experience with DACS or listening alot from there pc to amp give me some advice on what i should do. im hoping that when i get a DAC, the sound quality will improve drastically but am i just being hopeful? Music just sounds a bit flat at the moment and i dont think its to do with my amp or speakers, i think its the crappy soundcard on my laptop. if anyone could help me choose between the 3 i would appreciate it.

Jez

 

[Messiah]

I would also consider the Beresford 7520.

Great DAC with decent headphone output too. I would certainly expect a far better sound from using this compared to the analogue out from the laptop. I used to play files direct from a laptop for a while and it was poor. Much, much better with the Beresford.

 

[Anonymous]

i posted on another site as well and alot people also said the 7520 is a good choice so its def on my list now.

 

[idc]

Which would fit best into your setup and future proof you? The HRT has one input and one phono output. The V-DAC has inputs on one side and outputs on the other and like the HRT would not stack. Neither have a headphone out put, which many other DACs now do.

The Beresford probably has the most flexibility.

 

[Anonymous]

The Nuforce has both USB DAC and headphone out. It's also an awful lot cheaper.

 

[Anonymous]

can anyone who owns the beresford 7520 please tell me does it come with a usb wire?

Im guessing that its a usb type a to type b connection?

ive been looking for high quality usb cables but the only one i could find was by wireworld which is £45 for a 1 metre cable which is a rip off imo. anyone know a decent wire which is a decent price?

 

[the record spot]

Roland's Cakewalk UA-25EX interface. USB only, about £160 or so and apparently excellent. Plenty of inputs and will act as an ADC as well as a DAC. Handy if you've any LPs or tapes you want to digitise too.

 

[Messiah]

JezBaker:can anyone who owns the beresford 7520 please tell me does it come with a usb wire?

Im guessing that its a usb type a to type b connection?

ive been looking for high quality usb cables but the only one i could find was by wireworld which is £45 for a 1 metre cable which is a rip off imo. anyone know a decent wire which is a decent price?

I don't think it came with a USB lead. I needed a longer one anyway so bought a separate one.

As for USB leads, take your pick - HERE

Don't worry about 'upmarket' USB cables until you try the cheapo ones first. I have no issue with the 5m one I use which cost about £5.

 

[Anonymous]

Messiah:
JezBaker:can anyone who owns the beresford 7520 please tell me does it come with a usb wire?

Im guessing that its a usb type a to type b connection?

ive been looking for high quality usb cables but the only one i could find was by wireworld which is £45 for a 1 metre cable which is a rip off imo. anyone know a decent wire which is a decent price?

I don't think it came with a USB lead. I needed a longer one anyway so bought a separate one.

As for USB leads, take your pick - HERE

Don't worry about 'upmarket' USB cables until you try the cheapo ones first. I have no issue with the 5m one I use which cost about £5.

thanks. think im gonna buy a belkin usb cable for about £5 and buy a more expensive wire to go from the dac to amp like a qed performace audio cable. cheers for the help bud

 

[Messiah]

JezBaker:

thanks. think im gonna buy a belkin usb cable for about £5 and buy a more expensive wire to go from the dac to amp like a qed performace audio cable. cheers for the help bud