What connections

heavenlydoddy

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Hi

i am getting a bit confused, ive been told to connect a DAC to my sonos ( a new project which i am laying cables for at the mo) in the living room which is going into an old NAD319 which has a marants cd sig and MS914, can some one rec a good dac at around £150 but most of all what connections will i need to go into the sonos & the NAD. Maybe honesty if it will actually improove things.

Also i am going to Pre Out the Nad to an AV so i can use the 914s as the music & front cinema sound, what would be the best connection type from the nad to the av ( most prob an LX82), & last but not least if you were hiding cables behind plaster board what cables would you run from the nad to the av cabinet just in case required, or am i being nostalgic with an amp which cost me money 10 years ago but i love !!!,

many thanks for the help
 
T

the record spot

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Tut tut, a ten year old amp? Oh dear.

'tis but a whippersnapper compared to some! Keep it and IIRC, it was a fine amp when it came out, being the predecessor to the current NAD 375BEE by a generation or three. It had good reviews in its day, so none of that will have changed now.

For £150, the Musical Fidelity V-DAC is an obvious option, there's also the M-Audio Transit at £60 or so, which is another fine buy. How or if either will improve on that currently in the Sonos, I don't know, but both are worth investigating. Check the Transit will do the job and has the right fitting for what you need.

Connection from the amp to the AV - not sure what the NAD came with but very unlikely it has HDMI! You might be able to get an adapter? Check around and see what's out there. There may well be something suitable (but sorry, no help there as I don't use an AV amp).

Lastly, your cable query, I've just tried out some 322 strand cable which is easy to manoeuvre around the place. Don't be put off by price, the sound quality I get from my hifi is as good -if not better - than the Audioquest Type IV I used for the last 13 years (other factors at work here - went from biwiring to single runs and home made cable jumpers and single strand copper core to multi-strand copper). Opinions vary with cable, but all I would say is get some branded stuff if you feel you need to but try out the generic cable to and compare. My 322 strand cost me £5.49 delivered and as I say, so 55p a metre! Like I say, don't be fooled by price (and that applies at the other end of the scale as well come to think of it).
 

daveh75

Well-known member
heavenlydoddy:
Hi

i am getting a bit confused, ive been told to connect a DAC to my sonos ( a new project which i am laying cables for at the mo) in the living room which is going into an old NAD319 which has a marants cd sig and MS914, can some one rec a good dac at around £150 but most of all what connections will i need to go into the sonos & the NAD. Maybe honesty if it will actually improove things.I would look at MF V-DAC or Bresford TC 7510 or TC7520 (the later being slighty over budget) any of these should be an improvement on the Sonos' internal DAC.

For connection from Sonos to the DAC, just use an optical(tos-link) cable , and to connect the DAC to your NAD, just use standard stereo RCA interconnects.

Also i am going to Pre Out the Nad to an AV so i can use the 914s as the music & front cinema sound, what would be the best connection type from the nad to the av ( most prob an LX82),

Well you wouldn't use the pre-outs of the NAD for this type of set-up.You connect the Pre-outs of the A/V amp to any spare line input on the NAD.

& last but not least if you were hiding cables behind plaster board what cables would you run from the nad to the av cabinet just in case required, or am i being nostalgic with an amp which cost me money 10 years ago but i love !!!,

many thanks for the help

Standard stereo RCA interconnects, to connect from the A/V Pre-outs to a Line input on the NAD.

.
 

heavenlydoddy

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Thanks for the advice appreciate it, any chance of an idea of a sensible quality RCA cable for the above & what kind of money to spend i have a few old sets here but think i should maybe upgrade...or does it not make any diff, also an optical choice distance is about 2m.

again thanks
 

heavenlydoddy

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daveh

can i just check with you about the pre out. The reason i said pre out from the nad to the pioneer is i have a pre out / in on the nad & i m sure the LX82 doesnt have a spacific pre out. The guy in soaks said i would go into another input on the Lx82. What you said makes sense but where would i input into the Lx82,

thanks
 

daveh75

Well-known member
heavenlydoddy:
daveh

can i just check with you about the pre out. The reason i said pre out from the nad to the pioneer is i have a pre out / in on the nad & i m sure the LX82 doesnt have a spacific pre out.You use the front left and right pre-outs on the Pioneer.

Connection/set-up is as follows...

1. Connect the front left and right pre-outs on the LX82 to a spare input (excluding phono) on the NAD stereo amp. (Maybe Aux)

2.Ensure the front left and right speakers are connected to the NAD and leave all other speakers connected to the LX82.(in case it isn't obvious)

3.Select the input on the NAD that the LX82 is connected to.

4.Set the volume on the NAD to a memorable position. Most people,recommend the 12 o'clock position.

5.Run the speaker calibration set up on the LX82.

Then, when you want to watch a movie,ensure both amps are switched on and the input the LX82 is connected to is selected on the NAD.

Set the volume to the 12 o'clock position.(Remembering to turn the volume down before switching inpts or when finished watching movies)

To listen to music, you just use the NAD. (All your stereo components should be connected to the NAD in case its not obvious). Leave the LX82 switched off.

Hope thats clear...
 

daveh75

Well-known member
heavenlydoddy:
Thanks for the advice appreciate it, any chance of an idea of a sensible quality RCA cable for the above & what kind of money to spend i have a few old sets here but think i should maybe upgrade...or does it not make any diff, also an optical choice distance is about 2m.

again thanks

For interconnects, just use what you have unless you really feel the need to upgrade.

Any optical cable will be fine - I can't hear any difference between 'digital' cables, personally, so now use cheapo Ebay specials.
 

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