DAC or Blu-ray

SUbears · June 2017

I have the Samsung K8500 4K bluray player. I use that player with a 2TB HDD, to listen to FLAC files that I've downloaded. I have that player running through my Marantz receiver to Parasound 1203a amp. into 2-channel for music.

1st question is, would an Oppo 203/205 with its built in DAC sound better than my Samsung/Marant, with the same files?

2nd, can the Oppo 203/205 player's be used as a preamp. directly to the Parasound?

3rd do the Oppo's USB ports support NTFS?

4th lol, just because my Samsung plays FLAC, does that mean it's a DAC?

Sorry for all the questions, but I'd like to improve the sound quality as best as possible, and this is all a little confusing...
Thanks for any help!

tonyb · June 2017

Not sure about some of those questions, but I'll address the dac one. No matter the player your using, the Samsung or Oppo, if your connected to the receiver by HDMI or other digital cable, your only using the dac in the receiver. To take advantage of the dacs in either of those players for music, you need analogue RCA cables.

So if you have a 5.1 system, you'd need 6 RCA cables from the player to the receiver. The quality of those RCA cables will also influence the sound, good or bad, so cheap cables probably won't do much to improve your sound quality. Always use decent cables if sound quality is going to be your goal.

You'd then have to make some settings adjustments in both the player and receiver.

DaveHo · June 2017

#1 What Marantz receiver are you using? You would need to connect via analog cables to see any improvement. Many receivers do an AtoD conversion on the analog inputs, so there may not be much if any improvement anyway.

#2 Yes for the 205, not sure about the 203.

#3 Yes

#4 No

BTW, I'm a Oppo 205 owner.

rooftop59 · June 2017

Well, one minor correction/addendum to @DaveHo's answer to #4: it HAS a DAC in it, and you can use that DAC, if you use analog cables into your marantz, and then hit the pure direct button. This will eliminate all processing and take the sub out of the mix. The Marantz will basically just control the volume.

But is it a GOOD DAC? Probably not. My suggestion (based on other's input here, not personal experience FWIW), would be to get an Auralic Aries Mini DAC, and plug the hard drive directly into it. Then just keep your current BDP for playing video discs...

SUbears · June 2017

Marantz Nr-1607.
When I tried using the USB port in the receiver itself, with a flash drive, it didn't sound as good as going from a HDD into the Samsung to the receiver. Wouldn't ya think that going directly into the receiver with the exact same files, it'd sound the best?
And why they haven't they made it possible for their receivers to read NTFS, is beyond me...

tonyb · June 2017

SUbears wrote: »

Marantz Nr-1607.
When I tried using the USB port in the receiver itself, with a flash drive, it didn't sound as good as going from a HDD into the Samsung to the receiver. Wouldn't ya think that going directly into the receiver with the exact same files, it'd sound the best?
And why they haven't they made it possible for their receivers to read NTFS, is beyond me...

Too many variables to say why exactly. Going into the receiver directly removes the other gear and cables from influencing the sound. One piece may be better than another at transferring those digital bits. The cabling may also influence the sound. Your Marantz , and no offense here, is on the lower side of their offerings so I would expect the sound quality to also be a bit underwhelming compared to their better offerings.

Whenever you go directly into a receiver, digitally, with any piece of gear, your relying on the receivers dac and software, your other pieces become just transports of digital data. Which there is some sound improvements in that digital data to be had by various ways of transporting it, but probably not as huge as the pre-amp section and dac your using.....in your case those functions are built into the receiver.

Everything influences the sound to some degree, for better or worse. If you prefer the sound by not going directly into the receiver, then roll with it that way.

DaveHo · June 2017

rooftop59 wrote: »

Well, one minor correction/addendum to @DaveHo's answer to #4: it HAS a DAC in it, and you can use that DAC, if you use analog cables into your marantz, and then hit the pure direct button. This will eliminate all processing and take the sub out of the mix. The Marantz will basically just control the volume.

But is it a GOOD DAC? Probably not. My suggestion (based on other's input here, not personal experience FWIW), would be to get an Auralic Aries Mini DAC, and plug the hard drive directly into it. Then just keep your current BDP for playing video discs...

Actually that Samsung player has only HDMI & optical outs, so no DAC.

SUbears · June 2017

Thanks guys for the feedback!
That Auralic is really nice.

rooftop59 · June 2017

DaveHo wrote: »

rooftop59 wrote: »

Well, one minor correction/addendum to @DaveHo's answer to #4: it HAS a DAC in it, and you can use that DAC, if you use analog cables into your marantz, and then hit the pure direct button. This will eliminate all processing and take the sub out of the mix. The Marantz will basically just control the volume.

But is it a GOOD DAC? Probably not. My suggestion (based on other's input here, not personal experience FWIW), would be to get an Auralic Aries Mini DAC, and plug the hard drive directly into it. Then just keep your current BDP for playing video discs...

Actually that Samsung player has only HDMI & optical outs, so no DAC.

Oops...my bad Dave! Carry on...

DAC or Blu-ray

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