Rotel RCD855 DAC or Grant Fidelity TubeDac09 ?

stretchl

Just got my old Rotel out of the shop and hooked it up. It sounds pretty good!

Right now I'm running it directly into my Yaqin MC-10t, but I wonder how it might sound using the TubeDac converter?

Just thinking out loud... anyone join me?

zingo

It could sound better, but there is only one way to find out; especially since you already own it. :cool:

Have you tried the Squeezebox with and without the TubeDac?

classic carl

I have both of these units but have never tried them together. The Rotel does sound very good using the internal DAC. I'd have to look, but I'm not home now. Does the Rotel have a digital out? I didn't think so, but could be wrong.

I have a Squeezebox in my main system connected to a Music Hall dac25.2 and it sounds excellent.

stretchl

What I really want to do is as direct a comparison as possible between streaming Apple Lossless files with the Squeezebox on the one hand, and playing CD's with the Rotel on the other.

Zing, I've not tried the SB without the TubeDac but that's a good idea. Will be fun to try. Honestly, and this is embarrassing to admit, I didn't try the Rotel with the TubeDac b/c the only decent quality digital cable I have is super short (from the SB to the TD), and I'm too cheap to just buy another.

Carl, there is a digital out on the Rotel.

zingo

Your amp can suggest multiple inputs, so plug both in, cue up the same song as close as possible, and just switch back and forth. Then plug the TubeDAC in-between one and repeat test. Then do the other component, and see what combination you best prefer!

stretchl

First - I'm proud apparently have your 10,000th post on my thread.

Second - I did that last night, but unfortunately I don't have a proper remote, so I had to stand beside the hardware and flip the switch. As soon as we can get a few minutes free from our two year old, I'm going to enlist my wife to flick the switches, while I sit in the listening chair. Then we shall see!