Peachtree Dac it x

Loud & Clear

Just bought this and it's to arrive sometime early next week. The idea is a common one I suppose; computer attaches to dac via usb out, and dac attaches to preamp. But this is where things don't make sense to me - I want to sit roughly ten feet away from the stereo and the associated gear. So how do I make selections using windows media player from that far away? I have a wireless mouse. Do people just use long usb cables and keep the pc close to the listening position? I don't have a smart phone or a tablet. I guess some people use smart devices as a remote control, and maybe in time that's what I'll do as well. I'd like to do this as best as I can. It's a bit confusing.

tonyb

Easy...you don't. You'll have to be at the computer to make selections. This is why most use a wireless device, like Squeezebox/Sonos, even a laptop.

txcoastal1

In one of my listening rooms where I have a PC on my stand using my TV as a monitor running J Rivers. I use a bluetooth mouse or Iphone app J Remote at my listening position (I grab a TV tray). This is where I library all my music. I have Sonos units in my HT and office systems with DAC's going to my Pre's.

Loud & Clear

Interesting. I'll have to see if I can do this with what I already have. If it's no good I'll get a cheap 32" tv so that I can see my library of music from a distance.

Hopefully this sounds better than my other computer setup, which consists of using an external hard drive connected to a sony bdp's usb input, and then the analog outs of the sony to the preamp. This setup does not sound as good as using my cd player. Hopefully this new dac bridges the gap. I wouldn't bother with any of this but the convenience of having my entire catalog of music available at the click of a mouse is too enticing to ignore. I just wish I had a more seamless method of operation. Maybe a large monitor/tv makes this more user friendly. But this is clearly the right direction. I'm already too lazy to play cds, which means this computer avenue must be the right move.

SCompRacer

IIRC the old rule was low speed USB max cable length was like 3 meters or nine feet. Just use a longer cable.

I'm getting closer to USB to DAC instead of S/PDIF out of Touch or I2S out of Touch. Got a better laptop, JRiver installed. My old laptop would choke with DSD files.

EndersShadow

Would be interestedin how you accomplish that Rich.

For my money, the squeezebox is still the best bet unless your pc is physically right near your setup.

B Run

Should be a nice dac, i'm a big fan of Peachtree they're a great product and company!

SCompRacer

EndersShadow wrote: »

Would be interestedin how you accomplish that Rich.

For my money, the squeezebox is still the best bet unless your pc is physically right near your setup.

My one DAC I2S input is taken by the Denon 3910, so I can't use my Touch I2S out unless I disconnect it. The idea is to use the USB to I2S for my music server. While my ESS Sabre DAC does a great job with S/PDIF, it does better with I2S. This way I also have no limits on playing any hi rez or DSD file.

TNHNDYMAN

Lound & Clear--Looks like we will be having similar setup and we are both new to DACS. I'm waiting on a Peachtree DAC*it and Peachtree X1 usb asynchorus converter that I bought this week on the forum. I'll have one less input available though since the converter sends signal out via coaxil it makes the usb on the DAC it useless to me. Guess I'll send optical out of my Denon 2910 for cd playback.

I have so much to learn and figure out as far as playing digitally out of the computer. Will be ripping via DBpower amp maybe and playing thru JRiver. Hoping to control JRiver thru most of my wireless devices- iPad, iPod Touch gen3, iPhone4, and 3 Kindle Fires.

My computer sits diagonally across the room about 15' from my Home Theater and 2ch gear. Still trying to decide if I will run 25' USB cable out of computer then under the house and back up to the X1 on entertainment center with short coaxil and optical cables or leave X1 on computer desk connected with a short Audioquest USB cable and coaxil cable Assimilated included with 30' Signal Cable RCA's I got from Doro going to the Parasound preamp and another 25' optical cable going out of Denon 2910 under the house and then back up to the DAC*it.

At the end of the day, I think I'll regret not waiting to get an Oppo 105, but was afraid to broach large purchase with the wife (not that the $600 I've spent here this week will be any better). I'm looking forward to the journey anyways.

Best of luck to you working your setup out L & C. I'll be providing updates when I get all the pieces put together.

Loud & Clear

Thanks for the excellent feedback. Hopefully none of us waste too much money before finding the appropriate methodology. Because one thing appears clear: we're all going to do this. And we're going to continue to work at it until we accomplish it. There's just no way to go back once you realize you can quickly access your entire musical catalog without having to get out of your chair. The amount of control at one's fingertips is too intoxicating to take a pass on. Amazing to me that burning compilation cds has now turned into an annoying and obsolete middleman. Wasn't long ago that I considered it a miracle.

tonyb

Loud & Clear wrote: »

Interesting. I'll have to see if I can do this with what I already have. If it's no good I'll get a cheap 32" tv so that I can see my library of music from a distance.

Hopefully this sounds better than my other computer setup, which consists of using an external hard drive connected to a sony bdp's usb input, and then the analog outs of the sony to the preamp. This setup does not sound as good as using my cd player. Hopefully this new dac bridges the gap. I wouldn't bother with any of this but the convenience of having my entire catalog of music available at the click of a mouse is too enticing to ignore. I just wish I had a more seamless method of operation. Maybe a large monitor/tv makes this more user friendly. But this is clearly the right direction. I'm already too lazy to play cds, which means this computer avenue must be the right move.

This is where the Sonos or Squeezebox excel, seamless operation. You can't beat the Sonos software with a stick, it's that good. Plus you can dump your tuner as you'll have access to practically every radio station around the globe too. If you want, subscribe to a music service like Rhapsody or Spotify and you'll have literally 12-15 million songs at your fingertips.

To get started, all you need is a ZP90 and a bridge. You can use the dac in your receiver to start with and as your wallet grows, get a good separate dac. That's it.....download your cd's in the computer to flac, download the free controller app to your phone, and your golden. You can buy the separate controller but that's another 375 clams....you get the same for free with the app for your phone.

Once you start down this path, you will never spin a cd again, take my word for it, it's addicting. Go to your nearest bestbuy and play with one. Ask for bestbuy gift cards for Christmas/ birthday/ Hanukah....whatever. I wouldn't steer you wrong here. There may be other cheaper alternatives, but none as easy to use even your wife will kiss you for buying this thing.....maybe even do more, who knows.

EndersShadow

Tony I might be missing something here but the stock Sonos is stuck at 24/96 is it not? I know the stock Squeezebox Classics are stuck at 24/96 and the Squeezebox touch is limited to 24/192.

IMHO if those are correct the Touch would be the way to go as its got a default higher rez availability in it.

That said I started with a SB Classic and have been LOVING every minute of it. I have NO PLANS to go back to spinning discs downstairs and upstairs its the same. The PC is direct to my Pre (eventually will get a DAC) and I rarely use the Denon 3910 I have so it may get sold soon.

Going all in on Digital has made my life SOO much easier and the wife enjoys it because the remote is easy enough that she can use it to pick songs and streaming stations.

TNHNDYMAN

DSkip wrote: »

We are on different ends of that spectrum man. I brought up buying that DAC and my wife told me no, wait for the 105. I then started looking seriously at the MF Clic, but its described sound signature is exactly what I'm trying to move away from, so I'm still waiting for the 105.

On the bright side, Danny kept that DAC-it around for quite a while, and that's saying something given how many DAC's he has been through. It was always the one he recommended I try, and at one point I did try it. Unfortunately, the unit I got was open box and one of the channels wasn't working, so I never really got to experience it. In my mind, Danny is THE budget DAC guy - I don't think there isn't a quality, budget DAC out there he hasn't heard. My experiences when listening with him suggests he also has a much better ear than I do for certain things, so I deeply respect his opinions on these matters. It took the 105 to replace that unit you have now...

I have no doubt it will be an excellent DAC for myself and Loud & Clear. Upper level performance from the under $600 category. I think the ease of use for multi zone playback is the obvious strength of both the Sonos and Squeezebox systems, but not really what I'm after. My home is a one level 3BR 1 1/2 BA 1100sq/ft rancher and when I'm jamming in the den the rest of the house will be enjoying that zone like it or not...lol. The Oppo 105 is just the most elegant solution to give all the options and therefore deserves the price premium.

I think I'm going to put both boxes on my entertainment cabinet and go with a long USB cable and try to get better quality rca's to go to preamp and already have shorter optical cables on hand. That means I'll most likely resell the Signal Cable RCA's I got from Doro. I wish my Pioneer BDP-51 that I've only had a few months wasn't crapping out on blu rays. It's still a nice transport with good DAC's for cd playback, but I can't justify leaving it in the mix as just a transport. The Denon 2910 should do equally well with optical going out to the Peachtree DAC*it. I'll probably sell the Pioneer here and it should be fine for cd's for someone without a DAC.

Loud & Clear- Let us know what you end up using to control playback of your music collection. I'll probably start a thread as I come up with questions of my own for organizing and setting up everything in my computer. EndersShadow is trying to convince me to get a separate harddrive (internal) to store everything on since I'm starting from scratch. It'll be a long process ripping over 400 cd's to a FLAC format. Do you have an apple device for using as a remote? I would think having to be at the computer and selecting songs would basically negate the advantages from playing music thru it vs getting up and changing cd's. I'll be doing some research into JRiver and MediaMonkey this weekend.

EndersShadow

TNHNDYMAN wrote: »

I'll be doing some research into JRiver and MediaMonkey this weekend.

For what its worth JRiver has a remote app. No experience with it myself, but its supposed to be pretty good. XBMC also has a remote app which I used and worked pretty good. XBMC is free as well.

If you need me, you got my cell

Loud & Clear

TNHNDYMAN wrote: »

I have no doubt it will be an excellent DAC for myself and Loud & Clear. Upper level performance from the under $600 category. I think the ease of use for multi zone playback is the obvious strength of both the Sonos and Squeezebox systems, but not really what I'm after. My home is a one level 3BR 1 1/2 BA 1100sq/ft rancher and when I'm jamming in the den the rest of the house will be enjoying that zone like it or not...lol. The Oppo 105 is just the most elegant solution to give all the options and therefore deserves the price premium.

I think I'm going to put both boxes on my entertainment cabinet and go with a long USB cable and try to get better quality rca's to go to preamp and already have shorter optical cables on hand. That means I'll most likely resell the Signal Cable RCA's I got from Doro. I wish my Pioneer BDP-51 that I've only had a few months wasn't crapping out on blu rays. It's still a nice transport with good DAC's for cd playback, but I can't justify leaving it in the mix as just a transport. The Denon 2910 should do equally well with optical going out to the Peachtree DAC*it. I'll probably sell the Pioneer here and it should be fine for cd's for someone without a DAC.

Loud & Clear- Let us know what you end up using to control playback of your music collection. I'll probably start a thread as I come up with questions of my own for organizing and setting up everything in my computer. EndersShadow is trying to convince me to get a separate harddrive (internal) to store everything on since I'm starting from scratch. It'll be a long process ripping over 400 cd's to a FLAC format. Do you have an apple device for using as a remote? I would think having to be at the computer and selecting songs would basically negate the advantages from playing music thru it vs getting up and changing cd's. I'll be doing some research into JRiver and MediaMonkey this weekend.

Initially I'm go to run a long high-speed usb cable from a laptop to the dac. The laptop will be right next to me at my listening position. This is not an elegant solution. However, it will allow me to hear what the dac sounds like. Down the line I'd like to use something with some screen size, like a tablet, to remotely control a computer that is positioned next to the other equipment. Short cable runs between computer and dac, and a powerful and large display to remotely manipulate the library of music. This is an exciting time. Appears like we're really close to having something that would seem improbable - very high quality playback with ultimate convenience.

agco

Arcom rblink

agco

Arcam rblink would work. Little expensive though