Cheap preamp with dac
Answers
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Yamaha wxc-50 May fit the bill .....
I have 2 and love them .....
One hooked up to a B&K ex-442 , the other with a parasound A-21
-bk
Are using this as a pre? Or just straight to the amp?Living Room
Parasound HINT 6, Yamaha Aventage RX-A 1060, Oppo 103D, Cambridge Audio Azur 851N, KLH Model 5s, Polk CSi A6, Samsung 65" LED
Office
Yamaha A-S501, Auralic Aries Mini, LSiM 703s
Douglas Connection ICs and Cables -
rburgess714 wrote: »But I may ditch it and the B&K and simplify with an integrated that has digital inputs with dac and usb.
If I may suggest holding off on ditching the 200.2 until you try to few more options. I use dthe 200.2 and the ref 50 for a few years together and it was nowhere on the order of tinny.....it's hard to get away from that B&K sound.....especially for the price on the used market.
They don't come up for sale often but a B&K AVR 507 would be worth looking at.
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rburgess714 wrote: »
I would dig up some reviews before considering that certain piece. Just a quick glance tells me sound quality is not it's strong suit and software is iffy.
The B&K avenue is still your best bet for your budget. Be it a processor or receiver.HT SYSTEM-
Sony 850c 4k
Pioneer elite vhx 21
Sony 4k BRP
SVS SB-2000
Polk Sig. 20's
Polk FX500 surrounds
Cables-
Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable
Kitchen
Sonos zp90
Grant Fidelity tube dac
B&k 1420
lsi 9's -
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/101694524003625
A Marantz 7005....for under 3 bones, better run.HT SYSTEM-
Sony 850c 4k
Pioneer elite vhx 21
Sony 4k BRP
SVS SB-2000
Polk Sig. 20's
Polk FX500 surrounds
Cables-
Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable
Kitchen
Sonos zp90
Grant Fidelity tube dac
B&k 1420
lsi 9's -
that's a great deal!Living Room 2.2: Usher BE-718 "tiny dancers"; Dual DIY Dayton audio RSS210HF-4 Subs with Dayton SPA-250 amps; Arcam SA30; Musical Fidelity A308; Sony UBP-x1000es
Game Room 5.1.4: Denon AVR-X4200w; Sony UBP-x700; Definitive Technology Power Monitor 900 mains, CLR-3000 center, StudioMonitor 350 surrounds, ProMonitor 800 atmos x4; Sub - Monoprice Monolith 15in THX Ultra
Bedroom 2.1 Harmon Kardon HK3490; Bluesounds Node N130; Polk RT25i; ACI Titan Subwoofer -
Original box and all the accessories! Dude you need to jump on this before I do!Gustard X26 Pro DAC
Belles 21A Pre modded with Mundorf Supreme caps
B&K M200 Sonata monoblocks refreshed and upgraded
Polk SDA 1C's modded / 1000Va Dreadnaught
Wireworld Silver Eclipse IC's and speaker cables
Harman Kardon T65C w/Grado Gold. (Don't laugh. It sounds great!)
There is about a 5% genetic difference between apes and men …but that difference is the difference between throwing your own poo when you are annoyed …and Einstein, Shakespeare and Miss January. by Dr. Sardonicus -
that's a great deal!
More than a great deal...with the remote too. For 2 bones....no brainer.HT SYSTEM-
Sony 850c 4k
Pioneer elite vhx 21
Sony 4k BRP
SVS SB-2000
Polk Sig. 20's
Polk FX500 surrounds
Cables-
Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable
Kitchen
Sonos zp90
Grant Fidelity tube dac
B&k 1420
lsi 9's -
I’m using it as a pre ..... plugged straight into A-21 , running SDA 1c’s
Bedroom system - use it for Spotify and srius xm - also have the tv running thru it via optical ....
Google it .....
I’m tellin ya , works great , sounds great !rburgess714 wrote: »
PS Audio S300 , WiiM Ultra , Yamaha wxc-50 , Salk SuperCharged Songtowers , Kimber Kable 4TC, Sony 42” - BEDROOM
B&K EX-442 ( it will go in my casket when I die ... ) , PS Audio 4.6 preamp ( old school , but it still jams on ... ) , Eversolo DMP-A6 , Boston Acoustic voyager 7’s - POOL
Parasound A21, Eversolo DMP-A8 , Kimber Kable 4vs , Ascend Acoustics ELX Ribbon Towers , Sony XBR-A8F 65” OLED - DEN , MAIN system
Onkyo TX-nr609 , Polk atrium 7 , Boston acoustic sound ware (4) , Boston acoustic sub , B&W center , Sharp 65” TV - PATIO -
Have you actually ever heard it ?
I think you would be surprised.....
Not saying it’s a piece of audiophile equipment - but it certainly sounds fantastic for my intended purpose of streaming Spotify and Sirius xm ....especially for the price .... it can also be connected to a better preamp/dac and used as a “player”...
Very versatile piece ...
Bkrburgess714 wrote: »
I would dig up some reviews before considering that certain piece. Just a quick glance tells me sound quality is not it's strong suit and software is iffy.
The B&K avenue is still your best bet for your budget. Be it a processor or receiver.
PS Audio S300 , WiiM Ultra , Yamaha wxc-50 , Salk SuperCharged Songtowers , Kimber Kable 4TC, Sony 42” - BEDROOM
B&K EX-442 ( it will go in my casket when I die ... ) , PS Audio 4.6 preamp ( old school , but it still jams on ... ) , Eversolo DMP-A6 , Boston Acoustic voyager 7’s - POOL
Parasound A21, Eversolo DMP-A8 , Kimber Kable 4vs , Ascend Acoustics ELX Ribbon Towers , Sony XBR-A8F 65” OLED - DEN , MAIN system
Onkyo TX-nr609 , Polk atrium 7 , Boston acoustic sound ware (4) , Boston acoustic sub , B&W center , Sharp 65” TV - PATIO -
Oh , I’ve never read a negative review about it ....PS Audio S300 , WiiM Ultra , Yamaha wxc-50 , Salk SuperCharged Songtowers , Kimber Kable 4TC, Sony 42” - BEDROOM
B&K EX-442 ( it will go in my casket when I die ... ) , PS Audio 4.6 preamp ( old school , but it still jams on ... ) , Eversolo DMP-A6 , Boston Acoustic voyager 7’s - POOL
Parasound A21, Eversolo DMP-A8 , Kimber Kable 4vs , Ascend Acoustics ELX Ribbon Towers , Sony XBR-A8F 65” OLED - DEN , MAIN system
Onkyo TX-nr609 , Polk atrium 7 , Boston acoustic sound ware (4) , Boston acoustic sub , B&W center , Sharp 65” TV - PATIO -
that's a great deal!
More than a great deal...with the remote too. For 2 bones....no brainer.
Well.. I pulled the trigger on this one. Relieved now I can obsess on something else
Thanks for suggestions. Living Room
Parasound HINT 6, Yamaha Aventage RX-A 1060, Oppo 103D, Cambridge Audio Azur 851N, KLH Model 5s, Polk CSi A6, Samsung 65" LED
Office
Yamaha A-S501, Auralic Aries Mini, LSiM 703s
Douglas Connection ICs and Cables -
rburgess714 wrote: »
that's a great deal!
More than a great deal...with the remote too. For 2 bones....no brainer.
Well.. I pulled the trigger on this one. Relieved now I can obsess on something else Thanks for suggestions.
Nice.
Needless to say it mates well with the 200.2. Hit me up if you need any assistance with the menu setup. It's somewhat self-explanatory, but the designer(s) did over think a few things. -
rburgess714 wrote: »
that's a great deal!
More than a great deal...with the remote too. For 2 bones....no brainer.
Well.. I pulled the trigger on this one. Relieved now I can obsess on something else Thanks for suggestions.
Nice.
Needless to say it mates well with the 200.2. Hit me up if you need any assistance with the menu setup. It's somewhat self-explanatory, but the designer(s) did over think a few things.
Thanks, I appreciate the offer, I may take you up on that.Living Room
Parasound HINT 6, Yamaha Aventage RX-A 1060, Oppo 103D, Cambridge Audio Azur 851N, KLH Model 5s, Polk CSi A6, Samsung 65" LED
Office
Yamaha A-S501, Auralic Aries Mini, LSiM 703s
Douglas Connection ICs and Cables -
Just seeing this thread. Whew, Ray, you had me worried there for a minute! lol
Glad you ended up with a Ref 50. I love my B&K gear. There were lots of good recommendations here, glad you got in. I think you're going to enjoy it with your 200.2.
Never, EVER, sell that 200.2 until you've had plenty of time to audition any possible alternatives. And, even after you think you're sure, sit on it s'more!
These things are fun to play with and program if you're into it. First order of business will be a factory reset. Put me down along with GMC if you have any questions. I love tweaking these things. At first, I hated the ergos, but now I love love love the simplicity. All the good stuff is behind the scenes.
The sound should be smooth and laid back pairing with your LSiM with out being too looses or soft. Just know that the DAC is a bit limited compared with what's out there today. I've recently been experimenting with an add-on USB DAC, mostly just for computer connectivity. Jury still out, but initial impressions are very favorable with B&K, Polk, and Douglas Connection, with an AQ Forest USB.
Congrats - making some fun moves there, imho, and you really seem to be making strides in your path to audio junkiedom.I disabled signatures. -
Just seeing this thread. Whew, Ray, you had me worried there for a minute! lol
Glad you ended up with a Ref 50. I love my B&K gear. There were lots of good recommendations here, glad you got in. I think you're going to enjoy it with your 200.2.
Never, EVER, sell that 200.2 until you've had plenty of time to audition any possible alternatives. And, even after you think you're sure, sit on it s'more!
These things are fun to play with and program if you're into it. First order of business will be a factory reset. Put me down along with GMC if you have any questions. I love tweaking these things. At first, I hated the ergos, but now I love love love the simplicity. All the good stuff is behind the scenes.
The sound should be smooth and laid back pairing with your LSiM with out being too looses or soft. Just know that the DAC is a bit limited compared with what's out there today. I've recently been experimenting with an add-on USB DAC, mostly just for computer connectivity. Jury still out, but initial impressions are very favorable with B&K, Polk, and Douglas Connection, with an AQ Forest USB.
Congrats - making some fun moves there, imho, and you really seem to be making strides in your path to audio junkiedom.
Thanks Scott... I know you are a fan of B&K, there is just so much of this stuff I want to try. Good tip on factory reset. I have heard these can be complicated for non engineers .. all joking aside appreciate the line for tech support.
Yes, I am on a slippery slope....
Living Room
Parasound HINT 6, Yamaha Aventage RX-A 1060, Oppo 103D, Cambridge Audio Azur 851N, KLH Model 5s, Polk CSi A6, Samsung 65" LED
Office
Yamaha A-S501, Auralic Aries Mini, LSiM 703s
Douglas Connection ICs and Cables -
Haha
You might be headed for a roomful of standby/test gear if you're not careful. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
Another cool thing is that if you find the B&K combo to be too laid back, you can swing your Parasound into the mix to liven it up. I find the Parasound combos to be a bit more forward than B&K. I like both just fine, but the split combo could be an option for refining your sound. Just something to think about and have fun with.I disabled signatures. -
Haha
You might be headed for a roomful of standby/test gear if you're not careful. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
Another cool thing is that if you find the B&K combo to be too laid back, you can swing your Parasound into the mix to liven it up. I find the Parasound combos to be a bit more forward than B&K. I like both just fine, but the split combo could be an option for refining your sound. Just something to think about and have fun with.
Well I am almost there.
I had the P5 front ending the 200.2 and it was great but I missed the P5 in my main system. I will still need a way to play music from my computer though the 50 and it doesn't have usb so I will need to figure out something for that. Short term I can use the chomecast and stream.Living Room
Parasound HINT 6, Yamaha Aventage RX-A 1060, Oppo 103D, Cambridge Audio Azur 851N, KLH Model 5s, Polk CSi A6, Samsung 65" LED
Office
Yamaha A-S501, Auralic Aries Mini, LSiM 703s
Douglas Connection ICs and Cables -
Man, the HRT Music Streamer HD blew my sack back.
But I still don't know whether it was just going USB or the MSHD itself.
Currently experimenting again with my first standalone DAC, an earlier Cambridge unit, the DacMagic. With USB, it's nicer than I remember with Coax (Black Cat Veloce), but I still think the MSHD edges it out in imaging refinement. That AVR 507, Polk RT25i, and MSHD combo was captivating. Before USB, I found DacMagic to be cold, thin, and sterile, but it's pretty good in the computer system with an AQ Forest USB cable. The DacMagic Plus is supposed to be better?
At $250 for a MSHD, there are lots of options, perhaps some much better. I was looking for something small and bus powered, and had been wanting to try one of the HRT Music Streamer DACs. It's older stuff, but then so's the rest, so...
The imaging experience with the MSHD let me see that there's more to digital than my usual criteria - smooth, full, clean, articulate, control. With a taste of imaging, I got a sense for the soundstage depth to as degree. It's a bit spoiling.
Word to the wise re : USB audio. To keep things cleanest, I installed a second, dedicated USB 2.0 card in my computer solely for running the DAC.I disabled signatures. -
rburgess714 wrote: »Well I am almost there.
I had the P5 front ending the 200.2 and it was great but I missed the P5 in my main system. I will still need a way to play music from my computer though the 50 and it doesn't have usb so I will need to figure out something for that. Short term I can use the chomecast and stream.
There are a number of USB to spdif converters available at a wide range of price points. Alternatively, you might look into replacing you computer's sound card with one that has an optical out.
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Ref 50 arrived today and is immaculate, all original packaging and remote. I have not taken time to do a factory reset and will work through that at some point. I did connect the Chromecast and played for awhile. WOW it sounds really, really good and for 2 bones delivered what a bargain. Thanks for the recommendations.Living Room
Parasound HINT 6, Yamaha Aventage RX-A 1060, Oppo 103D, Cambridge Audio Azur 851N, KLH Model 5s, Polk CSi A6, Samsung 65" LED
Office
Yamaha A-S501, Auralic Aries Mini, LSiM 703s
Douglas Connection ICs and Cables -
Congratulations! Make sure you hook it up to a good surge protector.Gustard X26 Pro DAC
Belles 21A Pre modded with Mundorf Supreme caps
B&K M200 Sonata monoblocks refreshed and upgraded
Polk SDA 1C's modded / 1000Va Dreadnaught
Wireworld Silver Eclipse IC's and speaker cables
Harman Kardon T65C w/Grado Gold. (Don't laugh. It sounds great!)
There is about a 5% genetic difference between apes and men …but that difference is the difference between throwing your own poo when you are annoyed …and Einstein, Shakespeare and Miss January. by Dr. Sardonicus -
Sweet! EnjoyOh, Listen here mister. We got no way of understandin' this world. But we got as much sense of this bird flyin in the sky. Now there is a lot that bird don't know, but it don't change the fact that the world is happening to him all the same. What I am tryin to say is, is that the course of your life, well its changing, and you don't even see it- Forest Bondurant
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Awesome, that's great to hear. They have quite an addicting sound.
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Lol....because it is really really good. hard to beat for the 2 bones. I wouldn't worry about doing a factory reset. Find yourself a USB to spdif converter and play away . HT SYSTEM-
Sony 850c 4k
Pioneer elite vhx 21
Sony 4k BRP
SVS SB-2000
Polk Sig. 20's
Polk FX500 surrounds
Cables-
Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable
Kitchen
Sonos zp90
Grant Fidelity tube dac
B&k 1420
lsi 9's
