Confused on DAC

Ok I've been giving some serious thought to getting a stand alone DAC finally..
Thinking about the Teac UD-501 that was recently reviewed here by Pearsall001 Excellent review by the way..
I thought about this DAC before but was told it was not very good by a few members anyway getting off topic here..
I have a Yamaha RX-A2000 Aventage reciever that uses Burr Brown DAC I was never fond of the sound of it.
However I used to stream my music from my computer using a program called Serviio which would show up on my Yamaha networking menu I would select Serviio then navigate to my music and play..
Now I'm having issues with Serviio so I just put a bunch of music on a USB key and directly plugged it in to the Yamaha and I have to say it sounds much better this way..???
Now I have also upgraded to my new McCormack DNA 500 amp so at the risk of sounding like an idiot, is the music actually better from the USB or is it still the same coming from the computer streaming?
And it's just the new amp making it better?
Hopefully I was coherent in that mess..lol
Thanks
Jamie
Thinking about the Teac UD-501 that was recently reviewed here by Pearsall001 Excellent review by the way..
I thought about this DAC before but was told it was not very good by a few members anyway getting off topic here..
I have a Yamaha RX-A2000 Aventage reciever that uses Burr Brown DAC I was never fond of the sound of it.
However I used to stream my music from my computer using a program called Serviio which would show up on my Yamaha networking menu I would select Serviio then navigate to my music and play..
Now I'm having issues with Serviio so I just put a bunch of music on a USB key and directly plugged it in to the Yamaha and I have to say it sounds much better this way..???
Now I have also upgraded to my new McCormack DNA 500 amp so at the risk of sounding like an idiot, is the music actually better from the USB or is it still the same coming from the computer streaming?
And it's just the new amp making it better?
Hopefully I was coherent in that mess..lol
Thanks
Jamie
ATC SCM40's,VTL TL 2.5 Preamp,PSB Stratus Goldi's,McCormack DNA 500,McCormack MAP-1 Preamp,Pro-Ject Xtension 10 TT,Ortofon Cadenza Red/Nordost RedDawn LS Speaker cables, Bryston BDP-2, Bryston BDA-2,PS Audio AC-3 power cables
Post edited by Jhayman on
Comments
I wish I could help you, but I'm sure there are a lot of other Polkies who know far more about this than I.
In fact, I'm replying to this thread largely because, like you, I'm in a state of confusion about transports, DACs, and digital sources of all kinds right now. I've been doing quite a bit of reading about various transport/DAC combinations, developments in hi-res technology, etc. I'm confused in part because of my own ignorance about all such things, but in part, I'm convinced, because we are now at a technological inflection point. Therefore, it is not at all clear what a wise long-term investment in a DAC should be.
For those of us who are largely into digital sources, it appears that CDs and SACDs are not the way of the future, and that hi-res downloads are the way of the future for audiophile-quality recordings and reproduction.
Hence, I'm looking for a transport and DAC combination that plays "legacy" sources at high quality (that is, plays CDs and SACDs) and that also supports downloads and playback from mass storage devices of new hi-res formats.
To quote you, "Hopefully I was coherent in that mess..lol," but I doubt that I was.
I hope some guys who know more than I can chime in here and give us some insight into this "mess."
Phil
Exercise Room, Wadia 171 iPod Dock, PS Audio PerfectWave Transport, Innuos Streamer with Cat 6 cable connection to PS Audio PerfectWave MkII DAC w/Bridge II, AQ Sky XLRs, Perreaux PMF3150 Amp, Dreadnought, Supra Rondo 4x2.5 Speaker Cables, SDA 1Cs (Vr3 Mods Xovers).
Synology 713+ NAS on Gigabit LAN serving PW MkII DAC & DirectStream DAC.
Onkyo PR-SC5508 Sharp LC-70LE847U
Emotiva XPA-5 Emotiva XPA-2 Emotiva UPA-2
Front RTi-A9 Wide RTi-A7 Center CSi-A6 Surround FXi-A6 Rear RTi-A3 Sub 2x PSW505
Sony BDP-S790 Dishnetwork Hopper/Joey Logitech Harmony One Apple TV
Two Channel
Oppo 105D BAT VK-500 w/BatPack SDA SRS 2.3 Dreadnought Squeezebox Touch Apple TV
I may have been one of those who said that dac wasn't for me. I know Phil likes it and Little Joe, as he likes to be called. I only heard it once I believe and that was in another persons rig, not mine, but the sound signature didn't seem to tickle my fancy. It may yours....who knows until you try it. I always encourage people to try stuff regardless of who likes it or doesn't like it. For what that dac offers and at it's price point....you almost have to try it just to see. Many here like the W4S dac 2 with dsd, also not my cup of tea but works well for many others. Lots of choices for sure in dacs. Would love to hear the Chord one of these days too...and if Cary ever comes out with a dsd version of the 100t dac of theirs.
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'd say try the Teac...your going to constantly wonder anyway if you don't. Trial and error my friend, coupled with excellent advice from others is the only way to make head way in this hobby of ours.
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
BTW....the USB could have a better implementation in the receiver than the streaming aspect, hard to say. Plus the additional cable. The new amp probably isn't going to change the sound signature your used to from the old amp...both being McCormacks and all. With the addition of a dac though, you can take that receiver out of the equation all together and delegate it to strictly HT use.
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
My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
N.E.W. A-20 class A 20W
NAD 1020 completely refurbished
Keces DA-131 mk.II
Analysis Plus Copper Oval, Douglass, Morrow SUB3, Huffman Digital
Paradigm DSP-3100 v.2
but I wanted a SACD player so i got the Marantz 8005 and I'm using its dac now ->rear-panel asynchronous USB input (type
but I don't know what DAC it uses, but both sounded awesome to me. but I would think a stand alone dac would be best but I went for the combo. and I'm very happy so far!
HT - Polk 703's * NAD T-758 * Adcom 5503 * Oppo 103 * Samsung 60" series 8 LCD
As for USB implementation could you elaborate on that a big Tony if you don't mind.
When I talked with my guy about getting a SACD player he said not too as they are going yo be obsolete in a few more years and parts are getting harder to come by as Sony, I believe he said stopped making transports or is going too..
I'm just really curious to find out why my music sounds better through USB directly into my Yamaha..and crappier going through my computer through a program called Serviio then networked to my Yamaha..
Was it Serviio changing the music to my dislike or was it the computer...
I would think that going thru USB your not using your sound card but the other DAC. but using your serviio program on your pc you have to be using your soundcards dac which is where the quality problem is?
Just my quess
HT - Polk 703's * NAD T-758 * Adcom 5503 * Oppo 103 * Samsung 60" series 8 LCD
I have a very good sound card in my PC though or at least was 2 years ago..
I believe it's a Creative Labs Titanium HD I'm running from its optical output to my Yamaha and as I type this I wonder am I even using it as I'm connecting to the Yamaha from the PC input via networking so I think I'm actually by passing the optical output....blah blah I'm confused which comes quickly now a days..lol
And yes, the amp itself can make a huge difference.
2 channel - PS Audio Stellar S300 amp, PS Audio DirectStream DAC, audio optimized NUC7i5 running Windows 10 Pro/JRiver MC24, Matrix X-SPDIF 2 USB interface, Blackbird SSD dock with 500 GB Samsung 860 EVO, Tom Tutay modded EE Minimax preamp, Furman Elite 15 Pfi power conditioner, Martin Logan Electromotion ESL speakers, Rythmik F12SE subwoofer, Kimber 4TC speaker wire, Gabriel Gold Reflection V2 IC's, VH Audio power cords, Wireworld USB and HDMI/I2S cables
Computer - Windows 7/JRiver, Topping D10 DAC, Fostex PMO.4n monitors
I'm guessing Serviio is colouring the music to my dislike where as the straight from USB approach is less congested..
Hopefully the Teac solves that problem..when I purchase it soon I hope.