PC to Squeezebox to DAC

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codyc1ark
codyc1ark Posts: 2,530
in Going Digital
Alright, I'm on the hunt. I'll wait until tax/bonus season, but this will be the reward for myself. I'm looking for a DAC for the Squeezebox. I almost wonder if I should do the power supply upgrade first, or instead. I'm running the box into my sc-25 and then into a gfa-7000. The amp is on my shortlist to upgrade, but I think overall I can get improvement before in the chain. Do you guys with LSi9's think a 'brighter' DAC would be the way to go? Honestly I'm new to this end of the game, so any help/discussion would be wonderful. Let er' rip!
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  • AsSiMiLaTeD
    AsSiMiLaTeD Posts: 11,722
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    It all depends on how you're running the SC-25. It's an important detail most people miss, but unless you're running in pure direct mode on the AVR the DAC isn't really going to make a big difference because the receiver is still using its internal processing to Apply the calibration settings. Keep in mind that Direct mode and Pure Direct aren't the same thing, only pure direct bypasses all the internal processing inside the AVR.

    Even with that said, the Touch already has a good sounding DAC in the AKM chip, I did both and the power supply upgrade made a much more noticeable change so that's what I'd recommend.
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  • codyc1ark
    codyc1ark Posts: 2,530
    edited December 2014
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    I always run pure direct, it just sounds so good. I'll look at supplies, hopefully I can find a used one.

    On a completely different note, I bought my brother a mechanical Logitech g710+ keyboard for christmas, and of course I have to test it. Needless to say, I might have one myself soon. :smiley: (Its the small things in life that matter)
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  • AsSiMiLaTeD
    AsSiMiLaTeD Posts: 11,722
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    I actually just picked up my second Corsair mechanical keyboard, I went with the K70 RGB model with the Cherry Reds and I really like it.
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  • rooftop59
    rooftop59 Posts: 7,971
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    Though I can't speak to the quality of the DACs in the touch, I CAN say that with my duet either analog or digital into a DAC, the bolder power supply makes a BIG difference, much blacker background, reduced noise, which makes everything sound better!

    By the way Danny, do you know if I can run the duet power supply on a classic? The power supplies are becoming hard to come by...
    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; Squeezebox Touch with Bolder Power Supply
    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    Cambridge Azur 551r; Polk RT25i; ACI Titan Subwoofer
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  • AsSiMiLaTeD
    AsSiMiLaTeD Posts: 11,722
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    Negative, the power supply for the Classic series and the Touch are interchangeable, but for some reason they used a different voltage for the Duet, it;s the odd man out.
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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,906
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    Get yourself a dac, a decent dac, that will give you the best bang for your buck improvement in SQ.
    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
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  • AsSiMiLaTeD
    AsSiMiLaTeD Posts: 11,722
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    I disagree with Tony in this case, but hey you didn't expect a unified answer did you :-)

    Normally I'd say yes and with something like the SONOS players I think a DAC is more important, but the AKM solution in the Touch is actually quite good especially with a better PS. I think you'll get much better bang for your buck with a power supply, and is probably something you'd want down the road anyway so makes sense to start there to me.
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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,906
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    You won't need the power supply if your just using the Squeezebox as a transport....streaming a file. That money imho is better spent on a dac that already has a good power supply.

    To each his own though, the dac in the Touch is certainly not bad, and a separate power supply will make it better....but not as better as a separate dac. Just sayin'.
    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
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  • AsSiMiLaTeD
    AsSiMiLaTeD Posts: 11,722
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    Did you try the Touch with a DAC with and without the stock power supply?

    I've tried all four configurations and my experience is the same as rooftop's was, with or without a DAC the power supply makes a big difference, more than it should actually.
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  • rooftop59
    rooftop59 Posts: 7,971
    edited December 2014
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    AsSiMiLaTeD wrote: »
    Did you try the Touch with a DAC with and without the stock power supply?

    I've tried all four configurations and my experience is the same as rooftop's was, with or without a DAC the power supply makes a big difference, more than it should actually.

    Yes I was shocked at the difference the power supply made. Now with the Duet the DAC also made a big difference, because the internal DACs in the Duet aren't that great. But I had the power supply BEFORE the DAC and man did it make a big difference. When I added the DAC it just got better. BUT that was with the Duet.

    Thanks for the info on the Duet voltage Assimilated, I thought that was the case but I was hoping that I was wrong. The problem is I can't seem to find many PSs for the classic/touch lying around. Dangit now I have a decision to make...
    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; Squeezebox Touch with Bolder Power Supply
    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    Cambridge Azur 551r; Polk RT25i; ACI Titan Subwoofer
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  • schwarcw
    schwarcw Posts: 7,328
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    Do both! I had a great DAC then did the PS upgrade. There was an improvement, so both upgrades will make a diference.
    Carl

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  • nspindel
    nspindel Posts: 5,343
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    http://welbornelabs.com/cat/squeezeboxpowersupplyupgrades.htm

    I've used that for years, huge improvement. As for the dac, I'm using my Marantz SA8004 sacd player as my dac. Liked it just as much as the wyred4sound dac2 I was using, and it cost substantially less than I sold the dac2 for. And I can play sacd now. Look for one used, price has come down a lot now that Marantz put out the 8005. Or splurge and get the 8005!
    Good music, a good source, and good power can make SDA's sing. Tubes make them dance.
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