DAC Inputs

codycatalist
codycatalist Posts: 2,662
edited December 2016 in Going Digital
Doing more research into DACs so I might be able to get the sound quality of my IPad 3.5mm > Integrated a little better.

Now my question is this: When I see the DAC I only see optical inputs and usb/toslink inputs. Obviously in my current configuration I won't have the ability to connect from my IPad to the DAC due to lack of RCA inputs. Now I am ignorant when it comes to DACs and it is wholly possible that what I am stating wouldn't make a difference as it would be an analog input to a analog output, or it could be that I am looking at DACs that do not have the feature I was looking for.

Any light shed would be greatly appreciated.
Just a dude doing dude-ly things

"Temptation is the manifestation of desire which equals necessity." - Mikey081057
" I have always had a champange taste with a beer budget" - Rick88
"Just because the thread is getting views don't mean much .. I like a good train wreck doesn't mean i want to be in one..." - pitdogg2
"Those that don't know, don't know that they don't know." - heiney9
"Audiophiles are the male equivalent of cat ladies." - Audiokarma Member

Comments

  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,902
    edited December 2016
    To optimize the dac, you want a digital connection going in, analog coming out. I'm pretty sure they make a digital cable that would go from the Ipad to the dac. I would lean towards using the digital coax going in over toslink too.

    Get yourself some decent cables also.
    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
  • Decent cables are a must if I end up getting a DAC (looking at peachtree but open to similarly priced suggestions), I have some nice Furez ICs that I will use from the analog output to my integrated. I will do some research to see if there is the pin connector to a form of digital input. Thanks @tonyb
    Just a dude doing dude-ly things

    "Temptation is the manifestation of desire which equals necessity." - Mikey081057
    " I have always had a champange taste with a beer budget" - Rick88
    "Just because the thread is getting views don't mean much .. I like a good train wreck doesn't mean i want to be in one..." - pitdogg2
    "Those that don't know, don't know that they don't know." - heiney9
    "Audiophiles are the male equivalent of cat ladies." - Audiokarma Member
  • erniejade
    erniejade Posts: 6,288
    Is the music physically on your Ipad? Or are you doing something like spotify or tidal?
    Musical Fidelity Tri-Vista 300, Audioquest Thunderbird Zero Speaker Cable, Tyler Highland H2, Audioquest Thunderbird Interconnect, Innuos Zen MK3 W4S recovery, Revolution Audio Labs USB & Ethernet, Border Patrol SE-I, Audioquest Niagara 5000 & Thunder, Cullen Crossover II PC's.
  • erniejade wrote: »
    Is the music physically on your Ipad? Or are you doing something like spotify or tidal?

    Spotify at the moment...I have it on extreme quality but we all know what that really means.
    Just a dude doing dude-ly things

    "Temptation is the manifestation of desire which equals necessity." - Mikey081057
    " I have always had a champange taste with a beer budget" - Rick88
    "Just because the thread is getting views don't mean much .. I like a good train wreck doesn't mean i want to be in one..." - pitdogg2
    "Those that don't know, don't know that they don't know." - heiney9
    "Audiophiles are the male equivalent of cat ladies." - Audiokarma Member
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,902
    I'm not up to snuff on connections for IPADS, if it has a USB port, use that.
    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
  • tonyb wrote: »
    I'm not up to snuff on connections for IPADS, if it has a USB port, use that.

    It doesn't but I found a connector that would be placed on the dock input then it has an out for mini usb. I found a mini usb to usb B connector which would work perfectly (obviously I don't want to add more items in the chain but its apple so yeah...)
    Just a dude doing dude-ly things

    "Temptation is the manifestation of desire which equals necessity." - Mikey081057
    " I have always had a champange taste with a beer budget" - Rick88
    "Just because the thread is getting views don't mean much .. I like a good train wreck doesn't mean i want to be in one..." - pitdogg2
    "Those that don't know, don't know that they don't know." - heiney9
    "Audiophiles are the male equivalent of cat ladies." - Audiokarma Member
  • DSkip wrote: »
    I don't think you are ever going to get a good connection going iPad direct to DAC. You would be better served with something like a squeezebox and using the iPad to control it. The SB seems to have a decent DAC, but you could always add a stand-alone DAC later on.

    So a network media player from what I see. Hmm I found one for $149 which isn't bad, Skip if it was you and you had lets say $400 total would you just invest in a squeeze box or get that and a slightly cheaper stand alone dac?
    Just a dude doing dude-ly things

    "Temptation is the manifestation of desire which equals necessity." - Mikey081057
    " I have always had a champange taste with a beer budget" - Rick88
    "Just because the thread is getting views don't mean much .. I like a good train wreck doesn't mean i want to be in one..." - pitdogg2
    "Those that don't know, don't know that they don't know." - heiney9
    "Audiophiles are the male equivalent of cat ladies." - Audiokarma Member
  • DSkip wrote: »
    I would get the Logitech and have some fun for a while. Let the other money sit until you decide where to go. Which rig is this for?

    2 Channel. I am pretty set with my HT besides getting a new center (mine is very quiet...abnormally quiet)
    Just a dude doing dude-ly things

    "Temptation is the manifestation of desire which equals necessity." - Mikey081057
    " I have always had a champange taste with a beer budget" - Rick88
    "Just because the thread is getting views don't mean much .. I like a good train wreck doesn't mean i want to be in one..." - pitdogg2
    "Those that don't know, don't know that they don't know." - heiney9
    "Audiophiles are the male equivalent of cat ladies." - Audiokarma Member
  • codycatalist
    codycatalist Posts: 2,662
    edited December 2016
    Tell me about it, the Yamaha has been the weak point for some time but I really want to save up to get a nice Parasound halo. That is going to be a whileeeeeeeeeeeee.

    You know for a low/mid fi yamaha integrated that came as a rack system it actually sounds quite nice and has some decent power.
    Just a dude doing dude-ly things

    "Temptation is the manifestation of desire which equals necessity." - Mikey081057
    " I have always had a champange taste with a beer budget" - Rick88
    "Just because the thread is getting views don't mean much .. I like a good train wreck doesn't mean i want to be in one..." - pitdogg2
    "Those that don't know, don't know that they don't know." - heiney9
    "Audiophiles are the male equivalent of cat ladies." - Audiokarma Member
  • DSkip wrote: »
    Tell me about it, the Yamaha has been the weak point for some time but I really want to save up to get a nice Parasound halo. That is going to be a whileeeeeeeeeeeee.

    You know for a low/mid fi yamaha integrated that came as a rack system it actually sounds quite nice and has some decent power.

    Quite the qualifiers you got there LOL.

    Granted the only real HiFi system I have heard was an overly bright adcom system paired with SRS2s (still had the SL2000s), I need to find time to get out there more and listen around. Just have social anxiety about it to an extent, I figure people ask themselves what this 24 year old punk is doing listening to equipment I could never afford.
    Just a dude doing dude-ly things

    "Temptation is the manifestation of desire which equals necessity." - Mikey081057
    " I have always had a champange taste with a beer budget" - Rick88
    "Just because the thread is getting views don't mean much .. I like a good train wreck doesn't mean i want to be in one..." - pitdogg2
    "Those that don't know, don't know that they don't know." - heiney9
    "Audiophiles are the male equivalent of cat ladies." - Audiokarma Member
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,902
    DSkip wrote: »
    I don't think you are ever going to get a good connection going iPad direct to DAC. You would be better served with something like a squeezebox and using the iPad to control it. The SB seems to have a decent DAC, but you could always add a stand-alone DAC later on.

    I agree with Skip's assessment, that type of connection from the IPAD isn't going to sound all that great. A squeezebox, or a Sonos in between is the better bet.

    Even more so, we now have music streamers with dacs, take a look at Tech or Sony, both have dacs that can stream with wifi from your Ipad. Many others too, but Tech and Sony seem to be the ones that sound pretty frickin' good. Look on the used markets, you can kill 2 birds with one stone.
    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
  • Joey_V
    Joey_V Posts: 8,505
    edited December 2016
    I had a squeezebox and then used a ps audio digital link III as my dac
    Magico, JL, Emm, ARC Ref 10 line, ARC Ref 10 phono, VPI, Lyra, Boulder, AQ Wel, SRA Scuttle Rack, Bluesound
  • Joey_V wrote: »
    I had a squeezebox and then used a ps audio digital link III as my dac

    Thanks for the insight Joey! I'm thinking of getting a squeezebox then a new integrated, just have to find something in my price range and has the specs I'm looking for. Thankfully my Christmas bonus is coming up, hopefully I can sneak it past the fiancee or give it to one of the members here before she notices.
    Just a dude doing dude-ly things

    "Temptation is the manifestation of desire which equals necessity." - Mikey081057
    " I have always had a champange taste with a beer budget" - Rick88
    "Just because the thread is getting views don't mean much .. I like a good train wreck doesn't mean i want to be in one..." - pitdogg2
    "Those that don't know, don't know that they don't know." - heiney9
    "Audiophiles are the male equivalent of cat ladies." - Audiokarma Member
  • Joey_V
    Joey_V Posts: 8,505
    Getting a new integrated with a DAC is a good plan also.

    Magico, JL, Emm, ARC Ref 10 line, ARC Ref 10 phono, VPI, Lyra, Boulder, AQ Wel, SRA Scuttle Rack, Bluesound
  • erniejade
    erniejade Posts: 6,288
    Hate to say this one again, chromecast audio uses the pad as a conduit. Once it's streaming, it's all from your wifi directly to the chromecast audio.
    Musical Fidelity Tri-Vista 300, Audioquest Thunderbird Zero Speaker Cable, Tyler Highland H2, Audioquest Thunderbird Interconnect, Innuos Zen MK3 W4S recovery, Revolution Audio Labs USB & Ethernet, Border Patrol SE-I, Audioquest Niagara 5000 & Thunder, Cullen Crossover II PC's.
  • erniejade
    erniejade Posts: 6,288
    edited December 2016
    I forgot optical ( toslink) out from the chromecast to the dac is how I'm using Spotify on mine. If it's an apple pad, you have to have a paid subscription. If it's a droid pad, for Spotify you don't.
    Musical Fidelity Tri-Vista 300, Audioquest Thunderbird Zero Speaker Cable, Tyler Highland H2, Audioquest Thunderbird Interconnect, Innuos Zen MK3 W4S recovery, Revolution Audio Labs USB & Ethernet, Border Patrol SE-I, Audioquest Niagara 5000 & Thunder, Cullen Crossover II PC's.