DAC vs Mac?

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Kingkwas
Kingkwas Posts: 92
in Going Digital
With some extra parts around the house I have assembled a nice little 2.0 system in my home office.

I’m running audio from a MacBook Pro to a Polk Omni A1 (and vinyl). Using Tidal with HiFi subscription which has Masters quality. Polk Tsi 220 bookshelves.

Question: Will a quality DAC be a noticeable improvement? Are the speakers good enough to use with masters quality recordings?

Thanks for the input!
AVR: Marantz SR 5011
L/ R: Polk Audio 703 LSiM (Bi Amp'd)
C: Polk Audio 255c - LS
R: Def Tech
Sub: PSW 505 (12 inch)
DVD: Oppo UDP 203
TV: 2016 Sony XBR 75X850D
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  • audioluvr
    audioluvr Posts: 5,432
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    Probably not but don't let that stop you from enjoying what you have.
    Gustard X26 Pro DAC
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    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
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  • Kingkwas
    Kingkwas Posts: 92
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    What if I switch out for a pair of TSC 550 towers?
    AVR: Marantz SR 5011
    L/ R: Polk Audio 703 LSiM (Bi Amp'd)
    C: Polk Audio 255c - LS
    R: Def Tech
    Sub: PSW 505 (12 inch)
    DVD: Oppo UDP 203
    TV: 2016 Sony XBR 75X850D
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  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,598
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    Kingkwas wrote: »
    Question: Will a quality DAC be a noticeable improvement?!

    Yes. Try an Audioquest Dragonfly.
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  • msg
    msg Posts: 9,427
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    To take that little system to the next level, maybe a Schiit Modi 3 DAC and a small sub.
    I disabled signatures.
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  • rooftop59
    rooftop59 Posts: 7,971
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    The short answer is yes, an external DAC will definitely help, but given the speakers I wouldn’t go too crazy. You can get a very respectable DAC from a few years ago for under $200. Either of the two mentioned are solid, but if you want to step it up a bit look for a peachtree DAC-itx or an arcam rdac or even an ifi nano idsd. All offer significant improvements in resolution and detail over the dragonfly. I haven’t had to opportunity to listen to any schiit...
    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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  • Kingkwas
    Kingkwas Posts: 92
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    Thanks for the input. I have a pair of Polk LSiMs 703s bookshelves that someday I'll replace with towers for my main HT setup. So they'll get put somewhere else in the house.

    So to future proof a DAC purchase.... Would the 703s benefit more than the TSx 220s? Are the 703s high quality enough to benefit?

    AVR: Marantz SR 5011
    L/ R: Polk Audio 703 LSiM (Bi Amp'd)
    C: Polk Audio 255c - LS
    R: Def Tech
    Sub: PSW 505 (12 inch)
    DVD: Oppo UDP 203
    TV: 2016 Sony XBR 75X850D
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  • msg
    msg Posts: 9,427
    edited June 2020
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    Kingkwas wrote: »
    What if I switch out for a pair of TSC 550 towers?
    Do you mean TSx 550 speakers?

    The 703s should be better resolving than the TSi speakers. I did a comparison a few years back with 703s, S20s, and Monitor 60s. Each was noticeably more revealing than the previous as we moved up the lines. It was not difficult to hear the differences.

    That's a good question, though - whether the TSi 200s will present the DAC's benefits.

    Try that Omni A1 with your 703s. Polk shows it paired with them in a product photo.

    You have a lot of options here. I'd say experiment a bit with what you've got in house, and then determine how far you want to go, what kind of placement options you have to work with, and how good you want the system to be.

    I think if you're sitting at a desk, you're potentially facing a great opportunity to build a sweet little near field setup, which can immerse you in the music better than larger room systems in many cases, and with better imaging, depending on the build, of course. The point is, you may be able to get more for less if you're going desktop and near field.

    One of my favorite systems is Audioengine HD3s (tiny), Sunfire SDS-8 sub, and Schiit Modi 3. Currently the Modi 3 is parked, as I'm using a piCorePlayer streamer with HiFiBerry DAC connected directly to the RCA ins on the HD3 powered monitors, with RCA out to the sub L/R in. That little system still impresses me greatly.
    Post edited by msg on
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  • PSOVLSK
    PSOVLSK Posts: 5,053
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    Clipdat wrote: »
    Kingkwas wrote: »
    Question: Will a quality DAC be a noticeable improvement?!

    Yes. Try an Audioquest Dragonfly.

    I have no shame: https://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/190346/audioquest-dragonfly#latest


    Things work out best for those who make the best of the way things work out.-John Wooden
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