Do I NEED a DAC?

[Good4it]

My current bedroom system is a Yamaha R202 stereo (without a DAC) and 2 KEF Ls50 speakers. Will a DAC be noticeable or not? What is your bedroom system?

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

You do NOT need a DAC. Your BD player or media player will have the DAC and output to the Yamaha Receiver.

You won't be able to hear a significant difference among separate DACs vs cheap DACs inside the BD players.

 

[Good4it]

My system in my tv room has a BD but my bedroom does not. All I have in there is a stereo, speakers and Alexa.

Nothing else but me and the furniture.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

If your Alexa has stereo pre-outs to connect to your Yamaha receiver, then the Alexa will have DAC.

Bottom line - DAC is a very mature technology and it doesn't require a lot to have good specs and sound quality.

So I wouldn't worry about external DAC.

 

[TLS Guy]

My current bedroom system is a Yamaha R202 stereo (without a DAC) and 2 KEF Ls50 speakers. Will a DAC be noticeable or not? What is your bedroom system?

If you have a TV with a SPDIF toslink out then a DAC could be useful so you can get the audio from the TV into the Yamaha. Otherwise I do not see a need for one.

 

[Good4it]

No tv in there, it’s for falling asleep .

I watch tv in the tv room/den.