hi all! so i have a 5.2 setup:
Marantz AV10
McIntosh MC303 (connected to center and rears)
McIntosh MC462 (connected to L+R)
Sonus Faber Amati G5 (L+R)
Sonus Faber Vox G3 Center
Sonus Faber Olympica Nova 1 (Rears)
right now i am using a bluesound node as my streamer connected via coax digital to my av10 so the av10 is the DAC.
debating about buying an "upgrade" external DAC like the NAD master 66 to use when i am listening to two channel.
Two questions:
1. what external DAC would actually be an upgrade over the AV10? would the NAD m66 actually be an upgrade over the bluesound+av10?
The DAC in the AV10 seems to have been implemented very well, based on bench measurement results, but there are better DAC ICs that many external DACs used, including the NAD one you mentioned.
Better ICs are naturally better than the lesser ones, but the fact is, the specs of the DAC ICs in the AV10 are still SOTA, for example, distortion + noise is so low that it is just not possible for humans to hear, so a few dB better offer by the flagship ESS IC, while good to have, should have no audibly better effects. Those who believe in their ears/brains will tell you otherwise, but if you use common logic, you will know that's just like saying a $20,000 McIntosh power amp will sound better than a $10,000 amp.
So, external DAC could actually be an upgrade over the AV10, if it offers features you need that is not available if using only the AV10, and may also be an upgrade in terms of specs and measurements but that will almost 100% certain not in terms of audibly better performance. Note: subjective claims don't, and shouldn't count.
2. if i use the m66 for instance, how would the connections actually work?
i assume: balanced output L+R from Marantz into the balanced inputs of the NAD. Balanced outputs from the NAD to my MC462. when i am listening to two channel, the marantz isn't involved at all, that seems simple enough.
It would work that way, but I don't see any point, because the signal coming out of the output of the AV10 has already been through with it's own signal path so the NAD will only add distortions and noise.
What input would you be connecting to the AV10? Regardless, as mentioned, the signal will still be going through the AV10's preamp/dac signal path so the overall quality will already be determined by the AV10, putting it through the NAD serve no purpose in terms of "sound quality".