To DAC or not to DAC

[JJMP50]

Recently my Roku Soundbridge went south never to return. Since then I've been listening to my Computer library directly from my laptop using a 3.5 mini plug/RCA split into my receiver. My laptop is and HB with Beats Audio. Although I beleive that's just a marketing thing, I don't have any buzz issues like I did when using my old desktop. I see that Emotiva has a close out on their XDA-1 DAC and was wondering if I would gain anything. As far as comparing the Roku to the direct from PC...its hard to say since we moved and my new listening room is about not very accousticly friendly (cathedral ceiling/loft design - very open with lots of windows)

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

How will you connect the music source to the DAC?

Same way as the AVR?

I say don't waste any money on the DAC.

Just get a network AVR (like Denon AVR-990 for $600 new, retail $1500), and put all your music on network or USB drive in front panel.

 

[Josuah]

Personally I think the right outboard DAC could beat the sound quality of your existing Yamaha receiver. But if you're satisfied with the sound quality of what you have now, then the convenience of something to stream wireless audio like the Roku Soundbridge is probably a better value.

 

[dnnone]

I am thinking getting the XDA-1 DAC too, but the USB hardware support up to 48kHz / 24Bit of the XDA-1 make me think again.
The only way to connect your laptop to the XDA-1 is using USB.
In case, your laptop has TOSLINK optical output. I believe the DAC in your Yamaha receiver is much better than the one in your PC, use it connect direct to your receiver. This way, you should have much better sound by using the DAC in your receiver.

I am not so clear about the specs, but base on your Yamaha spec: D/A Conversion 192 kHz / 24 bit, it looks better than the limited of the USB of Emotiva XDA-1 (USB hardware support up to 48kHz / 24Bit)

I hope this help

 

[Josuah]

While the XDA-1 DAC may or may not be better in sound quality than the one in your Yamaha receiver, the supported bit- and sample-rates don't have any correlation to the sound quality.

So unless you have high-definition audio on your computer, I wouldn't rule out a DAC just based on that.

 

[bikemig]

squeezebox touch

I belong to two different audio related websites and the difference is day and night when it comes to dacs. The general consensus on this site when it comes to dacs is don't. On computer audiophile the consensus when it comes to dacs is yes and spend a lot. The truth is probably somewhere in between and I like the more skeptical attitude found on this site. That said, it is hard to be the logitech squeezebox when it comes to playing back music from a computer. It runs close around $290 right now on Amazon (I've seen it go as low as $250) and is not too far off the price of the XDA-1. The Touch has a really nice dac; the SQ is excellent and makes playing back music from a computer pretty easy.