Will a DAC improve sound quality with my Airport Express?

[lreinstein]

I listen to music which has been ripped (Apple Lossless format) from my CD's and streams via Airport Express to my Marantz PM-7001 Integrated Amp which I bought on advice that it would sound better than an AV receiver in general. (My music listening room is quite a distance from my Home Theater so I need two separate systems ... more costly I know but no choice). I have two very good KEF speakers connected. I have been told that the AE is not a very good DAC and also can introduce alot of "jitter". In order to improve things I am considering a few modest cost options and would appreciate opinions about them.

1. Keep my PM-7001 AMP and my AE (around 2 years old,) and purchase DacMagic or something similar. (This would cost me around $400 plus or minus.)

2. Replacing the AE with an Airplay upgraded Marantz NA7004 hooked up to my PM-7001. (This would run me around $800 additional).

3. Waiting some months (hey, it does not sound that bad as is) for a high quality Airplay enabled integrated amplifier or receiver. (This would probably be the most expensive addition of the three).


I would like to know your opinion about these 3 alternative. (I know there are many others but I want to limit my options to these for the moment).

Would #2 have a better sound quality than #1? If so, how and why?

The NA7004 says it should be hooked by wire to the router... do you know why that is needed?

or, should I wait and trade up to an all new system #3? What is the pro/con to this?

Larry

 

[TLS Guy]

I listen to music which has been ripped (Apple Lossless format) from my CD's and streams via Airport Express to my Marantz PM-7001 Integrated Amp which I bought on advice that it would sound better than an AV receiver in general. (My music listening room is quite a distance from my Home Theater so I need two separate systems ... more costly I know but no choice). I have two very good KEF speakers connected. I have been told that the AE is not a very good DAC and also can introduce alot of "jitter". In order to improve things I am considering a few modest cost options and would appreciate opinions about them.

1. Keep my PM-7001 AMP and my AE (around 2 years old,) and purchase DacMagic or something similar. (This would cost me around $400 plus or minus.)

2. Replacing the AE with an Airplay upgraded Marantz NA7004 hooked up to my PM-7001. (This would run me around $800 additional).

3. Waiting some months (hey, it does not sound that bad as is) for a high quality Airplay enabled integrated amplifier or receiver. (This would probably be the most expensive addition of the three).


I would like to know your opinion about these 3 alternative. (I know there are many others but I want to limit my options to these for the moment).

Would #2 have a better sound quality than #1? If so, how and why?

The NA7004 says it should be hooked by wire to the router... do you know why that is needed?

or, should I wait and trade up to an all new system #3? What is the pro/con to this?

Larry

If you don't like your rig, take a look at the speakers first.

What are your KEF speakers? I have been appalled by some of the current KEF offerings.

 

[bikemig]

The AE does not sound that great using the analog out. As to option 1, a dac would improve the sound quality. You could, for example, get a musical fidelity v-dac which is considerably cheaper than the Cambridge dacmagic. As to option 2, I'd simply add a SB touch and use the analog outputs. It works great and is very versatile (I know this is not on your menu of choices but I am not convinced that the Marantz 7004 is a better streamer than the SB Touch). As to 3, there are a few products out there that do what you want (an integrated solution) and no doubt more will come out. Still if you like your integrated amp (and it appears that you do), this option does not make as much sense as adding a dac to the AE Express or a SB Touch. Going either with the musical fidelity v-dac or the SB Touch will improve the SQ of your system for $300. I've thought about getting the Marantz NA 7004 but decided that the price was high for its feature set.