DAC - To buy or to not buy(Confused)

Award Winning Stereo Systems
hydra said:
@abhi_jollyguy, I use a Caiman DAC between my WD TV(Gen1) and my active speakers and I must say FLACs played on the WDTV sound much better to me. My usage: WDTV > TOSLINK cable > Caiman > Audioengine A2 (or headphone via the Caiman's headphone Amp).

I use Audioengine A2s, and even in small and not-so-powerful speakers such as these, I could feel a substantial improvement in FLACs played over the WDTV. Before using the DAC, the music sounded loud and quite harsh.

Before using the Caiman, my usage path was WDTV > HDMI Cable > TV > 2-ch RCA cable (via TV's audio-out) > Audioengine A2.

BTW, I must admit that I've never tried the analogue RCA outs of the WDTV to feed my speakers as the WDTV lets me use only either the analogue-outs or the RCA-out at a time. Plugging in the analogue-outs to the speakers cut the video feed (via HDMI) to the TV and I didn't want that.

I personally think that using an external DAC before your amp will definitely improve the quality of music played by the WDTV. You may not see the same amount of improvement from the CD Player though. Like everybody has said, you should decide only after you test your setup with a loaner DAC.
Click to expand...

so u are saying that the DAC has improved the quality of sound but by how much?
 
abhi_jollyguy said:
so u are saying that the DAC has improved the quality of sound but by how much?
Click to expand...

@abhi_jollyguy, it would be difficult to put a number on something such as this. But let me tell you, before the DAC, I couldn't listen to music from the WDTV at all (because of how harsh it sounded). I used to use only my (mass market) DVD Player or my iPod to listen to music (DVDPlayer/iPod > Active speakers).

One of the main reasons I bought the DAC was that I wanted to be able to use the WDTV to listen to FLACS (rather than have to keep change CDs on the DVD Player). The other main reason was the Caiman's headphone amp, which I guess is not really important to you.
 
hydra said:
@abhi_jollyguy, it would be difficult to put a number on something such as this. But let me tell you, before the DAC, I couldn't listen to music from the WDTV at all (because of how harsh it sounded). I used to use only my (mass market) DVD Player or my iPod to listen to music (DVDPlayer/iPod > Active speakers).

One of the main reasons I bought the DAC was that I wanted to be able to use the WDTV to listen to FLACS (rather than have to keep change CDs on the DVD Player). The other main reason was the Caiman's headphone amp, which I guess is not really important to you.
Click to expand...


ok so u have seen sound quality improvement and Do u have any amplifier? As I have Amplifier so Will I see any sound quality improvement if I buy DAC?
 
abhi_jollyguy said:
ok so u have seen sound quality improvement and Do u have any amplifier? As I have Amplifier so Will I see any sound quality improvement if I buy DAC?
Click to expand...

Nope, I don't have an amp. My speakers are active speakers (amp built into the speaker cabinet).

If you'll be adding a DAC into your current setup, the only difference you will see/hear is what the DAC brings into the mix. Everything else is the same, isn't it? :)
 
Last edited:
abhi_jollyguy said:
Sorry, I didn't get u
Click to expand...

I'll explain:

Your current setup (I think): WDTV > Amp > Speakers.
Your setup after you add the DAC: WDTV > DAC > Amp > Speakers.

Here, everything else remains the same, except the DAC. So the only change you will experience in the setup will be caused by the DAC -- and not the fact that there is an amp in the setup.

This is what I meant. I said this to convey that you will not feel any extra difference or sound quality improvement by adding a DAC simply because you have an amplifier. :)
 
hydra said:
I'll explain:

Your current setup (I think): WDTV > Amp > Speakers.
Your setup after you add the DAC: WDTV > DAC > Amp > Speakers.

Here, everything else remains the same, except the DAC. So the only change you will experience in the setup will be caused by the DAC -- and not the fact that there is an amp in the setup.

This is what I meant. I said this to convey that you will not feel any extra difference or sound quality improvement by adding a DAC simply because you have an amplifier. :)
Click to expand...

ok ok so u r saying that I won't notice any difference sonically.
 
abhi_jollyguy said:
ok ok so u r saying that I won't notice any difference sonically.
Click to expand...

Ermm... I'll put it this way:

1) Yes, you will notice a difference when you add a DAC to your system. How big a difference/improvement it will be, will depend on what you are really looking for in your system.

2) The presence of an amp in your setup will not add to (or take away from) the difference that the DAC introduces into your system.

I hope this makes it clear :)
 
This has been my confusion too for a couple of months now. I have a set of Norge speakers coupled with an old NAD 304. I also have a HTIB Philips LX600 which is actually very good to my ears even for music.

The NAD+Millenium could only fill the mid range vacuum created by the HT but cannot match the highs and lows of the HT (limitation of the amp I suppose). So I always used to keep both on, for music.

My primary source is WDTV live. So it is WDTV optical-> HT -> analog out -> NAD -> millenium.

Forget about the analog output of WDTV, it sucks big time. It was evident when I compared it with the DAC inside my HT (96Khz 24 bit). There was a huge, huge difference.

Now this huge difference is what made me to wonder if an external DAC in place of HT's DAC could give even further improvement. I almost ordered Caiman but wanted to hear before I buy. Now Maverick D1 comes into picture and it was available for a demo at Pristine note's back office in Navi Mumbai. Both Maverick and Caiman are in same league with caiman scoring slightly better, going with the reviews and comparisons strewn across the web. So I thought I will check out Maverick, if it was good, I would go with Caiman...

I went to audition it. I listened to a couple of tracks of Jack Johnson on Audio Technica headphones (good) directly plugged to the Toshiba laptop which was available with Gaurav who runs Pristine note company (nice man he is). Then I listened to the same song through Maverick (usb). There was certainly a difference, with congestions cleared and harshness reduced. Has to be, because the Toshiba DAC cannot be good.

But I know the DAC in my HT is far better than the laptop's DAC. So again I got into a confusion whether the external DAC can really give a good difference.

Since tax deductions have set in, I wanted to be more cautious so I am yet to decide. Of course I will buy one, but now or later is my confusion. :sad:

BTW, abhi, if it is

WDTV > Amp > Speakers
to be upgraded to
WDTV > DAC > Amp > Speakers

stop adding pages to this thread and go for one. :D:yahoo:
 
iaudio said:
santy, Did you check out the D1 with speakers?
Click to expand...

No, actually I ended up quite late at his office so I could not test all combinations, like what you are looking for; PC >> Maverick D1 >> Amp >> speakers. But unexpectedly, I listened to the Maverick A1, a modest 20W (8 ohm) integrated amp which has the same tube driven pre-amp circuitry of D1. It was driving a set of big unbranded floor standers. It did sound good. A fairly large soundstage which gave me a feeling that Wattage is just not the right specification to define power of an Amp. It effortlessly powered the floor standers, something with 14" drivers if my eyes measured them right. But it lacked the bass and ofcourse the clarity, as no external DAC was shunted in the path. It was just the desktop chip decoding digital music into the A1. So it was like 'wow' but not so 'wow'... But I would say the D1 + A1 of Maverick can surprise any audio enthusiast who just bought their entry level bookshelves.
 
Santy said:
This has been my confusion too for a couple of months now. I have a set of Norge speakers coupled with an old NAD 304. I also have a HTIB Philips LX600 which is actually very good to my ears even for music.

The NAD+Millenium could only fill the mid range vacuum created by the HT but cannot match the highs and lows of the HT (limitation of the amp I suppose). So I always used to keep both on, for music.

My primary source is WDTV live. So it is WDTV optical-> HT -> analog out -> NAD -> millenium.

Forget about the analog output of WDTV, it sucks big time. It was evident when I compared it with the DAC inside my HT (96Khz 24 bit). There was a huge, huge difference.

Now this huge difference is what made me to wonder if an external DAC in place of HT's DAC could give even further improvement. I almost ordered Caiman but wanted to hear before I buy. Now Maverick D1 comes into picture and it was available for a demo at Pristine note's back office in Navi Mumbai. Both Maverick and Caiman are in same league with caiman scoring slightly better, going with the reviews and comparisons strewn across the web. So I thought I will check out Maverick, if it was good, I would go with Caiman...

I went to audition it. I listened to a couple of tracks of Jack Johnson on Audio Technica headphones (good) directly plugged to the Toshiba laptop which was available with Gaurav who runs Pristine note company (nice man he is). Then I listened to the same song through Maverick (usb). There was certainly a difference, with congestions cleared and harshness reduced. Has to be, because the Toshiba DAC cannot be good.

But I know the DAC in my HT is far better than the laptop's DAC. So again I got into a confusion whether the external DAC can really give a good difference.

Since tax deductions have set in, I wanted to be more cautious so I am yet to decide. Of course I will buy one, but now or later is my confusion. :sad:

BTW, abhi, if it is

WDTV > Amp > Speakers
to be upgraded to
WDTV > DAC > Amp > Speakers

stop adding pages to this thread and go for one. :D:yahoo:
Click to expand...

so u are saying that DAC will definitely bring more quality in sound. :licklips:
 
abhi,

i'll share a secret with you..... :ohyeah:

The DAC will not bring more quality in sound.....!!! Well not untill you buy it and add it to your setup.... :D

How can it bring any more quality in sound when the poor thing right now is lying at some dealer's godown waiting to be placed and ordered for and be delivered to you.... :yahoo:

Many members in posts above have shared their expertise and experience telling you that some have even found it to have improved the sound of a lowly lossy 128 kpbs mp3 song....!! As source gets better there will be even more improvement. Same has been reported to you by many members....!

So what are you waiting for boy...? What's holding you back...? What else is gonna convince you...? :confused:

Just go for it...!!! :thumbsup:
 
rana_kirti said:
abhi,

i'll share a secret with you..... :ohyeah:

The DAC will not bring more quality in sound.....!!! Well not untill you buy it and add it to your setup.... :D

How can it bring any more quality in sound when the poor thing right now is lying at some dealer's godown waiting to be placed and ordered for and be delivered to you.... :yahoo:

Many members in posts above have shared their expertise and experience telling you that some have even found it to have improved the sound of a lowly lossy 128 kpbs mp3 song....!! As source gets better there will be even more improvement. Same has been reported to you by many members....!

So what are you waiting for boy...? What's holding you back...? What else is gonna convince you...? :confused:

Just go for it...!!! :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

If the sound quality won't improve after switching over to DAC then my DAD will surely kill me. I am very worried:rolleyes::sad::o
 
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