Dac with RCA input (analog)? I cant find a good one

Hi

Is there any DAC with RCA inputs which accepts analog inputs and then upgrades the quality of sound?

DAC stands for Digital to Analog Converter, so a RCA input is a analog signal and how can you expect a DAC to upgrade a analog signal to something better. In fact I do not think you can get a device which upgrades the sound of your analog signal. So better is to get a DAC and give it a digital input like a Coaxial/Toslink or USB and take the RCA out which will be of a very good quality.
 
The Emotiva DC-1 DAC as one analog input also !
It's on sale now and costs $399 on Amazon.com ! Was $ 499 last month. With expedited shipping and pretty low customs duty it's great value for money.
I bought one last month and a friend bought one today. It's being delivered on the 27th. Comes in 4 days flat with expedited shipping ! Grab it while the price is low.
 
will the analog inputs to the Emotiva really worth? will it enhnace ? I basically have the line out from my ONkyo DSD player, It doesnt have any digital output.

It has only line out and speaker connectivity. hence I need a dac that will enhnace the quality, riht now i am not happy with the line out which is connected to the NAD 375bee.

so I need DAC

Onkyo Line out->DAC->NAD375BEE->PSB
 
Which Onkyo player is this?
Check again if the line out doubles as digital Coax out through some setting.
Fiio does this, good chance Onkyo may also do the same.

Cheers,
Raghu
 
Its Onkyo CRN765.


I have attached the image for reference. I has only line out.
 
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Have you tried the speaker out connected to speakers? ( eliminating the NAD in the chain). If so, how does it sound?
 
not as bright as NAD. My combination is

Pinoneer BDP 170->ARCAM rdac->NAD->PSB IMAGE T5 ( AWSOME crisp detailed but no DSD)

Now

Onkyo - > line out -> NAD - >PSB Image T5 ( good with DSD)

onkyo->speaker out -> PSB Image T5( Ok and its just 20W power)

I am lost now :-( sometime ithink will ANALOG to DIGITAL helps to connect to my arcam dac?
 
Manniraj explained this and I didn't read his response earlier.
Simple answer. Nothing you can do with your current system !

If you want a different sound you will have to change it . Since it has digital inputs it obviously has an internal DAC. You need to find out if the unit sounds good with an external analog signal.
If it doesn't then probably the internal amp isn't good enough. Again, you need to change your system.
 
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But my question is will Emotiva which accepts analog do really help to enhance the quality of sound? still its considered as DAC.
 
But my question is will Emotiva which accepts analog do really help to enhance the quality of sound? still its considered as DAC.

I think the Emotiva DC-1 has an analog RCA input but it looks like it acts like a preamp but I do not think it can enhance the signal. That anyway as I said earlier in my response you cannot enhance analog signal to a better one if you presume so.
 
I have the Emotiva Stealth DC-1, stellar DAC for its price. On a recent DAC comparison with Benchmark DAC L (three times the price of Emotiva) it came pretty close but Benchmark won the day.

The point is Emotiva's analogue RCA inputs are for expansions sake as the DAC can also be used as a preamp. Once your Onkyo's DAC do the conversion and you receive the analogue output there is not really a way to 'improve' the signal quality, it is now at the hands of your cable - amplifier - speaker.
You can expect better quality at the DAC level when a better DAC is being employed, not after the conversion has been done.
 
Oh. This is an all in one box.
If the CRN765 does a god job with D/A for DSD then it must be good for other formats.
The analog input to NAD (the model you have is a very decent integ amp) should do fine.

Are you facing issues specifically with digital PCM source material?

-Raghu
 
I am planning for this Analog to Digital converter and then feed it to arcam dac, will this help?


Onkyo Line level-> Analog to digital spdif->spdif to Arcam->NAD 375bee->Speaker

Details for analog to digital:
Ex-Pro AV-Pro Analogue Stereo Audio to SPDIF Digital Converter [Stereo Left/Right RCA Phono to SPDIF TOSlink/Coaxial]
This very useful device can convert either digital analogue RCA stereo left and right phono or 3.5mm Stereo Jack to optical TosLink or coaxial SPDIF signals. Both optical and coaxial cables can be connected at the same time although only one can be active at a time. A simple switch control determines which signal is active.
Converts analogue stereo audio to digital optical or coaxial SPDIF signals. Input ports: 2 x Analogue Phono Audio Ports (Left & Right), 3.5mm Stereo Jack Port. Output ports: 1 x TosLink (Optical Fibre), 1 x Digital Coaxial (Phono). The converter has a digital sampling rate of 48 kHz and produces an LPCM stereo audio output signal.
Includes 5V DC multi country power supply, Dimensions: 76 x 56 x 22mm (WxDxH).
Lifetime Ex-Pro Manufacture Defect Warranty & Customer support, RoHS compliant, FCC and CE approved.
 
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What you are trying to do is

Digital->analog->digital->analog

The extra digital->analog and then analog->digital conversions will ruin the sound since it can only lead to a loss not improvement. Don't do it.
 
One more question i have is that the Line level out goes through the AKM AK4490 Dac? and I dont see any review or comparison with Cirrus Logic CS4398 used in the marantz na8005.
 
As "reignofchaos" says, don't do it.

A/D is normally used in head-end for recording analog and digitizing.
D/A is used for rendition.

Onkyo generally uses good DAC chips so expectation is a decent analog stage.
NAD is a good IA. Speakers are PSB.
Can't seem to find any issues on paper.

Nothing you add here will improve SQ.
Try different inputs (except phono) on NAD and different source files.
Ideally try a good familiar CD and check performance.
Don't worry about 16-bit, 24-bit and DSD for now.
Get the Onkyo --> NAD --> PSB settings tweaked to your taste.

Cheers,
Raghu
 
a noob query, have you tried connecting Line out of Onkyo CR-N765 to the Main in ( power amp section input) of NAD C 375BEE?
 
Purchase the Audiolab 6000A Integrated Amplifier at a special offer price.
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