Should I connect marantz NA6005 to rdac or should I go with marantz internal Dac

Q Acoustics M20 HD wireless music system
santosh4

santosh4

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Frnds,

I need a quick infor, I am going to Purchase Marantz NA6005 which helps me play network flac files. I have rcam rdac with me, I am confused now. If I spend on Marantz NA6005 and connect it to my rdac will it be waste of money since I dont use the Dac of Marantz?

Current setup -> Pionoeer BDP170->PCM->rdac->NAD 375BEE->PSB T5

Thinking of -> Marantz NA6005->PCM->rdac->NAD 375BEE->PSB T5

Please suggest, I am so confused and lost.. will it make any difference sine I will be feeding the ditigal signal over co-axial to rdac

Fyi,

Marantz NA6005 has : CS4398 DAC
rdac : Wolfson 8741 DAC
 
Last edited:
santosh4 said:
Frnds,

I need a quick infor, I am going to Purchase Marantz NA6005 which helps me play network flac files. I have rcam rdac with me, I am confused now. If I spend on Marantz NA6005 and connect it to my rdac will it be waste of money since I dont use the Dac of Marantz?

Current setup -> Pionoeer BDP170->PCM->rdac->NAD 375BEE->PSB T5

Thinking of -> Marantz NA6005->PCM->rdac->NAD 375BEE->PSB T5

Please suggest, I am so confused and lost.. will it make any difference sine I will be feeding the ditigal signal over co-axial to rdac

Fyi,

Marantz NA6005 has : CS4398 DAC
rdac : Wolfson 8741 DAC
Click to expand...

Their is a thread by a Hyderbad based FM (sorry missed his name) who has similar setup and a long thread discussing on his views/changes etc with both internal 6005 DAC and then moving on to Schiit DAC I think. Check it out.
 
Santosh,

You are in a classic pickle situation :)
I assume the ArCAM rDAC you have currently is the non wireless version.
Once you commit and but Marantz NA6005, only one of 4 things will happen.

1. Marantz DAC sounds better than rDAC - sell the rDAC
2. Marantz DAC sounds similar to rDAC - sell the rDAC
3. Marantz DAC is slightly inferior to rDAC - sell the rDAC (see below)
4. Marantz DAC is bad!! - unlikely for such an "acclaimed" product

If you are stuck in situation 3, for 15 days keep telling yourself
"I did a good thing, I simplified, I went wireless"
Your brain will remap itself and be satisfied eventually.

If you do replace rDAC with NA6005, please post your listening experiences.

Cheers,
Raghu
 
Have you listened to the Marantz or is it a blind buy?
If you have the chance to audition it, do this.
Carry you rDAC to demo place, connect it to any AVR/IA analog input
Connect NA6005 to another analog input.
Connect headphones and check the performance. This will give you pretty good idea about the similarities and differences.
-Raghu
 
Ah. Then you have to make a call based on your research and gut feel.
Sorry buddy, I am not being very helpful.
-Raghu
 
santosh4 said:
No I havent, and there is no way I can hear it in bangalore, there is no place they sell this stuff.
Click to expand...

This is strange. Hard to believe there are no Marantz dealers in Bangalore. A quick search reveals the following service center:

M/s Arn System Pvt Ltd,
133,Coronation Royale, 1 Floor,
Promenade Road, Fraser Tower,
Bangalore-560005
Bangalore, Karnataka.
Ms Farida : 09731275633
Ms Asma : 08041289378

Have you checked The Home Theater Store. May be Bangalore FMs can help you.
 
manniraj said:
Their is a thread by a Hyderbad based FM (sorry missed his name) who has similar setup and a long thread discussing on his views/changes etc with both internal 6005 DAC and then moving on to Schiit DAC I think. Check it out.
Click to expand...

That would be me.

To me the Bifrost is much nicer.

Enough to stop worrying about the spend on a DAC inside my PM6005 doing nothing :rolleyes:

Remember that the PM6005 is not a dog of a DAC (and it is the same as in the CD player with the same number) to begin.

The differences are all subtle, in imaging, detail and such like .subtle but definite. apparent even to an indifferent listener (ie the type who really don't care if it were blaring off a temple ke baahar wala bhonpoo type speaker or something somewhat more expensive and hifi). Ofc, this subtlety will show up only after careful positioning, room treatment AND/OR DRC etc has been attended to. If that has to be done, don't sweat it too much, there are far bigger issues to worry about. YMMV ofc.

If I were to do it again I'd keep away from buying something with a DAC inside

ciao
gr
 
Last edited:
Are you talking about PM6005? I am talking about NA6005, just want to know if your review holds the same.
 
santosh4 said:
Are you talking about PM6005? I am talking about NA6005, just want to know if your review holds the same.
Click to expand...

I have not heard the NA6005, so I'd say I'm likely to be correct directionally.

FTR I am completely convinced about my "If I were to do it again I'd keep away from buying something with a DAC inside" thought. To me that (the DAC) is what matters the most

ciao
gr
 
Thats a good catch, basically I want to avoid switching my TV to browse the network folders NA6005 has onboard display.. that will help me a lot, since I use network to play all my flac stored on my NAS

I just want to browse the folders on my system without switching on my TV.. My pioneer is connected to my TV as of now. I need to avoid it.
 
Well ...
If your worry is switching on the TV and keeping it on, have you tried this?
Turn on TV; browse to your playlist; start playing; and turn off the panel (not power).
Most TVs have this feature - panel off.
Any button touch on the TVs remote will turn the panel back on.

Not the perfect solution; but will save you some money and agony of switching electronics and wondering whether you like the new element or not.

Cheers,
Raghu
 
santosh4 said:
I just want to browse the folders on my system without switching on my TV
Click to expand...

Oh like thataa ! I use an app on my mobile to select/ play / control fb2k if want my "computer screen" (ie a 32" telly) off.

I don't do this too often but I find it works well when I have my brows tightly furrowed trying to tell whether the singer licked upper or lower lip, for which I need to have that huge slab of glass smothered with a blanket.

ciao
gr
note to self : must remember that I am posting on an open forum
 
Santosh,

If I understand correctly:
- Arcam rDAC is good to your ears
- Pioneer is doing the job of letting you browse thru your network and play whatever you want
- only drawback is BDP needs a display device (TV in your case) to do its thing

If you buy NA6005:
- BDP may be retired of network access duty for audio, but still will do BD/DVD duty
- rDAC may become redundant (depends on how good Marantz DAC is to your ears)

Have I got it right so far?

Cheers,
Raghu
 
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