Both DACs are mediocre at best IMO. Get a separate Metrum or Audio Note DAC and feed it with a low jitter source, like a server reclocked with a Synchro-Mesh. Get a Prima Luna tube amp instead and buy replacement tubes on ebay for it.
DAC Confusion
Just picked up a used Bluesound N100 at a local HiFi store in my parts that was listed here. Mentioned to the sales guy that I am starting fresh with a new system and need amplification. He suggested an integrated amp with a built-in DAC (NAD 368). Here’s my question: aside from the relative merits of that NAD unit, why would I need a built-in DAC when the N100 has its own DAC? He claimed the NAD DAC is superior to the one in the N100 and thus worth the extra $ I’d be paying compared with an integrated without a DAC. Hmmmm.... really? I know there can be qualitative, significant differences in performance between DACs, but between the one in the NAD 368 vs the N100? I’m a bit skeptical, and he didn’t seem too eager to let me do a listening test.
Bottom line, I gotta buy an integrated and my shelf space (and budget) is a bit tight, so if I’m gonna go the “Swiss army knife” route (to borrow a phrase from a related thread), it’s gonna be for a built-in phono stage for my LPs, not a redundant built-in DAC.
BTW, this will be driving a pair of efficient bookshelf speakers so I don’t need a ton of power. Of course, I mentioned that to the sales guy and he argued that I should buy as much power now as I could afford, to “future-proof” my purchase in case I decide to upgrade to more difficult-to-drive speakers later on.
That’s when I left the store ;)
Sorry for the long-winded post. I’m a newbie and my head is spinning a bit over all of this.
Bottom line, I gotta buy an integrated and my shelf space (and budget) is a bit tight, so if I’m gonna go the “Swiss army knife” route (to borrow a phrase from a related thread), it’s gonna be for a built-in phono stage for my LPs, not a redundant built-in DAC.
BTW, this will be driving a pair of efficient bookshelf speakers so I don’t need a ton of power. Of course, I mentioned that to the sales guy and he argued that I should buy as much power now as I could afford, to “future-proof” my purchase in case I decide to upgrade to more difficult-to-drive speakers later on.
That’s when I left the store ;)
Sorry for the long-winded post. I’m a newbie and my head is spinning a bit over all of this.