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New to HiFi, need digital advice.

I am not an audiophile but I recently acquired a really nice high end system for free. (AR LS16 preamp, Madrigal Proceed HPA2 amp, Arcam CD92 CD player, Aerial Acoustics 7B tower speakers.  I have been learning as much as I can over the last week since I got it.

Now I'm trying to figure out how to put together a decent but not necessarily high end digital input system for as little money as possible.

So here is my plan. I know it is not high end and probably not commensurate with my system but hopefully will meet my needs:

Old iMac using iTunes to manage flac or alac files plugged into Schiit Modi 2 via USB cable and then into preamp via USB cable. I can us Apple's remote app on my iPhone to select/play music remotely (Works great).

Does this sound reasonable? If so it will only cost me about $100 for the Schiit DAC and $25 for a decent set of RCA cables (already purchased) and whatever I might need to spend on the USB cable. Anything I should know about the USB cable for this?

Thanks for the advice and apologies for my ignorance in all of this.

George
n80
mesch
1,679 posts
 
+1 clio09. Start out using itunes then consider other playback programs. Rip your CDs as AIFF files. Buy the little Schiit DAC you proposed, a Belden Gold USB cable, and a pair of Audioquest Evergreen interconnects used, no longer than needed. The DAC will serve streaming as well. 
audioengr
3,282 posts
 

Another dumb question: How do I get streaming from my computer into the pre-amp? Would this also require a DAC?

The Shiit DAC would work.  I you got one of the microrendu devices from Sonore, you can go from Ethernet to USB to the Shiit DAC.

Then you can use Ethernet/WIFI from your computer to your Router and Ethernet to the Rendu.  Then USB cable from Rendu to the DAC.  This will allow you to use apps like Amazon Prime music, Linn Kazoo or Roon/Tidal to drive the DAC.  Most audiophiles use Roon/Tidal.

Steve N.

Empirical Audio

n80 OP
1,227 posts
 
Okay, so I'm testing the waters. Trying to tell what's going to be real and important to me and what isn't.

So, I brought the old iMac down and ripped Synchronicity by the Police into it using the computer's CD drive. AIFF file. Then played it back through the headphone jack with a 'y' cable (a good one) and it just did not sound good. Put the actual CD into the CD player and compared them back and forth. The difference is huge. Of course.

I know I'm comparing worst case vs best case but it does tell me.....I think... that there is no sense spending time and money running stuff through iTunes and a headphone jack.

I might try to upgrade the OS on the iMac to where it will run Bitperfect through the Schiit DAC. I realize that is still low end....but it will have to be better than what I just heard.

mahler123
633 posts
 
@n80 know I’m being pedantic, but technically CDs are “digital”.  A CD player is actually a very specialized computer, optimized to extract digital information from spinning disc, and then convert those 0s and 1s into analog sound, and feed that analog signal into a preamp.  Some have additional functionality, in that their DACs can be accessed by other digital sources, or can send their own digital feed into another DAC, but it’s all digital, regardless.
   CDs may be “old school “ but that doesn’t make them inferior.  In fact, after trying the Mac&DAC route, or using a dedicated music server such as Bluesound, I am realizing that most digital replay is at best, equal to be the best CD players, and frequently not up to that standard.
  If you are happy with your current CD setup, it may not be wise to go down the road that you have embarked upon.  After all, there has never been a better time to collect CDs, as the major labels are dumping their back catalogs at bargain basement prices, and frequently in newly remastered versions to boot
n80 OP
1,227 posts
 
mahler, don't worry about being pedantic. I do know that CD's are digital (and that apparently my old Arcam player has a 'good' DAC) but otherwise all of this gets very confusing for someone new to it all.

And you may be right about not going down this rabbit hole. But there is an appeal to libraries of music, playlists, etc, right at your fingertips. But I agree, pursuing that appeal at a high level is probably beyond the limited budget I have for this hobby. I will probably spend the rest of it on CDs.

I think one audiophile trait that I have is that I do like to dabble and fiddle with stuff. I've got to put a lid on that. ;-)
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