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DAC OR NO DAC???

I am a newbie here and just getting into hifi and I am sure this is a dumb question but if anyone can comment and help me out?

I am currently listening to a lot of youtube music videos(quality varies) and tidal from my hp laptop via hdmi connect to a marrantz 7704. the 7704 seems to be decoding the signal pretty well. I tried a audioquest dragonfly red and it gave me some interference or something. ( maybe I needed the jitterbug to go with it?) so I returned it and just using the hdmi. Happy with tidal also but really like the music videos. One question is hdmi sound quality not as good as I could get? Can a dac help from this source? a dac to try that uses an hdmi? or should I just forget hdmi? A dac to try for under 500 or should I just wait and spend more? Thanks


My startup system consists of bw 804 d3's ( I do see where people say they are a little bright but so far I am enjoying them:) Marantz 7704, McIntosh mc207, bw 805d3 and htm1d3 for movies, fathom 212 that I turn up for movies and back down for music, source as described above and audio technical at lp5 ( I know it is a cheaper one but wasn't sure how much vinyl I would listen to but I am impressed with the quality of the new vinyl and sound I am currently getting compared to digital) -room 13 x 15 no acoustic treatments yet




rwrightcpa
caphill
496 posts
 
caphill

If you don’t mind me asking what you have in your designated listening room?

Your ht setup is to die for:)

@rwrightcpa

My main 2ch setup and system in my dedicated stereo listening room consists of the following :
* Magico M6 speakers.
* Naim Statement NAP S1 monoblock amps.
* Naim Statement NAC S1 linestage analog preamp.
* Digital front end consists of : DCS Vivaldi full four stacks (Vivaldi master clock, Vivaldi upsampler, Vivaldi DAC, Vivaldi CD/SACD transport).
My Analog front end rigs consist of the following :
* Kronos Pro turntable with dedicated Kronos stand specifically designed for the Kronis Pro.
* 12" Black Beauty tonearm.
* Air Tight PC-1 Supreme mc cartridge.
* Discrete linear class A PSU.
* Audio Research Reference 10 phonostage preamp.
* Shunyata Research Hydra Triton triple combo power products.
Speaker cables are Transparent Magnum Opus. Interconnects and power cables are Transparent Opus.

My bedroom setup consists of the following :
* Naim Uniti Nova.
* B&W 805 D3 stand-mount speakers.
* Audioquest Niagara 1000 power product.
* Shunyata Research Sigma speaker cables.
* Transparent Reference USB cable.
* Audioquest Diamond ethernet cable.
rwrightcpa OP
22 posts
 
caphill

Wow that is impressive. You must be the very small percentage of people that are on this forum to have such a system. Enjoy:)

Thanks again for all of your input and sharing.
caphill
496 posts
 
@rwrightcpa

Make sure you get a really good quality USB cable to connect to the Classe Sigma SSP’s rear USB DAC input for your digital stereo music file playbacks.
It makes huge difference. I recommend either the Transparent Premium, Reference, or Audioquest Diamond. The same with the Ethernet cable, HDMI, analog audio interconnects, speaker cables and power cables.


rwrightcpa OP
22 posts
 
I received the sigma but unfortunately it had some issues and I sent it back. 

I am just going to stick with the 7704 for now and an leaning towards getting the mc 2600 and try a stereo tube pre. The 7704 has pure setting that I can pass through the 2600 rather than use the 2600 all the time.

Any thoughts greatly appreciated. 
caphill
496 posts
 
@rwrightcpa 

what were the issues with the Sigma SSP? 

The McIntosh MC 2600 seems to be a fine choice and will probably mate well with your McIntosh MC207 power amp. 

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