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A Newcomer to Digital Looking to Upgrade My Dac, Tubes? Ideas?

Being a relative newcomer to digital downloads and playback, I love the convenience when I am looking for a short music session and don't feel like going through my vinyl. I find the digital quality pretty good, but looking to upgrade my dac to get some additional warmth into my playback, I'm thinking maybe a tube dac, not sure what I should spend but cost wise was thinking of $ 2,000.00 as a budget. Not sure if such a dac exists, or if you have suggestions. I have built up a pretty good collection of both PCM and DSD HD music, mostly copies of what I have on vinyl but the vinyl has seen better days. Currently I am using a TEAC UD-501, tube preamp- (Schiit Mjolnir 2), Amp.- (Adcom 555se), Balanced throughout usually through my PC but I also use my portable through the coax to the dac. Speakers are Wilson Benesch Square 2. Unfortunately I have an L shaped listening room, which seconds as our living room, typical of what you find in a condo, volume levels are generally low to medium, to spare the neighbours, and I split my time between the speakers and headphones.
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Showing 1 response by petaluman

petaluman
140 posts
 
If I read between the lines right, you're using the Teac as a sort of digital switcher, but your most common source is a computer (desktop or portable). From a SQ perspective, you'll get the biggest improvement by not using your computer to convert the digital file to PCM.  Your excellent sound system is being held hostage by a cheap IC before the signal even reaches it.

This can be done by connecting a full-featured streamer like the Aurender, BlueSound, etc or an endpoint device like the ultraRendu.directly to your network.  How are you playing the files on the computer right now?
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