In a 2nd system I run a Carver Amp, A hybrid Van Alstine Pre-amp and Sherwood NewCastle CD deck. The speakers are Salk SongTowers. I like this combination real well. Within in the week, added a Musical Fidelity V-DAC, three hundred bucks from Audio Advisor. It is a simple unit, easy to wire in, and the difference in sound is immediate and impressive. If you want to try DAC without spending a fortune, this is the way to go.
Are DACS necessary?
I am not a seasoned audiophile, but doing my best to put together a system that sounds great- on a budget. I have an Oppo BDP-83 Blu-ray player, a Marantz SR7000 receiver, a VortexBox Appliance for streaming FLAC files to a Logitech Duet, which outputs to the Marantz. I am looking into a DAC to increase sound quality from digital files, but have also started thinking about, down the road, investing in a good pre-amp and separate amplifier. If I buy a DAC now, will it eventually be redundant if I get a good pre-amp? Is there any reason why a good quality pre-amp would not include a high quality DAC? (Thinking along the lines of Marantz or perhaps Integra separates). Knowing my budget overall is very limited, I am not shooting for the stars here- just solid sound to my infant ears. I would hate to buy a DAC now only to find I have no need for it next year. Any thoughts or suggestions are most appreciated. Thank you.