Andy, another option is a combined DAC-preamp straight into your power amp. Balanced outputs would be nice, too. Could make your budget go further if you get good synergy. Maybe a Mytek Brooklyn or iFi Pro iDSD; the latter offers a tube buffered output and also could conceivably replace the Node as a streamer.
Confused as to where to go next...looking for warmth
I hope this is the right place for this posting. I don't ever post, but do tons of reading and "window shopping." I have gotten myself into a little bit of analysis paralysis. I hope that you guys can help clear up the muddy waters for me!
When listening to music, I am using a Bluesound Node 2i, an upgrade over the Apple TV that I was using. I was using Tidal for both, and now testing a Roon core installed on an Apple computer.
My processor/receiver is an Arcam FMJ AVR 400, but I use it with an external Liberty Audio B2B-100 power amp (200wpc@4ohms), driving an older pair of Totem Forest speakers. I also have a Totem Model 1 signature center for watching tv.
I want to improve the 2 channel sound of the system. My impression is that the Forests and Liberty are very revealing and clean sounding. I don't have the audiophile vocabulary, but I will try. I think the system is lacking something, it sounds dark, maybe on the clinical side. I want the music to better come alive and add some warmth, without sacrificing detail and punch. Hopefully that makes sense.
The Schiit Freya+ has my attention and I have been looking at DACs. The Freya may add the warmth that I am looking for, and I can run it in home theater bypass for watching movies/TV. My DAC research has confounded me, however...
The option I would probably go with, if I didn't decider to tech out to you guys, is to get the Freya+ and Gungnir DAC. That seems like a matched system, eliminates the HT processor from 2 channel listening, and I would think would be a massive improvement.
The DAC confusion started when I started looking at all of the different options out there. Topping D90, Tubadour, MHDT Orchid, etc. So much that I started to doubt the Freya even...
I hope that provides enough detail for what I am trying to accomplish. My budget can be described as towards the best bang for the buck..trying not to spend more than $2000 +/-, hopefully less than that. Open to used. Thanks in advance for your input!
Andy
Dallas, TX
When listening to music, I am using a Bluesound Node 2i, an upgrade over the Apple TV that I was using. I was using Tidal for both, and now testing a Roon core installed on an Apple computer.
My processor/receiver is an Arcam FMJ AVR 400, but I use it with an external Liberty Audio B2B-100 power amp (200wpc@4ohms), driving an older pair of Totem Forest speakers. I also have a Totem Model 1 signature center for watching tv.
I want to improve the 2 channel sound of the system. My impression is that the Forests and Liberty are very revealing and clean sounding. I don't have the audiophile vocabulary, but I will try. I think the system is lacking something, it sounds dark, maybe on the clinical side. I want the music to better come alive and add some warmth, without sacrificing detail and punch. Hopefully that makes sense.
The Schiit Freya+ has my attention and I have been looking at DACs. The Freya may add the warmth that I am looking for, and I can run it in home theater bypass for watching movies/TV. My DAC research has confounded me, however...
The option I would probably go with, if I didn't decider to tech out to you guys, is to get the Freya+ and Gungnir DAC. That seems like a matched system, eliminates the HT processor from 2 channel listening, and I would think would be a massive improvement.
The DAC confusion started when I started looking at all of the different options out there. Topping D90, Tubadour, MHDT Orchid, etc. So much that I started to doubt the Freya even...
I hope that provides enough detail for what I am trying to accomplish. My budget can be described as towards the best bang for the buck..trying not to spend more than $2000 +/-, hopefully less than that. Open to used. Thanks in advance for your input!
Andy
Dallas, TX