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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 


andy727

Showing 1 response by scottscottsdale

scottscottsdale
103 posts
 
Andy, 

Thank you for your post.  It seems I am on the same journey of exploration.   I have a Harman Kardon AVR 3700 as my “preamp”.  I have a PS Audio S300 amp, bi-wired to JBL Studio 590s. No center channel (my wife enjoys very full sound).  The surrounds are Infinity R152.  Source is Apple TV TIdal.  So we are very similar in our approach. 
I too feel strongly that the DAC in the AVR is letting the side down.  I auditioned a streaming integrated with Hime Theater Bypass, but I could not justify the incremental increase. 
My next stop is the Bluesound. There is a good review of it from yesterday which you no doubt have seen. BTW. The version of Beethoven’s 5th mentioned in that review is sublime.  After all, it is about the music. 

Looking ahead, I likely will try the PS Audio Stellar Gain Cell DAC with the Bluesound as the source.  
Regarding speaker placement, sadly I am able to pull them 5 ft away from the wall and it makes a huge difference.  They sit on 90 year old hard wood planks.

Thanks again for starting this thread as it is very helpful. 
Working from home alone, music has been my salvation. Having most of the world’s music at my finger tips is priceless. 
Keep safe everyone. 
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