What points to the Marantz as a root cause of your dissatisfaction?
What’s your budget for the improvements you’re planning to make?
DAC league table
A little lost in this world of technical audiophilia, I need a bit of help finding my way.
I have a Marantz streamer with (I think...) an ES Sabre 9016 Ultra Dac as its beating heart. Unhappy with the streamer as whole and thinking of separating out the functions of streaming, DAC and pre-amping, which DACs are better than this one? How do I find out, what specs might tell me?
Onward kit: Acoustics Masterpiece valve amp (used as a power amp), Monitor Audio Gold 200 speakers. Listening interest: vocals, instruments, clarity of sound, although a decent bass response never goes amiss. Source, streaming from tidal or Qobuz.
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Innumerable DACs are probably "better." There is no obvious "tell" from specs. You have to find what you like to listen to. There are many "on approval" options available now for audition. Referring to the title, there will never be a DAC SQ table, too subjective. Try another, it may not be a DAC problem. |
I don't like HEOS, the app which operates the Marantz. I'd prefer to control from my computer, and would like a better way of cataloguing the music I like. I'm guessing the Marantz has a resale value of 600 sterling / euro. Buying a DAC / pre-amp for the same or a bit more, say up 1000 sterling or euro would be within budget. |
One potential candidate would be the ifi idsd https://ifi-audio.com/products/neo-idsd/ But overall a 1000 is a tough budget to get an improvement over a similarly priced marantz when talking DAC/Streamer/Preamp combo. Look into Roon to see if you like it as a controller /cataloging software.
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- 23 posts total