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DAC OR NO DAC???

I am a newbie here and just getting into hifi and I am sure this is a dumb question but if anyone can comment and help me out?

I am currently listening to a lot of youtube music videos(quality varies) and tidal from my hp laptop via hdmi connect to a marrantz 7704. the 7704 seems to be decoding the signal pretty well. I tried a audioquest dragonfly red and it gave me some interference or something. ( maybe I needed the jitterbug to go with it?) so I returned it and just using the hdmi. Happy with tidal also but really like the music videos. One question is hdmi sound quality not as good as I could get? Can a dac help from this source? a dac to try that uses an hdmi? or should I just forget hdmi? A dac to try for under 500 or should I just wait and spend more? Thanks


My startup system consists of bw 804 d3's ( I do see where people say they are a little bright but so far I am enjoying them:) Marantz 7704, McIntosh mc207, bw 805d3 and htm1d3 for movies, fathom 212 that I turn up for movies and back down for music, source as described above and audio technical at lp5 ( I know it is a cheaper one but wasn't sure how much vinyl I would listen to but I am impressed with the quality of the new vinyl and sound I am currently getting compared to digital) -room 13 x 15 no acoustic treatments yet




rwrightcpa

Showing 2 responses by anwar

anwar
119 posts
 
If your source is mainly Youtube videos, you are fine with your existing Marantz 7704 pre/processor as the DAC.  It uses 32 bit AKM 4458VN DAC.  I don't think a sub $500 DAC can be better if the source is not high quality.
anwar
119 posts
 
Op’s original budget for DAC was $500. I completely agree the Marantz 7704 preamp/processor preamp section will be the limitation of the system. Most likely the AV7704 volume control is done by an integrated circuit. But with $500 budget, I don’t see how that can be addressed.

I suggest save until you have bigger budget, then consider adding a dedicated stereo preamp with HT bypass followed by adding an external DAC.

My own journey of combining 2-channel with HT was a painful one (money wasted).  Eventually I settled with semi-DIY passive preamp (fully balanced silver autoformers for 2-channel with another 3-channel copper autoformers for HT channels, working as slaves and will follow stereo volume).  I use Oppo 205 analog outputs for HT, started with Oppo 95 initially, XLR used for main channels.  HT signal processing and channel balance all done in Oppo.  Whether in HT or 2-channel, it's always pure 2-channel audio quality.
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