DAC/Pre-Amp Advice


Hey all!

Currently at a crossroads in my HiFi adventure. I want to know what you guys would recommend as my next upgrade to my system. Here is the equipment I currently have:

Bluesound Node

Yamaha A-S1200

Sony UBP-X800 (Using this as SACD player)

Rega Planar 2 Turntable

Pair of B&W 704 S2

 

I have had the amp for around 45-60 days now, and I love the sound now that I have had time to burn it in. Mostly stream music from Tidal right now (trying out Qobuz), and play the occasional Record/SACD with the equipment above. I feel the only things I am really desiring in this system is some type of room correction, and subwoofers.

When looking at room correcting software, what all do you guys recommend? With new Preamp/DAC would I need it to support MQA, or would my Node be able to take care of that? Budget is around $2500-3000, but I'm open to frankly any other suggestions. If you guys need any other info please let me know, looking forward to the discussion.

chuck_tamu

We recommend you consider the miniDSP SHD (or Flex) as a pre-amp DAC  with Dirac Live. With Tidal as the digital source going into the miniDSP SHD via LAN. The digital signal remains bit-perfect through all the DSP / Dirac Live processing. This signal is then delivered over the I²S Bus to the SHD’s internal DAC and premium analog output stage, ready to drive and use your Yamaha A-S1200 as a power amplifier.

Diagram 4.  Single Conversion - Roon - miniDSP SHD - Power Amp

 

Please check out our Tech Blogs: https://deercreekaudio.com/tech-blog

and our Tech Videos: https://deercreekaudio.com/tech-videos-1

Deer Creek Audio is an authorized miniDSP dealer.

 

SOIX nailed it with the Gustard R26.  $1650 for BOTH an extraordinary DAC and streamer.  My best system upgrade in 20 yrs.  Denafrips is a great R2R too, but no integrated streamer. . . . for more $$s.  System: Krells, Wilsons, Nola, Esoteric, Dynaudio.

Hey all wanted to provide an update!

 

I readjusted my speakers to be a bit farther from the wall, and toed them out a bit more. I think they were just angled in a bit too much. I also removed the foam plugs in the reflex ports on the back of the speakers that I forgot were in from when I moved back last year. Sound is pretty incredible as of now. I think the Yamaha is continuing to burn in, and sounding better and better.

I have change the networking in the room to eliminate as many wireless signals as possible. I have run a Cat7 cable from my router over to my system area, and have a switch and additional Cat7 cables running to the Node, my TV, my BlueRay/SACD Player and my AppleTV 4k. I’ve also manually turned off all of the WIFI cards in these devices. I’ve also began to use Qobuz, after reading many nasty things about MQA. Thank you all for pointing me in this direction. I have also gone through and cleaned up some of the interconnects in the system to bring them up to a better spec all around.

This has all made a difference to my ears. I probably changed too many things in too small of a window to try and isolate what has turned the corner in me being really happy all in all with the system.

Now onto the prospective new parts:

Went out and trialed a few subwoofers. Definitely believe that the SB-3000 is where I am leaning. It isn’t too big, I prefer the tightness and punchiness of the sealed box, vs the more boomy ported, and the app integration for being to have a DSP to do some correction in the room. I may add a second to the system later, but I have a feeling that will be a massive upgrade.

Finally the DAC. This is such a hard thing to judge off of spec sheets on a computer screen. In an ideal world, I’d buy multiple DAC’s, burn them in, A/B for multiple weeks, and then make my decision. I sadly do not have this luxury. Right now I’m leaning towards the Pontus II. For me, the streamer aspect isn’t a draw. I’d rather just have a dedicated DAC. If I get tired of the N130, I would most likely move to doing a RaPi4 with Roon integration, or something similar. Gustard’s A26 and R26 products peak my interest, but same as well with the Pontus II, and even the Holo Spring 3. I believe based on what I have read, while a DAC won’t completely change the sound of my system, it properly processing the signals to my amp, and limiting the noise coming through, will allow it to portray a better soundstage. I’m still trying to learn about R2R vs DS DAC’s, and which would be a better pairing for my speakers. Thank you all again for the insights you have provided thus far, and I’ll continue to monitor the forums for new products and opinions.