Digital music questions


I'm somewhat new to hi res digital audio and I'm looking for some tips. I have been building my system and have purchased McIntosh c2700, which has a DAC built in, a 462 amp, and B&W 802d4s. Using Apple Music, I have been streaming music through a Macbook Pro via a USB cable to the DAC of the c2700 preamp.

The McIntosh preamp states the streaming quality is 44.1 kHz, which seem to be the low end of high-res streaming. I currently have so many subscriptions, including Sirius XM for the cars and Apple Music for my family, and more recently Nugs for concerts, (not to mention video subscriptions...seems it never ends), so I was hoping not to add another paid subscription.

That being said, am I leaving a lot on the table? Would a dedicated streamer sound a lot better than the Macbook Pro? Are there streamers without DACs, so I can use the McIntosh DAC without purchasing redundant equipment? I understand I cannot use Apple Music to get high res audio to the preamp, as they only provide it through Apple equipment at this time. Can I get a streamer that uses the DAC of the c2700 preamp? Finally, do I then need to add another subscription, such as Tidal or Qobuz, to get high res audio? 

Thanks....it's a lot of questions, but I'm sure someone here can help!

cmb13

Showing 1 response by kerrybh

There are endless options, but as others have said you will have a much better experience moving on from your PC, I started with Bluesound  and now use a DCS Bartok. The point I would make is that the Bartok is really good in my opinion but also really expensive. While it's much better than the Bluesound, as you would expect given the price difference, that doesn't mean the Bluesound is bad, in fact, I always thought it's a great bargain for what you get. Decent streamer and DAC and very easy to use for not a ton of money. 
 

not a bad way to start and miles better than PC. From there, there are many, many choices at every price point and I suspect you'll be on the upgrade path at some point but nothing wrong with an affordable start like the Bluesound- you'll appreciate the improvement. Would also highly recommend going with Qobuz or Tidal- I think you'll find that an appreciable improvement for the dollars invested. I prefer Qobuz but both are good