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Future DACs with Fibre Optical

I am going to need a DAC in Sept - Dec 2023 timeframe. I sold 2 Musetec 005's and 2 Sonore OpticalRendu's this week to buy a used Lumin X1. I am happy with the move since it replaced a bunch of boxes and streaming LPS's.

I was planning to use the Lumin X1 with my Livingroom  speakers direct to amp. However, when I tried the X1 with my Benchmark LA4 preamp and AHB2 monos I did not want it to leave the office system. It is rather nice combo to my KEF LS50 Meta speakers.

The main reason I got the X1 was the fibre optic streaming input. It is an excellent streamer to the internal DAC and also my external Benchmark DAC3B (used for headphones). I think the OpticalRendu maybe a touch better streaming, but both are great.

I kept 1 extra Sonore OpticalRendu around for a future DAC. Though I would prefer to find a DAC with built-in streaming fibre like the Lumin X1. Are there any upcoming DACs or upgrades to existing DACs that will incorporated fibre input streaming, like the Lumin X1?

My thinking on this is to use the remaining OpticalRendu streamer with either another  Musetec 005 or Mola Mola Tambaqui or get another Lumin X1 to go fibre. The X1 will also go direct to amp and the Musetec 005 and Tambaqui would be paired with a 2nd LA4 preamp. So that is a lot of boxes if I do not go Lumin X1  fibre again. In the Livingroom, a lot of living goes on, so I want to have as few boxes (or small form factor so easy to hide).

It would be very convenient if new DACs came with fibre. It is generally agreed that fibre is an excellent way to stream. I personally only stream fibre.

yyzsantabarbara

Showing 2 responses by sns

sns
3,003 posts
 

I doubt there is a large market for this, most dac manufacturers assume one will do all the rendering via large variety of streamers. Already not that many ethernet streaming dacs around, optical users likely a small minority of that minority. Still, doesn't mean won't happen, I'd just not expect this to be widely adopted.

 

Since you are fiber, you should check out Finisar transceiver upgrade for FMC and OpticalRendu, I recently went to 1475 version and AfterDark Ref optical cable to my OpticalModule and OR, major, major upgrade!

 

 

sns
3,003 posts
 

@yyzsantabarbara Yep, that is correct package. I could see this Finisar as great upgrade for any fiber capable device with removable transceiver, problem is there have been instances of incompatibility. I'd estimate this upgrade to OpticalRendu at something like 25% improvement over stock, that 25% could be in actuality a game changer. I heard improved resolution/transparency within minutes of insertion, longer term will hear more analog like presentation, more ease and relaxation, lowering jitter at the transceiver has real world consequences, very impressed. At this point I'm finished with streaming upgrades, nothing left to do and no desire to change out a thing. Going back to vinyl side, have a number of recent purchases to install, trying to get my vinyl back to being worth my time.

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