I was in a similar situation, but using an airport express and now a SD Transporter. I purchased a Stello DA 220 MkII dac and there was a very significant improvement. Of course it depends on the rest of your equipment - Your electronics and speakers have to be up to the task for you to hear a difference.
Is a DAC for mp3/AAC noticeably beneficial?
Most of my digital music was ripped at 192kbps, back when I didn't know anything. Not that I know anything now, but these days I do rip to Apple Lossless. However, the bulk of my digital collection remains mid range mp3s and AACs.
I am playing them through an Apple TV, connected via RCA to my preamp. My question is, will a DAC offer a major improvement over plain RCA outs, letting the Apple TV take care of its own decoding? I honestly can't hear much difference between Apple Lossless and 320kbps AAC. I wonder if I have the ears to hear a DAC's improvements.
tia,
Rob
I
I am playing them through an Apple TV, connected via RCA to my preamp. My question is, will a DAC offer a major improvement over plain RCA outs, letting the Apple TV take care of its own decoding? I honestly can't hear much difference between Apple Lossless and 320kbps AAC. I wonder if I have the ears to hear a DAC's improvements.
tia,
Rob
I
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