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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
rkny

Showing 1 response by mapman

mapman's avatar
mapman
22,809 posts
 
Dstrimbu,

I have just started experimenting with a music server and the Roku Soundbridge. I find your post very encouraging!

Yesterday, I installed the Firefly server, ripped a test disk to .wav using loss less FLAC encoding, and am able to plback individual cuts from the PC/laptop via wireless connection from the Roku. It seems to sound good but haven't tried critical listening yet.

One problem I have is I have not figured out how to get the Roku to recognize complete albums and atists in addition to individual songs.

Soundwise, I'm considering running digital coax out from the Soundbridge to a separate DAC (Benchmark maybe) and then use my G-Snake IC from DAC to pre-amp and see where it goes from there.
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