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Which digital input to use? Technics SU-R1000 or Technics SL-G700

First of all let me start by saying I've been an avid reader of the forums for quite some time but this is my first thread...

I have both the Technics SU-R1000 (Integrated) and the Technics SL-G700 (CD / SACD & Streamer).

I am using a Raspberry Pi running Roopieee with audio going out through a HiFiBerry Digi+ hat (optical).

I use this for Tidal / Qobuz and also my own digitised CD library.

I know that the  SL-G700 uses a dual mono DAC circuit (AK4497 from Asahi Kasei) but I am unsure of what the SU-R1000 uses.

Question is, which input should I be utilizing?

Digital in to the streamer with analogue out to the amp
Digital in to the amp 

Any opinions appreciated!

Thank you. 
stephencowslip

Showing 5 responses by nonoise

nonoise's avatar
nonoise
10,590 posts
 

A lot of reviewers took it as conventional wisdom that using analog outs on the source would be redundant if everything is converted to digital in the Technics. Michael Lavorgna (twitteringmachines.com) tried it both ways and found he preferred some one way and some the other. 

He implied not to overthink it and just enjoy the best presentation you like. I got the impression that it's going to be different from CD to CD.

All the best,
Nonoise

nonoise's avatar
nonoise
10,590 posts
 
@ja_kub_sz,
Thanks for pointing that out. Practically all the reviews I've read on it had the reviewer assuming that since the Technics immediately digitizes the incoming signal, why bother using the analog inputs from a CD player, as they felt it was too many conversions to take.

One reviewer did do it that way and like you, found it to be different, but not really better or worse. I'm really looking forward to trying Coax, Toslink and Cinch (RCA) inputs. I have a feeling that they will all sound great in their own way. Different, but great.

All the best,
Nonoise
nonoise's avatar
nonoise
10,590 posts
 
@ricevs , Thanks for clearing that up. I only looked at the specs and reviews and looked at the shots and videos of the innards, concentrating on the G700 as I intend to buy the M2 version when it finally comes out in December. 

Though there are few reviews out there, all of them speak well of them.

All the best,
Nonoise
nonoise's avatar
nonoise
10,590 posts
 
As a tribute to the Technics engineers, there’s a lot going on inside this box. It is a credit to their talent that this is no mere chip amp, or basic A/B amplifier, especially for this price. This amplifier is built like a ten-thousand dollar amplifier, albeit a little different than what a lot of you might be used to. The SU-G700 is a digital amplifier. Digital sources stay in the digital domain all the way through, while analog sources are converted to 24-bit/192kHz digital by a Burr-Brown 1804 A/D converter. Keep in mind that anything connected to one of the two analog inputs (including phono) is also converted to digital.
That is from a Tone Audio review and
Analogue input is converted with high precision to a digital signal by the high quality 192-kHz/24-bit A/D converter [Burr-Brown PCM1804 (Texas Instruments)], so the high-purity sound reproduction capability of the full-digital system can be maximised in playing back analogue sources. High-definition switching relays are used for signal switching
.
This is from Technics own website. It's always been the BB 1804. The AKM DAC is used in their SACD/streamer player.

All the best,
Nonoise

nonoise's avatar
nonoise
10,590 posts
 
Every single thing I've read on the SU-G700 and SU-R1000 never mentioned either as having/using an off the shelf DAC. I believe the DAC process was conceived and done by Technics, in house.

All input signals (analog and digital) go through a ADC (Burr Brown PCM1804)and it's only before the speaker outputs is where it's converted back to analog.

Two different retailers that sell them couldn't tell me how the DAC is done except to quote Technics explanation of how they do it in general terms and that it's not an off the shelf DAC. I could be wrong but it's what I found out. 

All the best,
Nonoise
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