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Onkyo 875/876 receiver as a DAC/Amp

post #1 of 5
2/25/09 at 8:21pm
Thread Starter 
I'm planning on driving my phones out of a current onkyo receiver most probably a 876. It will mainly power my speakers but for much of my night listening/movie watching I'll use my phones. Does anyone know how a modern receiver functions as a DAC or DAC+AMP?
If need be, Ill just use the analog outs on the receiver into a separate head amp, if the sound will be better this way. Or, is the headamp section on a decent receiver good enough for movies and some music. The DACs on the 876 are BB1796a, so I figure they are pretty good to use.

Basically I'm trying to skimp a bit, so if I can run my dt880s well from my receiver I can wait a bit to get separate headphone components. I also have a xm5 on the way, and thats supposed to be a pretty good amp in its own right. Any suggestions are welcome, just a newbie trying to work things out.
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post #2 of 5
2/25/09 at 10:21pm
I have a similar question.

I want to use my computer as a digital source for my Marantz integrated amplifier (no digital input). I was going to purchase a stand-alone DAC, but the folks at my audio shop recommended I pick up an AV receiver with pre-outs in order to take advantage of (1) the headphone output, (2) the AVRs room-correction function and (3) its radio tuner (that bit holds no advantage for me).

Is there a downside to using an AVR as a DAC?
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post #3 of 5
9/16/10 at 5:14am

Thought I would bump this thread

 

I have an Onkyo TX-SR876, using their VLSC "smoothing" systems and Burr Brown PCM1796 DAC's

 

I have read some review that claim it to have good sound (and I have been enjoying it...)

 

Question is: Has anyone compared this type on internal DAC within a mid-top end receiver (onkyo or integra preferably!) to a good external DAC (say something around the $500 mark)?

 

I am currently using the AVR as a DAC and trying out various permutations and combinations of Headamps, AVR HP Jack, Headphones connected to speaker out via Headtap... etc...

 

But this is all focusing on the amping - I am somewhat concerned that if my DAC is not sufficiently transparent I might have to redo many many hours (days, weeks) of testing .

 

My Headphones are Vintage Revox 3100 (1986 OEM Beyer DT880pro 600ohm)

 

So anyone out there compared dacs this way?

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post #4 of 5
1/31/11 at 9:28am

I'll dig this one up too, I am curious about the typical quality of the headphone amp section in receivers.  I assume the headphone amp section is separate and apart from the regular power amp, and therefore wouldn't be directly proportional in quality (as in, a very nice integrated amp may not have a very nice headphone amp built in.)  Any knowledgeable input out there?

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post #5 of 5
2/2/11 at 4:09am

I managed to dig up the technical service manual for the 876.

 

The diagram is a fairly standard (and reputable) NE5134 with class A buffer stage design.

 

So in terms of design it is a good one certainly up with $200-$300 headphone amps and perhaps better due to the ample power supply.

 

Constraints are most likely:

 

1) Noise generated by the digital circuitry filtering into the headamp (through the psu, ground or by EMI/RFI ?)

2) DAC quality.

 

I think the biggest question mark is DAC quality, and the two main factors in that are PSU quality (Noise, ripple etc...) and Clock accuracy. (And Clock accuracy is often associated with PSU as well...)

 

I have not had the ability or opportunity to Audition a true benchmark DAC to compare to the Onkyo, so I can make no comments outside of that....

 

But it is a good sounding box, and although I purchased a Matrix Headphone amp - I feel that it is not a huge "wow" step up, but it is in fact a step up. (possibly simply due to the seperate PSU, and seperate circuits - greater distance perhaps from the digital noise?)

 

Also the Matrix allowed me to "play" with different opamps and opamp biasing into class A - which also improves Sound Quality... so another incremental step up....

 

BUT - the Matrix is a $300 headphone amp + opamps and adapters $60 - so it is a $360 heaphone specialised amp, versus an AVR that can be purchased still under warranty for around $600.... and has a headphone amp, power amp, ADC, DAC, surround processor etc etc... it is to be expected that the Matrix outperforms the Onkyo AVR - what is truly remarkable is by how little it is outperformed.

 

bye for now

 

David

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