Should I get a DAC?
Feb 25, 2010 at 9:32 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 8
freddycycle

freddycycle

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Hey,

I'm using a NAD CD player-515BEE with a Firestone Cute Beyond amp.
I'm contemplating getting a Firestone Spitfire DAC. My question is: NAD provides no details about the OP AMPs or DAC inside the 515BEE. Should I assume that those components in the Spitfire are of better quality?

-Thanks
 
Feb 25, 2010 at 10:22 PM Post #2 of 8
everyone should have at least one DAC in their inventory
smily_headphones1.gif
 
Feb 25, 2010 at 11:06 PM Post #3 of 8
Quote:

Originally Posted by freddycycle /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Hey,

I'm using a NAD CD player-515BEE with a Firestone Cute Beyond amp.
I'm contemplating getting a Firestone Spitfire DAC. My question is: NAD provides no details about the OP AMPs or DAC inside the 515BEE. Should I assume that those components in the Spitfire are of better quality?

-Thanks


I do not know how your current CD player compare to the Firestone Spitfire DAC, but the good thing with having a DAC is that you also can get "high end" source when playing files from your computer. So, I agree with .sup - everyone should have a DAC in house
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Feb 25, 2010 at 11:35 PM Post #4 of 8
well now that depends which you prefer the sound of. For sure, the c515bee is a very expensive thing to use simply as a transport.

the firestone uses an LM4562 according to their website, which costs about £1 in bulk (can someone verify this, i can't find a non re-resale price)

the nad c515bee uses a CS4392 which costs about three times more even in high bulk.

(have i confused parts here
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)

ya really should have a DAC for getting music out of your pc though, don't need to get spendy either :p
 
Feb 26, 2010 at 12:08 AM Post #5 of 8
CS4392 is a DAC, not an opamp
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one thing's for sure, there doesn't seem to be a cleaner way to get audio out of a PC than to feed S/PDIF(possibly toslink if you got a cheapo soundcard) to an external DAC running on a dedicated linear regulated PSU....running a DAC stage in an EMI inferno box on a dirty SMPS doesn't seem to make much sense.
 
Feb 26, 2010 at 12:16 PM Post #8 of 8
Your NAD CD player already have a built in DAC.
As for getting an external one, then I say yes. Most external dedicated DACs are of higher quality than built in ones and hence may/will improve the sound quality.
 
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