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Amp/Preamp/DAC Help

post #1 of 5
6/16/11 at 2:05pm
Thread Starter 

I am about to buy some Denon D7000s, and I wanted to know whether a product like the well advertised Burson HA-160D (an amp/preamp/dac) could be connected to my computer and then connected to my D7000s. This way, the HA-160D could act as both an amp and a DAC. Is this possible, or does an amp and a DAC have to be separate components?

Also, in the future, I plan on buying a turntable, and so could the HA-160D act as both a preamp and an amp when connected to the turntable, with my D7000s being the audio output? Or will I have to buy a separate preamp and amp?

Thanks in advance for any answers

 

PS - I'm just using the HA-160D as an example of an amp/preamp/DAC that I know. I have never heard it with the D7000s, so I don't know whether they synergize well. 

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post #2 of 5
6/16/11 at 4:10pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by auhafezi View Post

I am about to buy some Denon D7000s, and I wanted to know whether a product like the well advertised Burson HA-160D (an amp/preamp/dac) could be connected to my computer and then connected to my D7000s. This way, the HA-160D could act as both an amp and a DAC. Is this possible,

 

Yes, if your computer has USB then you can connect it directly to the Burson 

 

Also, in the future, I plan on buying a turntable, and so could the HA-160D act as both a preamp and an amp when connected to the turntable,

 

No - for a turntable you need a phono preamp this has built-in RIAA EQ and much higher gain to cope with the mV level signals coming off a turntable compared to line level which is typically 1 or 2 V.

 

 

with my D7000s being the audio output? Or will I have to buy a separate preamp and amp?

Thanks in advance for any answers

 

PS - I'm just using the HA-160D as an example of an amp/preamp/DAC that I know. I have never heard it with the D7000s, so I don't know whether they synergize well. 



 


Edited by nick_charles - 6/16/11 at 4:14pm
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post #3 of 5
6/17/11 at 3:12am
Thread Starter 

@nick_charles - do I need both an amp and a DAC if I want to listen to music through my computer or will just a DAC suffice?

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post #4 of 5
6/17/11 at 7:55am

Devices like DACs/amps don't need to be separate units. Everything with a headphone-labelled jack usually has a (headphone) amp built in, which doesn't necessarily make it worse than a separate amp (contrary to some people's beliefs).

 

Also, look at the specs of the piece you mentioned which clearly state how much power it can output.


Edited by xnor - 6/17/11 at 7:58am
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post #5 of 5
6/17/11 at 3:20pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by auhafezi View Post

@nick_charles - do I need both an amp and a DAC if I want to listen to music through my computer or will just a DAC suffice?


The Burson is a combination DAC/Amp there are many such devices that will work. A DAC that is just a DAC alone will not as it only outputs a line level signal and has no headphone socket or volume control
 

Here is a cheaper example of a combination DAC/AMP

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/09-NEW-VERSION-ZERO-24-192KHZ-DAC-HEAD-AMP-USB-OPA2604-/110606551605?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19c0aa0a35

 

 

 

 

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