[slash]

Tell me about your experience connecting a DAC directly into an amplifier.

I plan to use my MacMini 800Gb CD ripped library with iTunes ALAC to feed the DAC with a direct connection into a Pass Labs XA.8 amplifier. The .8 has both single ended RCA and Balanced connections. This system will be stand alone and minimalist with no other source. In the future, if I like what I hear, the plan is to connect a blu-ray player, for movie nights, and eliminate a Yamaha YSP4000 Soundbar, currently used for all music play.

I do not stream music today and rely upon my library and CKUA.com for 100% of my listening through HDMI connector.

Let me know what you use, or, recommend for a Streaming DAC solution or at the minimum a DAC. Also, which connectors to consider. Neutral to slightly warm is what my ear likes so almost for certain I plan to use copper throughout.

Also, if I were to replace iTunes what software should I consider loading into the MacMini and what effort is required to convert my ripped library to your recommendation.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts... I am open to all ideas.

 

[Ciggavelli]

Tell me about your experience connecting a DAC directly into an amplifier.

I plan to use my MacMini 800Gb CD ripped library with iTunes ALAC to feed the DAC with a direct connection into a Pass Labs XA.8 amplifier. The .8 has both single ended RCA and Balanced connections. This system will be stand alone and minimalist with no other source. In the future, if I like what I hear, the plan is to connect a blu-ray player, for movie nights, and eliminate a Yamaha YSP4000 Soundbar, currently used for all music play.

I do not stream music today and rely upon my library and CKUA.com for 100% of my listening through HDMI connector.

Let me know what you use, or, recommend for a Streaming DAC solution or at the minimum a DAC. Also, which connectors to consider. Neutral to slightly warm is what my ear likes so almost for certain I plan to use copper throughout.

Also, if I were to replace iTunes what software should I consider loading into the MacMini and what effort is required to convert my ripped library to your recommendation.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts... I am open to all ideas.

On some dacs (like the DAVE, which isn't streaming), you can just put it in dac mode and it bypasses the volume section (which is the pre-amp part).

 

[slash]

I adjusted the post above to include DAC with Volume Control

 

[Ciggavelli]

Yeah, forgot to mention the DAC needs a volume control feature and the Dave is long gone.

You should change the title to streaming dac with a pre-amp function. Volume control is a pre-amp.

Maybe a DCS Bartok or Mola Mola Tambaqui?

 

[Crashem]

Based on what you have said, not sure this is best place to post such a question given this is a headphone focused website. Maybe give some more info on speakers/headphones and details on setup. But I’ll try to give some advice.

First off, you need something with preamp functions. Preamp has two basic functions: Routing your signal and volume control. If you are planning on just your dac into amp, then routing not important but unless you want to plug and unplug wires, you won’t be able to get your blue ray player on movie nights. As for volume control, this is an incredibly important feature as volume control is where you can lose a lot of your music quality. Given what you have said, I assume your Yamaha sound bar is acting as your preamp but I doubt it will handle your pass amp. I guess you could use iTunes for volume control, but it is basically crap.

So back to your dac direct to amp question. This means you basically need to get a dac with preamp functionality. First off look at how the dac does volume control (Digital or analog) and you have to have one that does. Almost any decent dac with volume control will crush iTunes volume control or the Yamaha. Also, have you heard something with a great volume control and do you prefer analog or digital ones? 2nd, given you are talking about hooking up other devices, getting a dac that can accept the needed inputs which will either be some digital input or maybe even an analog pass through. So more details on what connections you need would be helpful. Finally, pay attention to output impedance (which shouldn’t be big issue) and how “hot“ the output of the dac is and that it will be compatible with your pass.

Just a side comment. People often times think dac to amp is more “pure.” That technically really isn‘t true. You still need preamp functionality. It’s just that the DAC has it inside it. yes a preamp involves more complicated setup and those all expensive wires and cost of preamp itself. But I have found a good preamp will beat a direct to amp setup. The preamp functionality on a dac will always be an afterthought compared to the core dac functionality. Where a separate preamp, you know the designers concentrated solely on the preamp functionality. Doesn’t mean a dac’s preamp won’t beat a separate preamp.

 

[chesebert]

Tell me about your experience connecting a DAC directly into an amplifier.

I plan to use my MacMini 800Gb CD ripped library with iTunes ALAC to feed the DAC with a direct connection into a Pass Labs XA.8 amplifier. The .8 has both single ended RCA and Balanced connections. This system will be stand alone and minimalist with no other source. In the future, if I like what I hear, the plan is to connect a blu-ray player, for movie nights, and eliminate a Yamaha YSP4000 Soundbar, currently used for all music play.

I do not stream music today and rely upon my library and CKUA.com for 100% of my listening through HDMI connector.

Let me know what you use, or, recommend for a Streaming DAC solution or at the minimum a DAC. Also, which connectors to consider. Neutral to slightly warm is what my ear likes so almost for certain I plan to use copper throughout.

Also, if I were to replace iTunes what software should I consider loading into the MacMini and what effort is required to convert my ripped library to your recommendation.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts... I am open to all ideas.

I run my Linn streamer/dac directly into amp and I think it sounds fantastic. Linn Akurate DS (Katalyst) -> Ayre V5xe I use my ipad for both music selection and volume control. I actually had an integrated before I ran straight into power amp and I like the sound running direct. I sold the integrated and stuck with Linn going directly into the power amp. The integrated was Ayre AX-5 Twenty (not exactly budget gear)

I will get the Pass Labs mono when I get a bigger place down the road. Linn and Pass Labs also work well together. Enjoy!

 

[livebylake]

I would like to share my recent experience.

I built my stereo system about 7 years ago with the following:
Auralic Aries Femto -> Esoteric K-03X (as DAC) -> Audio Research Preamp Ref 5SE -> PassLab XA 100.8 -> Wilson Sasah

The system sounds wonderful for me. Later as the family grows, I did not have much time to listen to it anymore, so I started to downgrade it to a more headphone-oriented system. I sold the 5SE, K-03X quickly and got the Hugo TT2. The result is really stunning, I do not think I lose anything with TT2 which costs 1/5 of the original. I have a lot of DSDs, so I never tried the optical output of K-03X and TT2 (both manuals never mention DSD, only PCM). The last couple of days, I tried a $8 cable from Amazon, it can do PCM 192Khz and DSD 64 too! What a wonderful surprise! I only have two downloaded DSD128, all the others are ripped DSD64 from SACD disks, so I was able to get rid of USB related stuff (USB cables, the Regen and its power supply), with the newly acquired LCD-5, the results are really stunning. I am so happy I am able to "modernize" my 7-year-old system with "best" headphone I like with less components and have $5000 back to my pocket.

Without Head-Fi and other good sites, I won't be able to do this. Really appreciate it.