[Xoton]

I'm going to pick up the Oppo980, as I understand it's a pretty decent source...but I figured I need a good DAC.

I was looking at the Music Fidelity V-DAC, for $300. Is it worth it?

Is there anything for $200 or so that would be fine?

 

[MikeW]

valab dac is 200$ also, in this configuration the oppo would be a transport, not a source.

 

[Xoton]

Would the V-DAC be worth it? Or would the Oppo do just fine.

Or...get the V-DAC and just keep my Panasonic F87 dvd player.

 

[MikeW]

do you need a transport? a pc works fine as a transport, also any cd player or dvd player. The Oppo is a good product, but might be overkill just as a Transport. I think i'd rather have a Squeezebox and DAC if I was going that route.

 

[Xoton]

Thanks for you help! I'm not sure what a Squeezebox is actually.

Now I'm thinking of just getting the Oppo and not getting a DAC. which seems like a low cost option to upgrade my Panasonic dvd player.

 

[malldian]

From what I have read the magic in the Oppo comes from using them as a source not a transport.

 

[MikeW]

well, I own the OPPO 980H, and the Valab DAC, as well as X-Fi soundcard. The oppo has a slight edge on the X-Fi, but it's no match for valab dac.

 

[julius_the_cat]

I purchased the 980H for the picture quality and its ability to decode multichannel sound eg DTS or DD. I would not have purchased it if I was only planning to use the SPDIF (optical or coaxial) digital output for stereo listening only.

 

[gordolindsay]

Well if you get the Oppo you are able to play ANY format and then add the dac for cd playback on it.

 

[julius_the_cat]

True. Guess it depends on how much interest the OP has in the available SACD (or DVD-A) titles and whether he plans on two channel or multi channel playback.

 

[Xoton]

Well I do have interest in SACD and DVD-Audio. But my main interest is just getting a decent affordable source. I might be better off just getting a good entry level dac like the V-dac and using what ever transport (my laptop, my existing dvdplayer.)

Would getting a decent dac be the best way to go then?

EDIT: I guess my real question then is this....will plopping down 300 bones for the VDAC give me a noticable improvement in these areas...

1. Better than my Panasonic DVD player's internal dac
2. Better than The DAC in my Onkyo receiver (RT510)
3. And would the best thing be to use it as a DAC via USB with my laptop as transport?

Does this make sense?

 

[iriverdude]

A cheap DAC may not be a upgrade with the Oppo or over your Onkyo, and even if it is, still Onkyo av amp in the chain. But it may do if you have several cheap & nasty devices with digital out- a good way to improve sound quality. Ultimely though your Onkyo may hold you back, they're way behind stereo only amps.

If you get the Oppo I'd save up for a stereo integrated amp and use them for your mains. You can then look into a quality DAC - but remember DAC are only 2 channel so for multi-channel SACD, DVD-Video or DVD-Audio you will have to use the analogue sections on the Oppo, or the DAC /processing in the Onkyo.

 

[MikeW]

I think if you are wise, and do a little research, and know what your buying, you can buy a dac for 200-400 that easily best the Oppo's stereo analog out. The oppo is excellent for everything else, no doubt, I love mine, but if we are talking pure stereo sound quality, like I said, it is no match for my 200$ valab dac. and it is true it plays dvd-a and sacd, but it does not play back flac or ape audio, which is a big drawback for me, though you can hook a portable hard drive up to it, which is also very nice.

 

[Xoton]

Cool, thanks for everyone's help. I just overnighted a V-DAC (arrived this afternoon). And well,...wow. I'm running USB out of my laptop, and I'm really hearing some great stuff. I haven't hooked it up to my DVD player coax yet (to lazy to play wires)...but I'm really hearing great clean, powerful, crisp stuff right now!

I literally just plugged this thing in...about an hours worth so far. A good DAC was clearly needed for me -- I think I made the right choice. I'm running the V-DAC into my SR-71 and 650s.

Really nice.