[ssmctrack]

I'm pretty new to audio stuff so I'm hoping somebody here with better knowledge will be able to advise me.

I just got an audiolab MDAC, which I am totally delighted with. It's my first DAC, and also my first headphone amp. I've been having a great time listening to music from my computer with it. But, what I'm wondering is, is there any way I can listen to my vinyl using it too? My turntable is a Rega RP1 hooked up to a Rega Brio R amp. The Brio doesn't have a headphone output which is why I want to use the MDAC. The Brio does have a "record output" that should be a lower-power output, but I don't think it's digital so I don't know if I could plug it into any of the MDAC's inputs. Could I use some kind of converter or something without losing too much signal?
 
Ancilliary questions about the MDAC: 1) What filter is best? 2) USB or SPDIF from the computer?
 
Thank you!!

 

[estreeter]

You are in the unusual position of needing an ADC (analog-to-digital converter) to be able to feed your DAC the signal from your turntable/amp. I assume you dont have music on your computer to feed the MDAC with ? What you are currently trying to do seems a little odd - I suspect that most vinyl fans use a dedicated phono stage into an analog headphone amp, but your phono stage is built into the Brio-R. NAD make a couple of amps which will take an analog signal, convert it to digital and process the signal in the digital domain, but you already have a speaker amp. 

 

[Anda]

I would go for a separate headamp for the analog setup. Also think it would/could be cheaper than buying an ADC.
 

 

[ssmctrack]

Yeah... I was hoping I could somehow 'pass on' the signal to the headphone amp without actually converting it and then converting it back again. I did some more googling after and saw a few people mention that the MDAC has no analog inputs, but apparently there's some kind of psu upgrade in the works that might make it happen.

I think you're right and I should just get a dedicated headphone amp instead. Or (more likely for now) just listen to my mp3s on headphones or speakers and my vinyl on speakers only. Not a huge deal, I have to admit.
 
Thanks!