[F3rRer0]

Hey everyone my name is Andy and I'm kind of new to this audiofile world, so please don't start ripping my head of right away I'm trying to learn
After I switched my standard mobile phone iems for Shure se425's a little over a year ago I thought it was about time to step up my audio game.
Good thing my dad thought the same and I now have the possibility to get a stereo chain for free. (NAD 7220pe receiver and Linn la 150 helix speakers) The problem is, that because of their age, the connectivity is limited. He is keeping his CD player and in addition to my bluray player I want to be able to connect my TV (because everything will be better than the standard speakers on that thing) and my notebook (with which it seems like a very poor internal DAC).
So I thought I might be clever by combining my 2 problems and finding a solution for both. That's where I came across DACs with usb, optical and coax input options, which I would be able to connect to my DAN 7220pe and which should better the sound of the files played from my notebook.
I want the DAC to be as straight (clean/flat/... what's the terminology?) as possible so it would not alter the sound of my current or future stereo chains.
That's where you guys come into this story. I found a company called schiit, which I found to be very compelling (but what do I know, I'm new to this world as I mentioned) and thought that the modi 2 uber might be exactly what I was looking for.
Am I correct?
Do I need to pay more for what I want?
Is my whole theory flawed?
Do you guys have a better option for me?

I hope I did now offend too many people with this post and as I said, I'm here to learn, so lay it on me

Thanks in advance
Andy

 

[DrSheep]

Andy, it doesn't matter what you end up picking, you need to understand that a DAC WILL alter the sound because it is a converter, meaning it will take over from your audio system internal DAC and replace it with whatever sound signature it generates.  However, your NAD 7220PE only has analog output, so what you need is an DAC/AMP combo unit that can do double duty by receiving signal from your NAD 7220PE line out in RCA or whatever, and decode USB or S/PIDF from your notebook/bluray/CD.

 

[F3rRer0]

I'm sorry that there has been a confusion, I don't want to put the DAC between my receiver and the speakers, but between my notebook and the receiver

 

[Me x3]

Yes, you can't go wrong with the Modi 2 Uber. It offers tons of value among DACs with 3 type of inputs.

 

[HUM24H]

Hey everyone

my name is Andy and I'm kind of new to this audiofile world, so please don't start ripping my head of right away

I'm trying to learn
After I switched my standard mobile phone iems for Shure se425's a little over a year ago I thought it was about time to step up my audio game.
Good thing my dad thought the same and I now have the possibility to get a stereo chain for free. (NAD 7220pe receiver and Linn la 150 helix speakers) The problem is, that because of their age, the connectivity is limited. He is keeping his CD player and in addition to my bluray player I want to be able to connect my TV (because everything will be better than the standard speakers on that thing) and my notebook (with which it seems like a very poor internal DAC).
So I thought I might be clever by combining my 2 problems and finding a solution for both. That's where I came across DACs with usb, optical and coax input options, which I would be able to connect to my DAN 7220pe and which should better the sound of the files played from my notebook.
I want the DAC to be as straight (clean/flat/... what's the terminology?) as possible so it would not alter the sound of my current or future stereo chains.
That's where you guys come into this story. I found a company called schiit, which I found to be very compelling (but what do I know, I'm new to this world as I mentioned) and thought that the modi 2 uber might be exactly what I was looking for.
Am I correct?
Do I need to pay more for what I want?
Is my whole theory flawed?
Do you guys have a better option for me?

I hope I did now offend too many people with this post

and as I said, I'm here to learn, so lay it on me

Thanks in advance
Andy

Firstly, welcome!
 
Your theory and idea of what you want to do is correct, a Multi Input DAC will do exactly what you want it to do. You will be able to input multiple sources into the DAC, connect the DAC to a single set of speakers/headphones and then be able to switch between sources on the fly.
 
Now, DAC's can change the sound signature due to the fact that they are what converts digital bits into an analogue signal. It all depends on how the DAC chip is engineered and implemented. Just do remember that when you add an external DAC there will be something that will change in terms of the overall sound tonality, it can vary from simply greater detail to extenuated treble or more powerful bass line.
 
From looking into the Modi 2 Uber, it seems the DAC being used inside it is a fairly neutral sounding DAC. So I think you should be good with the Modi 2 Uber. 

 

[DrSheep]

  I'm sorry that there has been a confusion, I don't want to put the DAC between my receiver and the speakers, but between my notebook and the receiver

Then you are totally fine .  If you want something cheap, good sounding, and mobile, then you need to check out the Audio Quest DragonFly series of DACs for notebook and mobile devices. 

 

[F3rRer0]

  Firstly, welcome!
 
Your theory and idea of what you want to do is correct, a Multi Input DAC will do exactly what you want it to do. You will be able to input multiple sources into the DAC, connect the DAC to a single set of speakers/headphones and then be able to switch between sources on the fly.
 
Now, DAC's can change the sound signature due to the fact that they are what converts digital bits into an analogue signal. It all depends on how the DAC chip is engineered and implemented. Just do remember that when you add an external DAC there will be something that will change in terms of the overall sound tonality, it can vary from simply greater detail to extenuated treble or more powerful bass line.
 
From looking into the Modi 2 Uber, it seems the DAC being used inside it is a fairly neutral sounding DAC. So I think you should be good with the Modi 2 Uber. 

 
Thanks so much  
 
Good to know that the Modi 2 uber is the product for me.
 
Now a new problem has arisen which is, that I noticed that I would have to get up everytime I need to change the volume, once I connect the my TV to my chain. 
Is there any way to implement something with a remote volume controll? Might be another DAC instead of the Modi 2 uber or another part at some other point of connection?

 

[Me x3]

The NAD has no remote?

 

[F3rRer0]

That receiver is, as I know, more than 30 years old, there was no such thing as remotes
So no, it has not

 

[DrSheep]

You need an amp with a remote for that.

 

[F3rRer0]

Okay, once again.
 
The NAD 7220 pe is a receiver/amp combo, which is very old, therefore has no way of remote controlling the volume.
 
This problem I was hoping to work around by adding something to the whole system. Maybe a DAC which can be remote controlled, maybe something else.
If the price for such a solution gets above 300€ I am willing to pass on that, and get a whole ne AV Receiver, for a bunch more money, to have everything tidy and together, yet I was hoping that it wouldn't come to this.
 
So there is my question again, do you or anyone else know some sort of solution for this problem or do I need to buy an AVR. The thing is, that I want decent stereo sound without a subwoofer, and therefre the AVR probably wont be that cheap.

 

[cel4145]

You need an amp with a remote for that.

Or have a kid. In a few years, they can be the remote

 

[F3rRer0]

Or have a kid. In a few years, they can be the remote

Well that's at least how it was 30 years ago, or before, when there was no such thing as remotes

 

[HUM24H]

  Okay, once again.
 
The NAD 7220 pe is a receiver/amp combo, which is very old, therefore has no way of remote controlling the volume.
 
This problem I was hoping to work around by adding something to the whole system. Maybe a DAC which can be remote controlled, maybe something else.
If the price for such a solution gets above 300€ I am willing to pass on that, and get a whole ne AV Receiver, for a bunch more money, to have everything tidy and together, yet I was hoping that it wouldn't come to this.
 
So there is my question again, do you or anyone else know some sort of solution for this problem or do I need to buy an AVR. The thing is, that I want decent stereo sound without a subwoofer, and therefre the AVR probably wont be that cheap.

Sometimes old amps have the ability to add remote IR units to them via a port on the back but unfortunately your receiver does not have this ability and most likely, as you've said, due to its age.
 
My only solution is do get a new receiver with an IR blaster built into the unit and an included remote, to which that includes most receivers on the market today.
 
DAC's usually don't come with remotes as their function is simple and are not mostly used for source switching because receivers are able to take multiple RCA sources in and do the switching there.

 

[F3rRer0]

Thank you
 
I believe that my way of solving this will in deed be to buy a new AVR/poweramp and either step up my game with a new pair of speakers as well or use the old ones.
 
Thanks for helping me guys it has been fun, till the next time