[PabloDiner]

Hi and Welcome. First Let me explain the thread by saying that i have been a reader of head-fi for only a month after recently desiring a more superior audio set up, and have found the site very helpful with all of the input of knowledgeable folks who appreciate sound quality, but have found the areas i have been specifically searching for to be lacking or partial. To get a better understanding of the new audio vocabulary i have recently obtained i thought i would start a thread to let users explain their PC set ups and how they obtained their optimum sound, and others to ask questions about areas that need attention. As professors commonly announce "If you have a question that you cant find the answer to, most likely many other people have the same question"
 
 
 
So I will begin with my own.
 
 
In my set up i am running a Toshiba Laptop 3.5mm \ Audioengine A5 set up on a desk and raised with sound deadening foam, equal distance apart to distance i am listening, RCA out to \ STF-1 subwoofer that is on the side of a desk in a two foot gap between the wall and the desk, on top of a throw rug (hardwood floors). And while this sounds pretty good, i feel like it is lacking in the definition area, likely due to the lack of a DAC and decent on-board soundcard. I do plan to pick one up however searching through the many reviews and questions about DAC's have not found a post with someone who is having this particular issue though im sure many have the same set up. And a lot of talk about Pre Amps and Tube Amps and Headphone Amps with built in Dac's, I am more confused as to what would potentially make my set up sound great rather then dump a bunch of cash into what could potentially be great as other upgrades are needed.
 
 
 
1) With no further plans to buy passive speakers and no use of headphones, would a Pre-Amp/Tube Amp/ Headphone Amp with built in DAC be an Item worth investing in? As i have read that AE5 scales nicely with gear, would it drastically improve sound quality?
 
 
 
2) with a somewhat flexible budget ( no more than 250 in the near future, or no more than 500 planning to purchase in the distant future) Which of the many DAC's would be good options to narrow down to, strengths and weaknesses of said DAC's can be powered or USB
 
 
 
and 3) Im am curious as to what applications a pre amp, and tube amps are used
 
 
 
 
I appreciate the input please share your current set up and look forward to learning your answers! and when you register for this site, they aren't kidding. "sorry for your wallet"

 

[Hybrys]

Originally Posted by PabloDiner /img/forum/go_quote.gif

1) With no further plans to buy passive speakers and no use of headphones, would a Pre-Amp/Tube Amp/ Headphone Amp with built in DAC be an Item worth investing in? As i have read that AE5 scales nicely with gear, would it drastically improve sound quality?
 
2) with a somewhat flexible budget ( no more than 250 in the near future, or no more than 500 planning to purchase in the distant future) Which of the many DAC's would be good options to narrow down to, strengths and weaknesses of said DAC's can be powered or USB
 
 
and 3) Im am curious as to what applications a pre amp, and tube amps are used
 
 
I appreciate the input please share your current set up and look forward to learning your answers! and when you register for this site, they aren't kidding. "sorry for your wallet"

My current setup is rather weak, so, my soon to be setup is this.
 
Acer Netbook --> M2tech Hiface (RCA) --> Gamma2 --> RSA Protector --> Denon D2000 modded.  A semi mobile/closed setup for my career path on the road.
 
The AE5 are active speakers, right?  Then all you need is a DAC/Pre-amp unit.  RCA line outs to your AE5s.
 
Do you have high-res content?  If so, then you'd need one of a few solutions.  If you have an onboard SPDIF out, that can also pass high-res.  USB, though, usually cannot.  If you don't, you can just find a nice USB DAC, and not really worry about the features.  As long as it has RCA line outs, you're good. 
 
There are a lot of rather good options in that price range, but it really depends.  Tube pre-amps (TubeMagic, Hifiman EF2A), solid state (Zero, Gamma1/2), or balanced (Little Dot DAC-I, DACMAGIC), whichever you really want.  Balanced allows you to upgrade your speaker setup without needing a new DAC, any time down the line.  That, and the Little Dot and DACMAGIC are both very popular units.
 
Pre-amp: Brings a sound signal up to 'line-level', the optimal level to be amplified from.
 
Tube amp: An 'older' style of amp that many prefer the sound to.  Warmer and laid back.  Available as a preamp aswell.  These also allow easier tweaking via tube rolling, but have some annoyances.  (IE: Warm up times, etc.)

 

[PabloDiner]

 
Quote:

 
 
The AE5 are active speakers, right?  Then all you need is a DAC/Pre-amp unit.  RCA line outs to your AE5s.
 
Do you have high-res content?  If so, then you'd need one of a few solutions.  If you have an onboard SPDIF out, that can also pass high-res.  USB, though, usually cannot.  If you don't, you can just find a nice USB DAC, and not really worry about the features.  As long as it has RCA line outs, you're good. 
 
There are a lot of rather good options in that price range, but it really depends.  Tube pre-amps (TubeMagic, Hifiman EF2A), solid state (Zero, Gamma1/2), or balanced (Little Dot DAC-I, DACMAGIC), whichever you really want.  Balanced allows you to upgrade your speaker setup without needing a new DAC, any time down the line.  That, and the Little Dot and DACMAGIC are both very popular units.

 
 
Thanks for the information i appreciate it, looking around i believe i will someday pick up a tube amp for people describe warm presence and a nice soundstage. But for the time being i am deciding between the Dot-I, Dacmagic, and the Zero DAC on eBay, any opinions/comparisons or other recommendations that rival these three?
 
As for High Res content i have been re ripping all of my cd's in Lossless Audio, and the laptop im using has a 3.5mm spdif, which im not really sure how that works since i have only seen digital cables for spdif, but no standalone cd players or any other source of hi res content hence the furious search for a DAC. thanks anyone who replies

 

[Hybrys]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PabloDiner /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
Thanks for the information i appreciate it, looking around i believe i will someday pick up a tube amp for people describe warm presence and a nice soundstage. But for the time being i am deciding between the Dot-I, Dacmagic, and the Zero DAC on eBay, any opinions/comparisons or other recommendations that rival these three?
 
As for High Res content i have been re ripping all of my cd's in Lossless Audio, and the laptop im using has a 3.5mm spdif, which im not really sure how that works since i have only seen digital cables for spdif, but no standalone cd players or any other source of hi res content hence the furious search for a DAC. thanks anyone who replies

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10229&cs_id=1022902&p_id=1557&seq=1&format=2
 
That's a 3.5mm SPDIF to full TOSLINK cable, that's what you'd want.
 
I'd personally suggest the Zero DAC.  I loved mine, and it's very moddable.  Either that, or the Little Dot DAC-I, as it's very versatile for the future.
 
When you rip music to your computer, it comes in as 16/44.1, at lossless.  'Hi res' is anything 24/96 or higher, which are vinyl rips or master recordings, which you cannot pass over MOST USB connections.  There are exceptions to that, though.

 

[PabloDiner]

 
I believe i have about decided to pick up the LD, just have to lay down the law to the wife and then weather the storm thereafter. with regards to the hi res content, is there that large of a difference in sound between a lossless rip and master recording? and if so would the only way to obtain a master recording be to download it? thanks
 
'

 

[Hybrys]

Quote:

 
I believe i have about decided to pick up the LD, just have to lay down the law to the wife and then weather the storm thereafter. with regards to the hi res content, is there that large of a difference in sound between a lossless rip and master recording? and if so would the only way to obtain a master recording be to download it? thanks
 
'

Well, there would be a difference, but so few master recordings or 'Studio Masters' are available.  Check out HDTracks and Linn Records, they have a few samples of 24/96 and 24/192 tracks.

 

[PabloDiner]

Ok, thank you for your opinions and help Hybrys, Just ordered the Little Dot Dac-I and the Little Dot MKIII as a pre amp, I think i will pick up some cheap cables for now and post some impressions after burn in on these units, crazy excited. And after going through the perils of head-fi addiction, i think the motto should be changed to, "sorry for your wallet, and to your marriage"

 

[Hybrys]

Ha!  Let me know how it goes. = D