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Newbie question.

I have a pretty nice older system. I don’t know a lot about high end audio. I’m learning about flac files and am interested in trying that out. Trying not to spend any serious money since I don’t know what I’m doing yet. And I have a question that is probably pretty dumb.

My system consists of a nice older (10-15 years old) pre-amp and amp. I’m using a new Sony tuner/amp/receiver with pre-out connectors into the pre-amp to listen to the radio. It has a 1/8 jack input port. If I have flac files on my iPhone and route them through this 1/8 inch jack into the Sony and then into the pre-amp.....am I defeating the purpose of using a lossless file format?


n80

Showing 2 responses by glennewdick

glennewdick's avatar
glennewdick
1,500 posts
 
ok then just plug the DAC/iphone into your Arc Pre and be done with it.

Why go through the Sony if you have the Arc Pre go through the Arc as with the other inputs. Just note you will not get all the advantages of the Flac files but it will, even through your phone, sound better then mp3. get a apple to RCA adapter and go into one of the Arc's inputs skipping the sony all together because yes it will degrade the sound as you are going through a lot more circuits. just use the sony as your tuner. 
glennewdick's avatar
glennewdick
1,500 posts
 
why are you using 2 pre-amps? if your using the pre out of your sony why bother use the other (unkown model) pre- amp, just go directly to the amp from your pre out of your sony. lastly using your Iphone as a hi rez music device into your pre- amp via the head phone jack is not getting the benefits of the higher rez files to be honest.

I didn't know apple could do Flac good to know they are finally using a better format then apple lossless imo. 
 
I can't comment on the sound quality of a sony receiver but if its up to snuff and you like it then why not just use it and sell the rest. or get a separate tuner and ditch the Sony if your separates are good.  you could easily get a used tuner for what your sony is worth...probably a better tuner IMO think vintage here. 

What i would do, knowing little of what you have. sell the Sony buy a tuner. save up and get an Audioquest red DAC (around $299 last time i checked) that will plug into your Iphone and out put that to your pre-Amp via 1/8 jack  using a 1/8 to RCA adapter (with fixed vollume). this will get you along way towards better sound. also the Audioquest red can be used directly into your head phones for great headphone listening on the go. this would be good sound for a budget and a good start. 

 
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