Will a DAC drastically improve Apple TV?


I have been thinking of getting the apple tv so i can have my entire itunes collection available for play through my new audio system. Problem is, i have connected my ipod through an rca cable to my system and it sounds terrible. I have connected my laptop and certain tracks sound ok, others, terrible. very muddled, no detail, and no bass. Will a dac such as the bel canto dac 2 make a dramatic improvement with mp3 playback (192-256kps)? Also, the Tos link, is the optical link that would work with the apple tv right?

I am new to all this stuff. Just recently bought a mcintosh 6450 integrated, and a pair of gallo 3.1s. Was thinking of getting a hard disk player such as the mcintosh ms300 but probably not for a while. And if the apple tv with a dac will sound pretty good, that may be the easier route.
farjamed

Showing 1 response by countingbackwards

I once had a Bel Canto Dac1, and its sound was fantastic, far better than an Apple TV's analog outputs. I'd say that a Dac2 is a very safe bet to be noticeably better than no dac at all. It'll also hold its resale value.

FYI, the Bel Canto is a bit on the smooth side of things, which is usually a good fit with low-grade digital sources.