DAC/Pre-Amp Advice


Hey all!

Currently at a crossroads in my HiFi adventure. I want to know what you guys would recommend as my next upgrade to my system. Here is the equipment I currently have:

Bluesound Node

Yamaha A-S1200

Sony UBP-X800 (Using this as SACD player)

Rega Planar 2 Turntable

Pair of B&W 704 S2

 

I have had the amp for around 45-60 days now, and I love the sound now that I have had time to burn it in. Mostly stream music from Tidal right now (trying out Qobuz), and play the occasional Record/SACD with the equipment above. I feel the only things I am really desiring in this system is some type of room correction, and subwoofers.

When looking at room correcting software, what all do you guys recommend? With new Preamp/DAC would I need it to support MQA, or would my Node be able to take care of that? Budget is around $2500-3000, but I'm open to frankly any other suggestions. If you guys need any other info please let me know, looking forward to the discussion.

chuck_tamu

Maybe I’m reading you incorrectly, but you can most definitely bypass BluOS and use Roon on the C-658 (and NODE). This is what I’m doing. Using the C-658 as a Roon end point and a Roon Nucleus (previously a MacBook as a Roon core).

I haven’t had to reboot the C-658, but I have experienced volume issues with the sub output with DIRAC not engaged. I’ve also experienced some clipping issues, but this was remedied by using Roon’s headroom management. In terms of DIRAC - mixed results and mixed emotions. I’ve found additional room treatments to be more my preference.

If this unit fits your needs, I’d say go for it, but I’d purchase from a dealer with a good return policy. In respect to the streamer itself, there’s better out there at this price point, but many fall short in features - especially if the NAD’s features are needed for a given setup. The one reassuring aspect is that this unit is continuing to receive updates which could potentially address the issues I mentioned.

Initially I thought your Yamaha was strictly an amp, but it looks like it’s an integrated. With the C-658 you’ll be putting a preamp in front of an integrated.

I’m gonna reiterate — focus on the DAC, two subs, and speaker positioning first and then worry about room correction after that.  You’re trying to do too much at once IMHO. 

@soix @toro3 

I'm going to just go DAC and subs. The preamp before the integrated probably is not a road I will go down, as there could be a lot of negative aspects. 

 

Thank you all for you help on this. I've boiled it down to the 3-4 DAC's all mentioned in here, and I'll update this thread when I pull the trigger on one.

 

 

I’ve never tried 2 subs, so I don’t know what I’m missing, but adding one sub really helped, and my floorstanders do pretty good bass.  I listen to Classical and there are so many low level percussion effects that many composers use that one could appreciate in a concert and now I can approximate at home.  I would start with one sub and see how it goes.  You can always add a second later