@samzx12 in context, it's more clinical than the Ares II I've owned previously.
Standalone DAC upgrade from onboard integrated
It’s about time I posted, I’ve been following long enough. I want to bypass the onboard DAC (Burr Brown) in my new Musical Fidelity M6si integrated with a standalone DAC to drive my Magnepan 1.7x’s. Budget is $1-2k. First issue: can I realize an appreciable improvement over the onboard DAC in the M6 with a unit in that price range? Second issue: I love the detail, clarity and imaging I get from the Maggies, but I don’t want them to get too clinical with a new DAC. Hence, I’ve been looking mostly at R2R typology to keep the “musicality”, perhaps at the expense of some precision. My listening tastes are mostly jazz, classical, with some vocals thrown in. Sources are about 50% streaming, 30% vinyl and 20% CD. Other components include Blusound Node, Marantz TT-15/Clearaudio Virtuoso and a 5 year old Marantz CD player. All insights or suggestions welcome.
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Maybe I missed it in the above discussions, but may I ask are both the streamer and CD player run into your MF DAC? If so, what outputs from each into what DAC inputs? And then, what cables are you using? Please correct me if I am wrong, but the MF6si only has an USB digital input? I have an Emotiva ERC-4 CD player; it has balanced outs, so that is what you should be using into the integrated amp. If that is the case, then you can try something without spending more money on a DAC. Your ERC-4 is also a DAC. The Emotiva ERC-4 features two dedicated digital inputs, allowing it to function as a standalone DAC for external sources. It includes one Coaxial (S/PDIF) and one Optical (Toslink) input, both supporting stereo PCM audio up to 24-bit/192kHz. The unit does not feature a USB input. So you could try to route you digital output from your streamer into the Emotiva digital inputs (preferably S/PDIF Coax) and then into your balance analog input on the 6si, thus bypassing it's DAC. Then, if that doesn't improve the sound you should pursue buying an outboard DAC of your choosing. Good luck! |
I'm super happy with the sound of my Schiit Bifrost 2/64. I tried a couple other DACs in the $1k range, and they did't come close to what I get from the Bifrost. I tried a Denfrips Ares II which is R2R, and I did not like it at all. Strange. I'm driving it with the Eversolo DMP-A6, and all is fine EXCEPT that the Eversolo will not pass Bluetooth audio through to its digital out. That's just crazy! While I rarely listen to BT, it would be nice when friends visit and they want to easily play something from their phone. Can't do it! |
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