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Seeking DAC Advice for a Secondary Two Channel System

I have a secondary two channel audio system in my home office consisting of an NAD 326BEE integrated amp, Dynaudio Excite X14 speakers and a single REL T5x subwoofer.  While I also have a Rega RP3 turntable and an NAD CD player, I mainly just use this as a digital system.  I use Roon with an Innuos Mk.3 as my Roon Core and a Bluesound Node 2i as a streamer/endpoint.  When streaming I use Tidal and Quobuz.  Occasionally I stream with Spotify which I do directly from the Bluos app because of the lack of compatibility with Roon.  Music preferences are rock, Americana, folk, soul/R&B and some electronic music.

I want to see if I can upgrade the sound and am operating under the assumption that the Node is my weakest link.  It has been suggested to me that one option would be to buy an external DAC and bypass the DAC imbedded in the Node. Alternatively I could replace the Node altogether.  I think my budget is around $500 but I don't know what I don't know.  I would also hope whatever piece of equipment I buy is somewhat small in size.  I don't have a lot of room on my rack to spare.

I would greatly appreciate any thoughts/suggestions this board might have on this quest.

Thanks in advance.

@puppyt

puppyt
elliottbnewcombjr
7,853 posts
 

"I don’t know what I don’t know."

exactly, me too.

Based on recommendations here, I bought a simple Topping DAC for streaming from my PC USB to DAC, it’s RCA out to my office system. now $110. Only DAC I have owned, sounds great to me. Certainly good enough for my office where I am streaming while otherwise occupied, real listening happens elsewhere.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08F54TT79?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_4

Amazon has free returns. I suggest you time your 30 day return period of one of these with any other more expensive DAC, so you can appreciate the difference (if any) between a ’basic dac’ and ’better’.

I’m not saying it won’t sound better, rather that you will KNOW it. Or not.

Good, Better, Best is one way of thinking. I tend to think ’Preferred’.

 

buellrider97's avatar
buellrider97
985 posts
 

@puppyt , is the Innuos in this system or your main system ? Can you take the DAC from your main system and try it in your secondary one ? This would give you an idea of what you have to gain.  FWIT a long time ago I purchased the original A series Yiggy for $1200 used. About 2 years ago the original usb card gave up and I had Schiit install the Gen 5 USB. I’ve left that thing turned on for the last 10 years and it’s performed flawlessly. It would be well worth spending above your budget to get a used one. The only issue besides your budget is the Yiggy is pretty big. I’m running mine off an Innuos Pulse using a Wireworld Platinum Starlight 8, everything purchased used and it’s a keeper rig. Maybe think long term and reconsider your budget. I have zero experience with the Chinese DAC’s but others love them. Best Wishes , Mike B. 

jastralfu's avatar
jastralfu
569 posts
 

For about $1000 you could get a used Denafrips Iris DDC and an Ares 15th.  That would certainly give you noticeable results.  Or just the used Ares 15th would be improvement (I suggest the DDC cause I have a Hermes connected to my Pontus II  and it made a noticeable improvement).  I realize that’s twice your budget but I agree that for $500 you might just be making lateral moves.

benstelz
60 posts
 

I hate how enthusiast forums of almost any type often end up blowing past the stated budget and recommending things way beyond that level. In this case though, I actually agree with the idea. $500 may get something different sounding, maybe a little better, but probably not significant improvement.

Moving closer to $1k should bring a much more obvious upgrade. Even if you have to wait and save for a while, that would be worth doing. I'd stick with second hand units to save big.

Right now for under $1k I can find listings for the original Auralic Vega, Metrum Amethyst, a few nice units from ExaSound, a Wyred4Sound DAC-2 DSD with Femtoclock upgrade, and a classic Sonic Frontiers SFD-1 mkII. All of those should make a large enough difference to be worthwhile and give you years of enjoyment. 

puppyt OP
110 posts
 

Mike B -

The Innuos is actually used in both systems.  It is connected to my network via a Wire World Ethernet cable. It is physically located in my home office with the secondary system. In my main system (located in a dedicated music room above my garage) I have a LUMIN T2 streamer so when using Roon I can just toggle to either the Node or the LUMIN as endpoints.

 

@puppyt

 

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