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iMac + what DAC to exceed my Rotel CD player?

Hi Everyone,

I haven't been here for a while, but this is a great place. I am not worthy of calling myself a true audiophile, but I put together a nice system thanks to many people here. The problem now is logistics - new bookshelves are dedicated to my wife's art history books (they are very nice), so I put all my CDs in binders. Dumb! What a pain. It is now a chore to listen to music. That isn't right.

I have been dreaming about a music server option for some time, but $ is an issue. I now have a new Intel iMac I can dedicate to being nothing but a music server, but I don't know enough about DACs. My question is this. What do I need to spend to get a DAC that I can use with this iMac that will meet or exceed the audio quality of my Rotel 1070 CD player? Is up to $500 an option? I realize this isn't the cream of the crop CD player, but I have been satisfied with it. My amp is an old Scott 222 that I absolutely love and I use Omega speakers I bought about 7 years ago.

Thanks in advance
karavite
ecruz
402 posts
 
I've owned a PS Audio Digital Link III and a Musical Fidelity V-DAC. Both are at or below your price point and both sound very good.
lewinskih01
906 posts
 
I have a Rotel RCD-1072 and since January also have a Squeezebox Touch ($300). Lately I don't listen to the CD player anymore. Sound is the same - both going analog out into a preamp). So if you had nothing I would say go for the Touch, and later add a DAC.

Do you want to be able to do high resolution files?

If no, maybe an MHDT Havana fed from the computer?

If yes and since you have a computer, you might want to consider feeding through USB an Audiophileo USB to S/PDIF converter, and from there a hi rez DAC without asynch USB. Maybe an rDAC? Don't know much about this price range. Lots of good options in the $1k range, though.
onemug
784 posts
 
"I am not worthy of calling myself a true audiophile"

Yes you are and don't argue with me :-). A Scott 222 and the Omega 3r's (I've owned both) = MUSIC. I've auditioned some "marquis audiophile" names that weren't as musical.

I'll let others advise you on the DAC's but I think you will be pretty happy with your result. Good luck.
karavite OP
36 posts
 
Thanks everyone. Too many choices! I guess that's a good thing. I might check out the Music Fidelity V-DAC, but want to do more studying.

Onemug, okay, I won't argue with you. I guess I associate audiophile with a bigger budget than I have put out, but I have other expensive hobbies including a wood shop. Just a FYI. I bought my Scott here for $275 in maybe 2005. I had hotglass fix it all up and he told me it was actually one of the earliest 222's and was biased close to Class A - as such a somewhat unique and above average Scott. I have only heard a 222D and it was not even close, so with zero knowledge I guess I lucked out.
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