Which DAC

[master]

I don't know. I don't use a digital server here and the DACs perform quite well without one.

 

You should give it a try, even a bare bones one like Raspberry Pi can make a huge difference. My speakers disappeared, yes disappeared, with the addition of the Pi.

 

Wow... you really need to go into a shop and find out what you are missing. Start with a NAIM shop and listen to the NDX. It doesn't do Tidal or DSD

but as a brand it should be more accessible than others. I think you will come out with a huge smile on your face.

 

+1 to the Naim. While I have not heard the NDX, I have heard the Mu-so extensively and I'm sold on it.

 

OP, I have not heard quite a few of the DACs suggested here, but you should be extremely happy with the Chord 2Qute, it's one hell of a performer.

[Richard Dale]

You should give it a try, even a bare bones one like Raspberry Pi can make a huge difference. My speakers disappeared, yes disappeared, with the addition of the Pi.

 

+1

 

I use Raspberry Pi 2s with my Hugo and 2Qute running the Volumio MPD based distribution. The software is pretty easy to install and you can mostly set it up with the web interface. The original Raspberry Pis that I tried didn't work too well with asynchronous USB, but the Pi2 seems to have fixed that. I used to use BeagleBone Blacks as they don't have similar USB problems, but I prefer the Pi2 now.

 

I use a cheap linear power supply, but I suspect that an iFi iPower PSU would be an upgrade and it doesn't cost much. I also use a couple of Jitterbugs in each Pi for luck. I drive my 2Qute with a Black Cat Silverstar USB cable from a Pi.

[shp]

We were able to audition today the McIntosh D150 and the C47 as well as the Simaudio 380D.

 

The D150 was a disappointment. It was a bit thin but also had a tendency to impart a "cupping" sound to vocals. I mentioned this to the shop owner who suggested the unit's low-end included pre-amp was the reason. Luckily I had brought my preamp along. It's a 20-year-old Sonic Frontiers, but it has no hint of cupping. With the SFL-1 in the system, the cupping went down a bit, but we lost some resolution, too.

 

Next up was the 380D, connected to the SFL-1. Wow. Chris gave it a rave review a while back and I can see why. My girlfriend, who really wants a McIntosh because of the looks, briefly conceded that maybe looks aren't everything.

 

Then we installed the C47. Unfortunately we were running of out time and only got to hear two tracks, and only semi-critically. But I would say overall the C47 has a better sounding DAC than the D150. This surprised me as one dealer assured me that both units had the same DAC. And they might - it's possible that all the difference in sound could result from the C47's better pre-amp.

 

Would love to hear the C47 again. I would still like to hear the Chord (2Qute). And if there was a way to hear a 280D and Yggy, I'd be set.

 

Scott