Suggestions for audio upgrade

[plissken]

Better speakers should be priority # 1. I don't see any surround or subwoofer mentioned. What do you primarily listen to setup wise (HT or Office). 

 

If you do any semi serious HT listening you need at least a 5.1 if not a 7.1 setup. 

[plissken]

Do you have any size  or placement or other constraints? Your biggest upgrade by far will be in speakers. 

 

Barring any constraints:

 

BMR Philharonitor @ $1350

 

Behringer Uphoria UMC204HD @ $79 (easily runs with $300-$400 boutique DACS) and it has Headphone out.

 

Emotiva BasX A-150 @ $299

 

Leaves enough for shipping to bring you in @ $2000 or under. 

[plissken]

14 minutes ago, gmgraves said:

While I agree with you that the Behringer UMC204HD is probably a bargain (I have bought lots of Behringer gear over the years, and in fact my main mixer is a Behringer. I defy anyone to be able to tell my recordings using Behringer gear from recordings made with far more expensive kit. The stuff is great value for money), but I must say that it is also, primarily an Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) rather than a Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC) and I really don't think that's anything that our OP would have any interest in (yes, I know it has a DAC function for monitoring, but it is a complicated device just to use for a USB-only DAC). There are lots of cheap DACs available on E-Bay and Amazon that will do ONLY D-to-A for the same money.

 

To each their own. Let me know when you want to blind audition the UMC204HD vs some other new $300-400 boutique DAC blinded with them level matched. 

 

Given the budget of the OP an extra $300 spent on speakers will have an appreciable effect on SQ. 

 

And if the OP doesn't want the Behringer get the Presonus 2|6 for $199. 

[plissken]

1 hour ago, gmgraves said:

 

That's not the point. The point is that the Behringer UMC204HD is NOT A DAC! At least not primarily. Why encumber the OP with capability and complexity that he won't use while restricting him to USB only? If you're gonna restrict the guy to a USB-only DAC, why did you not suggest something useful to the OP like an AudioQuest DragonFly? 

 

And I agree that any money spent of speakers is money well spent. Good speakers will only get better as one improves that rest of one's system! 

 

The Behringer kills the Dragonfly it in the utility department and I doubt anyone here, blind, could tell the difference in the SQ department. So that's where I'm coming from. 

 

HP output

4 analog out

TRS and RCA I/O

 

The UMC204HD is most certainly a DAC. It also has ADC and HeadPhone capabilities. I'm using it right now for my office setup. I have two cables: USB and HP.  You plug it in, you install the drivers, you connect the L/R outs to your amp and away you go. The rest of the stuff? If you don't need it you don't use it. 

 

Try this with the DragonFly:

 

Take the main outs on the Behringer and feed your L/R into your monitors. Then take the additional playback outputs and feed a pair of subs that have their own DSP. 

 

The OP want's the best possible SQ for the budget. I think  my approach nets him that plus the ability to add to the setup down the road in form of additional sound reinforcement in the lowest octaves. Heck the 204HD even has better Jitter performance than the popular iFi that people like here. 

[plissken]

From my understanding by asking the OP some questions (hey it's how I roll) he's looking at replacing Active Monitors driven directly from headphone out of a PC.

 

If you are getting rid of active monitors then you are going to at least need an amp.

 

The UMC204HD provides a lot of flexibility, competes with 3/400 boutique DAC's and doesn't meaningfully take away from speaker choices.

 

Used is also good but that's up to the OP if they want to go that route.

[plissken]

2 hours ago, gmgraves said:

 

Mr. Plissken, I still don't think you get what I'm trying to get across, here. The OP obviously doesn't need to: "try this with a DragonFly"! He just want's a DAC. And I mentioned the DragonFly only as a more practical USB-to-audio-only alternative to the Behringer. Frankly, since the OP is just getting started in digital audio, he doesn't know what he's going to need in even the short-term future. I wouldn't suggest a solution to him that restricted him only to USB. He's certainly going to need USB, but he's also possibly going to need Toslink S/PDIF as well as Coaxial S/PDIF. Your Behringer, while probably a fine solution for someone who want's to record themselves playing a midi instrument and singing, but I doubt that's what the OP wants to do. If it were, I suspect he'd have mentioned it. Now I understand where you're coming from, and I can see where the gadgeteer in you (or me) would find the UMC204HD attractive (and I do), but I just don't feel it's anywhere near the best solution for our OP.  

 

Is this some sort of joke on your part?

 

The OP listed his sources: 1. PC and 1 Mac. Also we are at COMPUTERAUDIOPHILE where 99% of connectivity is going to be USB. The Behringer provides much more flexibility than the AQ DF. It is what it is.

 

Didn't know the Dragon Fly took other input sources than USB.  Again you let me know when you want to put some 24/192 material through the DF and UMC204HD blinded.

[plissken]

2 minutes ago, gmgraves said:

 

C'mon, try reading for content!  I said that the DragonFly is a better solution for the OP than the Behringer IF WE ARE RESTRICTING HIM to USB. I never said nor intimated that the DragonFly was anything other than USB. Also, what about if he decides to stream, via WiFi to his main stereo from one of his desktops using server software and a server client such as an Auralic Mini or some other server client? They don't generally output USB. Neither do "universal" disk players (Blu-Ray, SACD, DVD, CD) such as those from Oppo, Sony, and Marantz. The OP also stated that he will be in the market for one of those, soon.

 

The UMC204HD has TRS (analog) inputs for stereo. 

 

I would encourage the OP to get a $30 BR drive for his PC and still output over USB. 

[plissken]

1 hour ago, uyire said:

Not sure what I was thinking, just ordered a TEAC UD301 DAC. And, am going to purchase a BMR or Kef LF50W during Thanksgiving. I will use this DAC with my current setup of MB pro and Audioengine 5 until I get Kef. If I choose to get BMR or another non-DAC speaker instead, I will keep the DAC and simply replace AE5. 

 

Hope it's worth $399.

 

BTW, did a A/B with AE5(aux) and AE2+($249, USB) , which has an integrated DAC, with a few sample aif files downloaded from HDTracks, I could not perceive much difference. Maybe, limited by speakers?

 

You ordered a solid DAC. If it's up stream sibling is any indication (the 501 I had) then you'll be happy. It's a competent DAC. 

[plissken]

1 hour ago, gmgraves said:

 

Fine. USB is by far the worst sounding and most difficult of all the digital audio interfaces. So, by all means encourage folks to do that.

Yes, the UMC204HD does have analog inputs (designed primarily for microphones) but the device does allow them to be padded down for line-level inputs. It also will supply 48 Volts phantom power for condenser microphones and has inputs/outputs to be inserted into a MIDI bus, but I'm at a loss to see how any of these fine features will benefit our OP. Look, Plisskin, We're never going to agree that the UMC204HD is a correct solution for a fellow audiophile who is just starting to dip his toes into the waters of digital audio. Why don't we just agree to disagree on this issue before it turns into a full-blown and ultimately useless feud? We agree on so many things, and I'd love to discuss them with you on another thread. Cheers

 

Why are you so hung up on extended feature sets that one can simply ignore? Also the front inputs are Mic inputs. However on the back there are two line level TRS inputs.