DAC/Preamp upgrade - novice question

[firedog]

Do you have a budget?

IMO, if you are talkng just about the DAC section, you will have to spend a lot to get a big improvement.

If you are talking about a pre-amp, there are lots of possibilities. Or are you set on a DAC with a preamp section?

Don't worry about the DAC chip itself. It probably has very little influence on what you actually hear; other aspects of the DAC design are what matter and account for most of the differences in sound. 

[firedog]

1 hour ago, al2813 said:

 

Up to a 1000 euros. I am starting to get the impression that for my setup:

 

Rpi 4 Roon bridge USB out to DAC

Topping D50s

Hypex ncore 2 x NC250MP Amp 

KEF LS50

 

Not sure if swapping the DAC will change things dramatically as Bluesman posted above. 

 

 

Just as a ballpark statement, you're  going to have to go to the $1000-2000 level or more to get a significant DAC improvement, and even that may not do it. It depends on your hearing/taste and what you audition. Just because a DAC costs $1000 doesn't necessarily mean it will be an improvement over the D50s.

I wouldn't do it without auditioning some DACs - Mytek, Benchmark, Schiit, etc,, and compare. You may or may not hear a big difference. Another option would be a once expensive DAC on the used market. 

 

If you decide for any of the reasons already mentioned to get a pre, Schiit makes some nice ones in your price range. 

 

I'm sure your present system sounds great and is very good value for the money.

 

I don't know what your taste/orientation is in SQ, but if it was me, I'd invest in room correction software-microphone or acoustic panels or a sub. I think any of those might make a bigger improvement per Euro of investment. 

[firedog]

1 minute ago, 4est said:

Although I agree with you in general, I do not so much in this case. The D50 uses a bottom rung Sabre chip and the D90 uses a top AKM one. Sabre chips definitely have a house sound that some love and others hate. I say this as a DIYer that has played with them extensively with multiple IVs, analog sections and power supplies. I would look into direct comparisons of the two DACs before I discounted the differences.

The poster has the D50s, which has a pretty advanced implementation of Sabre - better than some more expensive DACs. And I don't really agree with the idea of a "house" sound of the chip - I think different implementations of the same chips can sound different. I'm pretty sure in blind testing I could get a few DACs and listeners couldn't tell me what chip was in the DAC. 

[firedog]

9 minutes ago, 4est said:

Once again I disagree. I have found that many DACs have markedly different signatures, doubly so for the lower cost ones. What one one prefers can be a crap shoot. I am not suggesting that the OP needs to do anything, but I have played around with some low cost DACs that impressed and some that disappointed. YMMV.

Once again, all I said was that he shouldn't assume spending $1000 will get him a DAC he likes better. Or that it is enough better that  it will be worth 4X the price of his D50s. There are a lot of very happy users of that DAC around. That's one of the reasons he should check out a separate pre. That may make more of a difference than changing  the DAC. Topping has a god idea of what to do with ESS chips. I'm guessing a DAC with a better pre section or a pre separate would be a better use of his money. 

But as I said, I'd work on the room or get a sub as a more cost effective use of limited funds.