Streaming to Audiolab 8000a

[Nomad]

Evening all

 

I've given up my AVR kit and gone back to basic 2 channel audio. 

 

I have a HP Gen 8 that I was planning on repurposing as an audio source for the new 8000a and use Jriver.

 

Question is whether to upgrade the dac to a Topping E30 or use the Audiolab Dac for now and get a more meaningful dac in a few years? 

 

 

[audiobomber]

A new 8000A? The 8000A is an old integrated amp, no DAC included. Perhaps you mean the Audiolab 6000A? If so, I expect the Audiolab DAC would beat the Topping E30.

 

I don't have a direct comparison, but I used the Audiolab 8200CD as my main DAC for several years and still use it in my headphone system. It sounded almost identical to the Benchmark DAC3 L that I trialled for a couple of weeks, so I sent the Benchmark back.

 

I bought a Topping D50S for my headphone system and sent it back because it sounded worse than the other inexpensive DAC's I have in-house, from Korg, Schiit and XtremPro. Don't be fooled by measurements, they do not equate to sound quality.

[Nomad]

Thank you. I did mean an 6000a, I used to own the 8000a a long time ago. 

 

I went for a Node 2i in the end rather than spending hours doing a configuration and getting Windows bit perfect.

 

Thanks