Will a DAC enhance my iTunes MP3 sound quality?

[WWPascoe]

Computer audio noob here. Ripped 2,500 CDs to MP3 8 years ago (before I understood anything about SQ), then dumped the shiny discs to save the space.

 

Recently decided to upgrade home A/V system. New speakers (Klipsch RF-7 II fronts), new sub (JL Audio Fathom f110), new amp (Outlaw 7700), new pre-pro (Integra DHC-80.2), new player (OPPO BDP-93). Added second-gen AppleTV.

 

Began rebuilding CD collection with purchase of favorite 200 CDs. Ripped them to AIFF using iTunes on my MacBook Pro. Then found HDTRacks.com and purchased a dozen CDs in 24/96. They downloaded as FLAC and sit in a separate library; I also transcoded them to AIFF so I could play them in iTunes off the ATV. (I know the iTunes/ATV combo doesn't support 24/96 playback, which is why I keep the high-rez files in a separate library -- when I actually want to sit and listen, I access them using Twonky via either the OPPO network streaming function or the 80.2 streaming function.)

 

So, there are three different libraries, all three of which sit on a 3TB WD external drive that's connected to the MacBook Pro via FireWire 800.

 

Connections: The OPPO and ATV are connected via HDMI to the 80.2. The MacBook Pro (and, therefore, its attached WD 3 TB external drive) are connected via Ethernet to the network router, as are both the 80.2 and the OPPO.

 

To play either the MP3 library or the AIFF library on the external hard drive, I use the ATV. The GUI is far better than Twonky's, and I also find gapless playback far easier to achieve (maybe there's a work-around for this I haven't figured out in Twonky?).

 

And there's the question for the forum: If I were to add a DAC (say, the soon-to-hit-the-market Peachtree DAC'iT) to the signal path, so the signal went from the WD drive to the ATV via network, then from ATV to DAC via optical, then from the DAC to the 80.2 via analog, would I hear a noticeable difference in SQ when playing the old MP3 files?

 

 

 

[thesurfingalien]

Using a good DAC should, obviously, improve SQ. But as your main library consists of MP3 (320kbps I hope), I believe you will be able to start hearing the shortcomings of MP3, especially on low bit-rates.

 

However, this also depends on how good your ears are

 

I must say that I am puzzled by your decision to "dump" 2500 CD's.

 

Peter

 

[WWPascoe]

At the time, I didn't know the difference in SQ between MP3 and lossless. My CD collection took up an entire wall in my living room, with two Billy Bags racks that were each six feet tall and a third that was three feet tall. I thought I could save the space.

 

I also moved around a lot, due to my chosen profession. So there was a convenience factor involved, as well.

 

Never should have turned down the scholarship offer to Stanford without at least visiting the campus first. Never should have married the woman I did. Never should have dumped the CDs, period. My three greatest regrets in life.

 

C'est la vie.

 

Bill

 

 

[Audio_ELF]

While it was a bad move to get rid of your original CDs, if you created them at a good bit-rate (128k as absolute minimum; ideally 256k or better) a DAC can improve the sound quality within the limits of the MP3 format.

 

Having said that; with your Integra pere-pro you already have a (reasonably) good DAC. Without having hear your Integra, I would thing you will need to spend $1000 upwards to improve the sound quality which will then start to show the limitations of MP3.

 

Sorry if this was a bit of a non-answer but the answer (for you) is it depends. My gut reaction is the Peachtree DACiT wouldn't improve your system: but that's because it won't improve on you Integra pre/pro not because your music is as MP3. A bigger improvement may be gained from connecting your MacBook Pro direct to the Integra (via Optical or with a Musical Fidelity V-Link or Halide Bridge) rather than using the ATV which doesn't support high resolution.

 

Eloise

 

[souptin]

I suspect this is one of the phrases that has given you cause for concern. Not one of my favourite expressions - it sounds like an extreme kind of marketing-speak doublethink* used to convince you that any flaws you hear with some new high-ish end gear is actually evidence of how good it is. There's some truth in this, but still... Bah!

 

(* ps I can't remember exactly what doublethink means, no doubt someone will correct me)

 

Keep in mind Ms Elf's comments above about the DAC you already have, but yes, with a 'better' DAC you will hear (or more correctly, not hear) things on your mp3 collection compared with AIFF. However ime it will not suddenly turn good music into bad. Subjectively I'd say mp3 files can sound punchier but a bit light on bass and treble. I think of them as pixellated - hard edges and a little clunky - but I appreciate not everyone will get the visual / audio comparison. I also suspect the importance of these differences depends on the particular music as much as on your hearing, some types of music suffer less from compression than others.

 

To tune yourself in to the differences, I'd suggest that you don't delete your mp3 versions of favourite music that you have now re-purchased and ripped to AIFF. Giving you the chance to listen to them side by side (keep in mind that re-mastered CDs will sound different, so not all variations will be due to mp3 compression). Chances are you'll end up buying more of your favourites again but perhaps not all at once. Top tip: the iTunes equaliser can be your friend in spite of all the cruel things people say about it. Another top tip: re-encoding mp3 to a lossless format will NOT put back the lost information, but if you're also investigating alternative playback software then it may be worth a try, don't expect miracles though.

 

Also not replacing everything leaves some budget for, god forbid, new music - I'm convinced that each new bit of kit I get has an influence on my taste. Of course it could just be growing old up, given how long I can dither between purchases.

 

[thesurfingalien]

Maybe it is a bad translation for "Think Twice"?

 

 

[The Hawk]

My MP3s (I don't have many) are showing detail I never heard before. A huge improvement. I was surprised that there was better sound quality to be had there. They sound better than I thought they would, but still come up short as compared to the next step up in resolution.

 

As an aside, the AppleTV is limited to 44khz or 48khz, so your Dac won't see anything higher than that (which is what Eloise is saying).

 

Dave

 

[WWPascoe]

Thanks to all of you for your comments -- they're most helpful.

 

I understand I've already got a pretty good DAC in the DHC 80.2 -- there are six 192K/32-bit Burr-Brown DACs inside, in fact. But the Peachtree DAC'iT will use the ESS Sabre32 (ES9022) DAC, which is a bit better, if reviews are to be believed.

 

I'm not concerned with how to play the high-rez files I have; they run straight to the 80.2 via Ethernet, and I let the 80.2 DACs do the work there.

 

I'm really mostly concerned with raising the SQ on the MP3 files, and a bit on the AIFF files. The good news is, Crutchfield has a 60-day money-back guarantee, and I've bought so much equipment from Bill Crutchfield over the last 30+ years that I'm sure if I decided the SQ was NOT an improvement, they'd happily take back the DAC'iT and let me upgrade something else in my system instead.

 

So as soon as the DAC'iT is available for purchase, I'll add one to my system and let my ears be the judge. And I'll come back and let everyone know the results.

 

Thanks!

 

[Grahk]

I am curious, is this a limitation in the Apple TV v.2 he mentioned (as it streams as opposed to being a appliance that directly plays/stores the music)?

 

I also have all my CD's ripped (orig as 392k'ish WMA and later converted to iTunes - Now I have rummaged up most of my more "intricate" CDs (Miles Davis, Pink Floyd, Allman Bros, John Coltrane, Phish as opposed to routine rock and mood music - Aerosmith, Gypsy Kings - etc) and re-imported them using Apple lossless....and I am contemplating adding a external dac *(Burson HA-160 or PS Audio Link III as I do NOT have a understanding wife/budget). Currently I run Martin Logan mains pre-out to Emotiva XPA2, with all Paradigm studio center/sub/surrounds through a Marantz receiver...everything is hooked up via HDMI as I THOUGHT I was wanting my digital music to be "purely" digital? now as I try to get more educated to quality music source/equipment I realize I should be converting my digital music to analog for my ears...

 

Q: Does the AppleTV v.1 have better support than a streaming AppleTV2?

 

Q: Does my Marantz already do as good/better job than a sub $1k DAC?

 

Q: Is the equipment I am using not going to bring forth more than I am enjoying already with Apples highest non-lossless res and some apple lossless files HDMI directly through my Marantz?

 

Q: If it is worth doing at all, do people see my choice of the PS Audio Link III for 500.00 or so dollars a bad choice? (Burson is 1k and DacMagic is about sub 400.00 new all choices in my price barrier).

 

Thanks!