Re: DAC in AVR vs Dedicated DAC
I have a Marantz AV7701 and a Schiit Bifrost Multibit. I primarily use the Marantz because I watch a lot of 5.1 stuff and use the Bifrost mostly with headphones, but, when I do want to listen to music in a dedicated 2.1 system, sometimes I'll use the Bifrost instead. It definitely has a bigger soundstage, better imaging, and even better bass definition to my ears. If you do a lot of music critical listening, I would definitely suggest the upgrade.
-Alex
PS4/Nvidia Shield --> Emotiva XMC-1 --> Emotiva XPA-5 --> Ascend Acoustics Sierra Towers and Horizon Center w/ RAAL tweeters (L/C/R), HTM-200 SE (Surrounds), 2x Rythmik F12 subwoofers