beadyz
01-08-2012, 06:18 PM
I have a pair of Sierra-1's and just got a Rythmik F15HP-SE and Velodyne SMS-1 for Xmas. I'm looking for my next audio acquisition and have been researching the W4S DAC-2 quite heavily. What I'm wondering is if it will be worthwhile to me in my system, and with my listening habits.
My listening is mostly Pandora streamed from an Oppo BDP-93. So no crazy high bit rates, etc (at least for the time being). I do have the Oppo networked with my PC, so I can access my music collection also, but usually listen to Pandora, as I like the variety. When I changed from using my Panasonic plasma as my analogue source (Pandora on my cable box, HDMI to TV, RCA from TV to preamp) to the Oppo (Pandora on the Oppo, RCA to preamp), there was a very noticeable increase in SQ, spaciousness, detail, etc in the music. I'm wondering if an even better DAC can give me more improvements, or at the bitrate that Pandora streams, will I not notice?
Right now I am using a 20 yr old Carver HTR-742 receiver as a preamp, and a Smart Devices TA-242 amp (basically a Hafler DH-220 clone with an improved power supply using a torroidal transformer). I also have an Adcom GFA-545 mki, and I like the TA-242 better. Noticeably lower noise floor with the TA-242 and deeper, more extended bass (when using the Sierra's alone in full range).
If I get the DAC-2 I plan on using it as my preamp(has 32 bit digital volume control and a remote), so I'd feed digital signals from my cable box (system is our TV sound system also) and Oppo to the DAC-2, and then run RCA's directly from the DAC-2 to my amp. That would take the Carver out of the equation as far as SQ is concerned.
Anyone more knowledgeable than me in the audio realm have any idea if it's worth the price for me to get the DAC-2 given what I've said above?
Thanks for any comments/ideas,
Mike
My listening is mostly Pandora streamed from an Oppo BDP-93. So no crazy high bit rates, etc (at least for the time being). I do have the Oppo networked with my PC, so I can access my music collection also, but usually listen to Pandora, as I like the variety. When I changed from using my Panasonic plasma as my analogue source (Pandora on my cable box, HDMI to TV, RCA from TV to preamp) to the Oppo (Pandora on the Oppo, RCA to preamp), there was a very noticeable increase in SQ, spaciousness, detail, etc in the music. I'm wondering if an even better DAC can give me more improvements, or at the bitrate that Pandora streams, will I not notice?
Right now I am using a 20 yr old Carver HTR-742 receiver as a preamp, and a Smart Devices TA-242 amp (basically a Hafler DH-220 clone with an improved power supply using a torroidal transformer). I also have an Adcom GFA-545 mki, and I like the TA-242 better. Noticeably lower noise floor with the TA-242 and deeper, more extended bass (when using the Sierra's alone in full range).
If I get the DAC-2 I plan on using it as my preamp(has 32 bit digital volume control and a remote), so I'd feed digital signals from my cable box (system is our TV sound system also) and Oppo to the DAC-2, and then run RCA's directly from the DAC-2 to my amp. That would take the Carver out of the equation as far as SQ is concerned.
Anyone more knowledgeable than me in the audio realm have any idea if it's worth the price for me to get the DAC-2 given what I've said above?
Thanks for any comments/ideas,
Mike