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What's your choice

  • SMSL MU8

    Votes: 3 21.4%
  • Topping D50s

    Votes: 11 78.6%
  • Cambridge Audio DACMagic 100

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Mass Fidelity Relay Bluetooth DAC

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    14
OP
L

La!$

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Can you recommend me a DAC that ticks all those boxes and has BT?
If my next speakers are 400W loudspeakers no inbuilt amp (Separate amp) will this DAC be useful? DAC (D50s) to AMP?
 

s002wjh

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If my next speakers are 400W loudspeakers no inbuilt amp (Separate amp) will this DAC be useful? DAC (D50s) to AMP?
as long the speaker amp have RCA input, the D50s can provide that RCA output.
 

Ron Texas

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The DX3 Pro in the photo is a great DAC and it has a nice headphone amp built in.
 
OP
L

La!$

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I think D50s only have RCA output, which can be used to connect to a separate speaker amp. so check the back side picture of amp and ds50 for connections.
It has optical no? Any difference in SQ between RCA and Optical?
 

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Willem

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Sorry but you still do not seem to grasp the difference between digital and analogue, and the role if the dac in this.
 
OP
L

La!$

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Sorry but you still do not seem to grasp the difference between digital and analogue, and the role if the dac in this.
I understand. I'm very new to this. Please be patient with me. Any difference in SQ between optical and RCA? Also, suggest a device with optical outputs that has BT as well. Thanks.
 

Willem

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It is different. Optical is digital and rca is analogue. These days sources are mostly digital and amplifiers mostly need an analogue signal. The dac changes the digital signal into an analogue signal. So a dac with an optical i.e. digital output does not make much sense in most circumstances.
 

Willem

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What would you want bluetooth for? Its only advantage us that it does short range wireless without wifi. The downside is impaired sound quality.
 
OP
L

La!$

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What would you want bluetooth for? Its only advantage us that it does short range wireless without wifi. The downside is impaired sound quality.
To stream music while I'm not around the PC using my phone.
 

Willem

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So from your phone as a source to that dac. It is precisely for that reason that I and others recommend a Chromecast Audio. You can operate it from your phone and you are not tied to your computer. Sound quality is better than bluetooth.
 
OP
L

La!$

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So from your phone as a source to that dac. It is precisely for that reason that I and others recommend a Chromecast Audio. You can operate it from your phone and you are not tied to your computer. Sound quality is better than bluetooth.
So I should get the normal D50 and get the chrome cast to play the FLAC tracks?
 

Willem

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You do not even need the D50. You can stream your flac files from your computer to the CCA using your wifi and the Bubble UPnP protocol. The CCA will also stream Spotify or TuneIn internet radio. You can use the dac built into tbe CCA to convert the digital signal into the analogue signal that your active speakers require.
 
OP
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La!$

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You do not even need the D50. You can stream your flac files from your computer to the CCA using your wifi and the Bubble UPnP protocol. The CCA will also stream Spotify or TuneIn internet radio. You can use the dac built into tbe CCA to convert the digital signal into the analogue signal that your active speakers require.
Does CCA have better SQ than the D50?
 

Willem

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It is a different function. The d50 is a dac and the CCA is a streamer with inbuilt dac. That Dac is good but not perfect. With your speakers you will probably not hear the difference. But if you want you can use the CCA as a digital source (it not only has an analogue output that uses the internal dac but also an optical digital one that bypasses the inbuilt dac.). This may sound marginally better.
 
OP
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La!$

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It is a different function. The d50 is a dac and the CCA is a streamer with inbuilt dac. That Dac is good but not perfect. With your speakers you will probably not hear the difference. But if you want you can use the CCA as a digital source (it not only has an analogue output that uses the internal dac but also an optical digital one that bypasses the inbuilt dac.). This may sound marginally better.
I see! I was thinking of using my pc optical to dac and RCA DAC to speakers. I use to listen to my music with the stock sound card so I think the D50s will be a significant upgrade. No?
 

s002wjh

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I see! I was thinking of using my pc optical to dac and RCA DAC to speakers. I use to listen to my music with the stock sound card so I think the D50s will be a significant upgrade. No?
well kind of depend maybe, some could heard it. human ear is not precise as signal analysis tool. but you wont know till you hear it. if you have crap sound cards, sure, but if its good pc sound cards, you might not able to heard the difference.

I have LG v30 which have quad ESS sabre dac, but switch between my phone and my pc, I couldn't hear the difference using IEM. but I got a good motherboard with good sound card.
 

Willem

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that will work. So your pc has an optical output? An external dac will probably improve the sound of the computer compared to the soundcard/dac in the computer. However not all computers have bad soundcards. Apple is usually rather good and other brands are now also a lot better than before. The inbuilt dac/soundcard of the CCA is also rather good and it is an easy system. Do you only listen to downloaded files or also to Spotify etc?
 
OP
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La!$

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that will work. So your pc has an optical output? An external dac will probably improve the sound of the computer compared to the soundcard/dac in the computer. However not all computers have bad soundcards. Apple is usually rather good and other brands are now also a lot better than before. The inbuilt dac/soundcard of the CCA is also rather good and it is an easy system. Do you only listen to downloaded files or also to Spotify etc?
bought tracks from hdtracks sir.
 
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