Assemble best budget system for under $2500 ?

[Chrispy]

LOL -"DAC pumping". -Why am I thinking of a certain Audioman, which is Cheap..

Have no idea of your Audioman other than what i referred to....

 

[Deleted member 48726]

Have no idea of your Audioman other than what i referred to....

The cheapaudioman on YT. He's all over DAC's and clickbaity headlines.

 

[Chrispy]

The cheapaudioman on YT. He's all over DAC's and clickbaity headlines.

LOL will just ignore that one, thanks....

 

[kemmler3D]

Those guys never heard a new DAC they didn’t like

In general if you're only listening and not measuring, you get into a "grass is always greener" spiral where you keep thinking you hear improvements every time you change something. Expectation bias is extremely powerful once you convince yourself that small-ish differences are worth spending money on.

 

[greenfingers]

In general if you're only listening and not measuring, you get into a "grass is always greener" spiral where you keep thinking you hear improvements every time you change something. Expectation bias is extremely powerful once you convince yourself that small-ish differences are worth spending money on.

That is true about grass is Greener. I Make decisions based on a cap for component shopping. I hope the Pegasus will be good enough. and you’re right there’s always a risk about upping the ante, increasing the budget and get one costing more with that thinking because I have another stereo system in my master bedroom that is in need of dac. The starter Dac is aune X8 with sparkles 6202 op amp and aune xp2 upgrade power supply is good but Grass might be greener elsewhere

 

[kemmler3D]

Grass might be greener elsewhere

Just keep in mind that a DAC isn't supposed to sound like anything, it's just supposed to turn bits into an analog waveform. Amps aren't supposed to sound like anything, either. So once you've spent enough (not as much as you might expect) and they don't sound like anything anymore, you can move on to chronic upgradeitis in the speaker and headphone department.

 

[jdjung]

Increase the budget just a tad more then I would get a pair of Linton Wharfdale as the speaker (in room bass response to 40 hz is pretty amazing), Eversolo DMP 6 as the DAC/Streamer/EQ and then Topping RA3. $1499 for speakers, plus $850 for DAC/Streamer and $299 for the amp comes out to $2650 or keep your Dayton for $2700 (if you really like the looks). (I don't think you need a crazy amp for the kitchen). Or wait till Christmas and spend a bit more on the amp, I don't see the Eversolo or Wharfdale coming down in price anytime soon. The Eversolo seems to be going up in price. Maybe get lucky on a good used pair of the Wharfdale Lintons? Or you can get the Fiio R7 for $699 instead of the Eversolo, but the Eversolo measured really well as well as the Topping RA3.

 

[greenfingers]

I now watch all the YT DAC reviews side-eyed, and full of skepticism but not before believing at least one of them because after 24 of 300 hours recommended burn in for Musician Pegasus R2R. Couldn't help but but hook up using single ended RCAs to the Dayton. Well, is it good? Yes. Is it worth the hype? Yes. Is it game or life changer? No! It's just anther DAC that makes music........but it is softer than DS DACs and cuts the digital glare in NOS mode (red light on). Some of the songs I listen to everyday made better impressions. Vocal is sweeter. 2 songs with femal voals I always use for testing siblance (when they start yelling) is much more bearable even at higher volume. Sound stage is so much larger. I keep wanting to move back from listening distance of about 9 feet from speakers to 13+ feet. Overall everything is warmer, softer, less digital sharpness and is good enough to tame down the Focal choras. It's my first R2R DAC but I've learned to have reasonable expectation without thinking the next DAC will be game change etc... They make sound but better sound in every categaory I can or yet to think of.

I cannot deny it, it's the best DAC I've listened to, of course keep bumpimg up the budget to do so. Will performamce be even better after 300 hours burn in? or using balanced XLR output? Well I can find out tomorrow when the Topping pre90 arrives. Stay tuned.

 

[Deleted member 48726]

I now watch all the YT DAC reviews side-eyed, and full of skepticism but not before believing at least one of them because after 24 of 300 hours recommended burn in for Musician Pegasus R2R. Couldn't help but but hook up using single ended RCAs to the Dayton. Well, is it good? Yes. Is it worth the hype? Yes. Is it game or life changer? No! It's just anther DAC that makes music........but it is softer than DS DACs and cuts the digital glare in NOS mode (red light on). Some of the songs I listen to everyday made better impressions. Vocal is sweeter. 2 songs with femal voals I always use for testing siblance (when they start yelling) is much more bearable even at higher volume. Sound stage is so much larger. I keep wanting to move back from listening distance of about 9 feet from speakers to 13+ feet. Overall everything is warmer, softer, less digital sharpness and is good enough to tame down the Focal choras. It's my first R2R DAC but I've learned to have reasonable expectation without thinking the next DAC will be game change etc... They make sound but better sound in every categaory I can or yet to think of.

I cannot deny it, it's the best DAC I've listened to, of course keep bumpimg up the budget to do so. Will performamce be even better after 300 hours burn in? or using balanced XLR output? Well I can find out tomorrow when the Topping pre90 arrives. Stay tuned.

Do you have a microphone and REW? Could be interesting to see what that looks like from your listening position.

 

[greenfingers]

Do you have a microphone and REW? Could be interesting to see what that looks like from your listening position.

I do not have any measuring gear.

 

[greenfingers]

I tried the Topping Pre90 feeding Dayton HTA200. Big thumbs down as all the warm pegasus R2R analog like sound got re-digitized by the pre90, sounding thin and cold. Not for me.

I just tried Pegasus connected to Crown XLi2500 using XLR vs RCA connection and am convinced XLR from will be the way to go! The difference was night and day.

I have been searching for Amps with XLR inputs but struggling to find more options. Is the a website with a healthy list of current balanced input amps to be explored? Budget will be under $1000. TIA

 

[blanddawg62]

How about that you buy your self a measurement microphone and a DSP (ADC-DSP-DAC) like UMIK-1 + MiniDSP Flex. Iron out the bass response, isolate - decouple the sub from the floor (with isolation stands, packs or both) and do a partial room treatment (wall behind speakers with rock wool 4" panels and corners). Best budget system is what you catch on sail without obvious flaws which cannot be corrected and will differ by region where you live. Of course you do need to have a plan what you hope to achieve in the first place like listening distance, room size, desired SPL.
Best regards and have a nice time.

Spotify??

 

[greenfingers]

Qobuz now. Still tweaking a few things but almost done with this system.

 

[ZolaIII]

Spotify??

You add streamer like WiiM Mini.

 

[greenfingers]

Qobuz on laptop and freudioQuest carbon USB to pegasus R2R DAC and currently XLR to XLR on Crown XLi2500. But the crown amp is high energy with too much power and sound isn't refined. I saw the review here afterwards so Going to try NAD C268 next.

 

[Ron Texas]

Qobuz on laptop and freudioQuest carbon USB to pegasus R2R DAC and currently XLR to XLR on Crown XLi2500. But the crown amp is high energy with too much power and sound isn't refined. I saw the review here afterwards so Going to try NAD C268 next.

I'm not sure what you have that the Crown has too much power for. You are likely to be disappointed when replacing it. The XLS series may not measure as well as the most recent offerings from Hypex and Purifi, but it is good enough. There are long threads in other forums with many satisfied users who were using the XLS to drive tricky loads like Magnepans. If you have money burning a hole in your pocket pick up an inexpensive NC252 Hypex, but don't expect a miracle.

 

[greenfingers]

Crown amp, I set at 4 to 6 clicks from zero, Qobuz app volume at 1/3, and windows OS volume at 10-20 out 100 and it's plenty LOUD. I can't image turning any combo of the mentioned volume any higher, would likely to blow speakers. I also start to hear some distortion if turning up any higher from these settings. Maybe tapping the limits of the Focals. I realized after purchasing the amp that Crown has 2 lines, XLS and XLi. Mine is the XLi but don't think the two would sound much different? Thoughts anyone? Dont really want to go above budget but already have. I am just anal in building a system I am satisfied without a doubt and I am getting close....

Music source, USB cable, DAC, Speakers are good enough. Just need to find Amp or Preamp that has XLR input from the Pegasus DAC as I am convinced it yields better sound than RCA connection.

 

[ZolaIII]

Crown amp, I set at 4 to 6 clicks from zero, Qobuz app volume at 1/3, and windows OS volume at 10-20 out 100 and it's plenty LOUD. I can't image turning any combo of the mentioned volume any higher, would likely to blow speakers. I also start to hear some distortion if turning up any higher from these settings. Maybe tapping the limits of the Focals. I realized after purchasing the amp that Crown has 2 lines, XLS and XLi. Mine is the XLi but don't think the two would sound much different? Thoughts anyone? Dont really want to go above budget but already have. I am just anal in building a system I am satisfied without a doubt and I am getting close....

Music source, USB cable, DAC, Speakers are good enough. Just need to find Amp or Preamp that has XLR input from the Pegasus DAC as I am convinced it yields better sound than RCA connection.

If you want to go that way consider Dynacord L FD line starting with L1300FD (225 W @8 Ohms and SINAD of 80 dB at 5 W into 4 Ohms with ADC DSP and DAC in use) you could probably find it for 600~650 € or little more $. They are very good build (Elna capacitors and triodal transformers) and use full (PEQ, FIR, bridge mode, impedance tolerance...).

 

[GabrielBurger]

if going by retail then 2x 8330a + glm kit + 2-4 bass traps + using spidf cable for digital input

~$2k for genelecs
$300 for GLM kit unfortunately
you can shop around for bass traps
spidf cable is $20 or less whatever

edit: spidf to aes split cable i have to google this myself

 

[Deleted member 48726]

Crown amp, I set at 4 to 6 clicks from zero, Qobuz app volume at 1/3, and windows OS volume at 10-20 out 100 and it's plenty LOUD. I can't image turning any combo of the mentioned volume any higher, would likely to blow speakers. I also start to hear some distortion if turning up any higher from these settings. Maybe tapping the limits of the Focals. I realized after purchasing the amp that Crown has 2 lines, XLS and XLi. Mine is the XLi but don't think the two would sound much different? Thoughts anyone? Dont really want to go above budget but already have. I am just anal in building a system I am satisfied without a doubt and I am getting close....

Music source, USB cable, DAC, Speakers are good enough. Just need to find Amp or Preamp that has XLR input from the Pegasus DAC as I am convinced it yields better sound than RCA connection.

Could be a sensitivity issue on the Crown and the distortion you're hearing is because of too high input signal. Some of the Crown amps have the possibility to change input sensitivity. Maybe look into this at least to rule it out..

You can check if it's the input problem if you have the Crown on minimum volume and turn your input volume up and the speakers still distort.