Hmm not really, you need a streamer right? A RPI streamer to your Denon will work as well as anything you've tried.
This is what I would do.
-
WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!
DAC Advice Needed
- Thread starter sawacs
- Start date
'easily tell the difference' is meaningless unless you go to quite some effort to make this a proper test. See Amir's video regarding blind testing and listener training:
You will find more discussion of blind testing and level matching by searching ASR, e.g. this thread... https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/abx-blind-test-and-level-matching.26626/
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2019
- Messages
- 344
- Likes
- 502
Easily tell the difference between two modern DACs means either 1) one DAC is broken, 2) some kind of tone control is in the chain, or 3) you're fooling yourself with expectation bias and uncontrolled test conditions.
- Thread Starter
- #25
Good point. Maybe I am just thinking one sounds better than the other.
- Joined
- Aug 5, 2021
- Messages
- 531
- Likes
- 565
The DAC space seems to be fast becoming the new "interconnect magic" space.....?
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2019
- Messages
- 344
- Likes
- 502
Also, the node has digital tone controls. Use them. They work well. I've analyzed their affect using a spectrum analyzer and they are implemented well. I saw zero affect on noise or distortion.
Yes they crop level by 1 bit, but they dither the result so the effect is moot.
Yes they crop level by 1 bit, but they dither the result so the effect is moot.
Jimster480
Major Contributor
Having a DAC which is garbage, doesn't mean that another DAC that is around the same price is also garbage. This makes no sense. So to waste $800 because of some "reviews" seems irresponsible to say the least.
Obviously if you can afford to just throw away money then go ahead but as others mentioned; the best performance available from your Denon is already available with the internal DAC if you can actually use it by just putting in a TOSLink Cable.
- Thread Starter
- #29
I have hooked up the Toslink cable and bypassed the Node 2i. The DAC on the Denon sounds pretty good but there is one issue. All of the music I stream into the Denon DAC is limited to AAC 96 kbps.
The only way to play hi-res music, according to Denon tech support, is to download the file to a computer or usb drive. If I stream to the Denon, I am limited to AAC 96.
Is the only way to stream via HEOS? Assume that's the bottleneck rather than DLNA....
- Thread Starter
- #31
I can stream from cellphone via Google cast, Bluetooth, computer and HEOS but am stuck at aac 96.
I suppose this is the main reason to get a separate DAC so I can stream hi-res music.
I've not had such restriction with older gear from Denon. That's why I'm scratching my head. Only some radio streams would be so restricted, but that was simply the service. Can't imagine why a google cast would be limited to such a bitrate/codec either. Then again I only have the older gear without that restriction?
sailor2005
Active Member
- Joined
- Oct 8, 2020
- Messages
- 123
- Likes
- 172
People!!! Why are you all complicating this and confusing the OP? The solution is rather simple. Connect the Node with Toslink to the Denon. It WILL go to the highest sampling rate the Denon allows for optical. NO need for DAC in between the Node and Denon. It will use the Denon's DAC. You won't be listening to the Node's DAC even if it were a POS.
And the whole "pure direct mode" thing only matters IF you are using analog inputs to the Denon, in which case the DAC in the source component WILL matter. If NOT using "pure direct", analog input signals will eventually end up thru the Denon's DAC anyway.
And the whole "pure direct mode" thing only matters IF you are using analog inputs to the Denon, in which case the DAC in the source component WILL matter. If NOT using "pure direct", analog input signals will eventually end up thru the Denon's DAC anyway.
- Thread Starter
- #35
If I am streaming music and using the Denon's DAC, I am limited to AAC 96 kbps and no more. There is an exception. I can play hi-res music using the Denon's DAC if I download the file and play it from a computer drive or usb. This information came directly from Denon tech support
The only way to stream hi-res music is to add a streamer with a built in DAC or a streamer only plus a DAC
Last edited:
HarmonicTHD
Major Contributor
- Joined
- Mar 18, 2022
- Messages
- 3,326
- Likes
- 4,905
Attachments
- Thread Starter
- #37
I have to be doing something wrong then
So, the music you are streaming is not physically downloaded to a computer but rather online streaming?
Last edited:
sailor2005
Active Member
- Joined
- Oct 8, 2020
- Messages
- 123
- Likes
- 172
Dude, your streamer (the Bluesound) will output PCM thru the toslink output into the Denon's toslink input. You DO NOT need a streamer plus DAC, and the Denon does NOT need to stream anything!! It's done by the Node!
- Thread Starter
- #39
I got that. I misunderstood
HarmonicTHD
Major Contributor
- Joined
- Mar 18, 2022
- Messages
- 3,326
- Likes
- 4,905
Yes from my Quobuz account (online music provider).
And BTW. There is no audible difference between 48khz (24bit) and higher sampling rates anyhow. HiRes is mainly marketing to sell the same music again. This has been investigated, proven and discussed endlessly at this forum. So I wouldn’t worry about it in the first place.
Last edited:
Similar threads
