DAC

[jdm1227]

Been using various music streamers to find best sound. Amazon, You Tube, Spotify etc. Started using Qobuz recently and am a little happier with quality.
Should I purchase a DAC?
Streaming with Lenovo laptop to Parasound equipment, 2100 pre and 2250 amp. Speakers are Magnepan 1.6.
Looking at a used Parasound DAC on line. Should I stick with Parasound?
I have been working on my system for years trading up. I was an anolog guy for years. Just can't seem to wrap my ears around the mp3 sound.

 

[orangejello]

Listening to Spotify Premium (320 kB) this morning. I have a massive vinyl collection with a pretty well considered playback system. I didn’t fool around with other streaming services too much. Tried Tidal as well for free. Spotify Premium is fine. Get over the sense that you are missing something. Unless you are doing very critical listening (and even then) you probably will enjoy it. It will open you up to a vast world of music. I have a fairly esoteric collection of vinyl, and almost anytime I look for the streaming equivalent, I find it.

Depending on a lot of things, you may prefer one service over another. Just know that streaming as a music source is a wonderful gift for music lovers.

As for DACs, get one with reasonably good measurements. After that, from a vinyl lovers point of view, the analogue output stage will probably matter to you most. I have only tried three dacs so far - One of them being an RME. For streaming (USB) Spotify I prefer the Marantz HD-DAC1, perhaps because it sounds a little more forgiving than the RME. It does not sound great (to me) with CDs though (for reasons that I have yet to discover - maybe because with USB the computer is upsampling to 192/24?). So I’m still looking for a DAC for CD playback.

In any case, there a lot of people on this forum with vast amounts of time and investment in streaming. So get started, experiment, enjoy it, and ask questions as you delve further into it.

 

[jdm1227]

Thanks for the insight. I've been reading about the Marantz.
My first receiver was a Marantz 2252b back in 1977.
Was hooked. Love their product until late 80s. Switched to vintage Sansui from mid 70s. Finally graduated to digital separates and am happy with everything but the mp3.
Weighing out the Marantz DAC vs. Parasound DAC.
Thanks again

 

[amirm]

Don't get DACs that are not measured here. You will be shopping blind.

 

[Crane]

or better yet, get it and send it in

 

[dmac6419]

Been using various music streamers to find best sound. Amazon, You Tube, Spotify etc. Started using Qobuz recently and am a little happier with quality.
Should I purchase a DAC?
Streaming with Lenovo laptop to Parasound equipment, 2100 pre and 2250 amp. Speakers are Magnepan 1.6.
Looking at a used Parasound DAC on line. Should I stick with Parasound?
I have been working on my system for years trading up. I was an anolog guy for years. Just can't seem to wrap my ears around the mp3 sound.

Get a topping dx3pro,you'll still have money to spend on the lady,qobuz desktop app is a mess,tidal in my opinion is superior,amazons good,watch videos on youtube,have spotify but dont really use it,sounds good for what it offer.

 

[orangejello]

Don't get DACs that are not measured here. You will be shopping blind.

I agree. I bought the Marantz before I started reading this forum. I have no idea how it measures, but fortunately I enjoy it for USB. As far as I know, it has nothing in common with the AMP-1 which was reviewed here, so those measurement are no help is determining its objective performance. Wouldn't be too surprised that if/when I eventually see measurements, it may be just average. I do like its general usability and style. I leave it on all the time and have no problems with it. But in any case, it is working for me now and the music rolls on.