Replacement Logitech Streamer / DAC use with Active Acoustic Energy loudspeakers

[bayard1music]

Hello,

A hopefully simple question. Currently using an Audiolab 6000A in Pre amp mode to drive (unbalanced) a pair of Acoustic Energy Active loudspeakers. I'm using either a Logitech Touch for listening to my 1600 CD collection stored on a Rasbperry Pi in FLAC (with squeezeboxserver) or an LG OLED TV. For my music I used the coax output from the Logitech to one of the digital inputs on the Audiolab. My key question is , might I be able to resolve any improvements (to the above) if I were to either change the Audiolab for a state of the art DAC / Preamp , something like a Topping D90LE (brings balanced outputs lacking on the Audiolab) or say update the Logitech Touch to a superior streamer. I've seen people speaking of using a Rasberry Pi with say Volumino driving via USB. Lets say I've a budget of a £1000 total or thereabouts. I've seen positive (very good measurements) on another respected site so not sure that this is the weakest link although old today. Key requirements are for a half decent volume display , I note all these high performance DAC's have very tiny displays commensurate with the case sizes. As an Engineer I'm slightly skeptical that I can improve as suspect that the speakers although good may be viewed as the limiting device today. I look forward to any comment or advice.

 

[Wino]

I would stick with the Logitech Touch as your streamer for now. Adding a Topping Dac would probably provide improvement over the internal Dac in the 600A. But, you would be the best judge. Find a friend with one and A/B or buy from somewhere with a good return policy. I use a RPi 4 with picoreplayer. However, I'm not sure I could say there would be improvement over Touch. The 600A looks like it doesn't have USB. So, you might find improvement with pi2aes and RPi and coax.

 

[bayard1music]

Hello Wino, Thanks for suggesting I stick with the Logitech Touch. Another well known audio review site , still seems to endorse the device. I don't have anybody in my circle of friends here in the UK with such a component DAC , so limited to a good return service as you rightfully suggest. Would be great to see my Acoustic Energy Actives tested by Amir or my Audiolab 6000A come to that. Not sure I'm likely to see that any time soon , but would be nice to know the limitations of these components. (Speaking as an Electronics Engineer myself). Thanks again.

 

[hifi72]

Every once in a while I get the itch to replace the aging Squeezebox Touch, but really I don't find any difference apart from lightening my pocket book. There may be a slight* difference in presentation in some newer streamers but not enough to justify replacing what this little unit can do. Stick with it, imo.