Hey everyone,
I'm currently considering options for a "central" device in my setup to accept signals from different sources and output the signal via XLR to my power amp.
Classically, this would be a preamp. However, since I basically have only two sources, I thought that maybe there could also be a DAC that also features analog input so that the DAC could serve as a preamp and be connected to the power amp directly.
What are the sources?
- a volumio Streamer ideally via USB. This will connect to a (yet to be purchased) DAC.
- my entertainment setup which is based on a NAD AV Receiver that accepts HDMI inputs.
Of course I want to be able to switch between using the system for music streamed from Volumio and entertainment from the AV Receiver without manually changing the cables in the pwoer amps. The receiver has Pre-Outs, so I can connect it to a possible pew-amp or a DAC that has analog inputs.
Why XLR? Well, the Power amps (2x Audiolab 8300MB) support it, and it just seems to make sense. It somehow seems more substantial as a connection than RCA, although this might well be superstition on my part.
So, in short, I am looking for a device that will accept both signals (potentially in combination with an external DAC for the USB audio coming from the Volumio streamer) and output XLR to the power amps.
I am already looking at the RME ADI-2 PRO DAC, which offers analog inputs compared to its non-PRO cousin. However, I would really love to avoid the 1.6k-Euro price point.
So perhaps anyone can recommend a device, or one of those two approaches (DAC + preamp vs. only DAC).
I'm currently considering options for a "central" device in my setup to accept signals from different sources and output the signal via XLR to my power amp.
Classically, this would be a preamp. However, since I basically have only two sources, I thought that maybe there could also be a DAC that also features analog input so that the DAC could serve as a preamp and be connected to the power amp directly.
What are the sources?
- a volumio Streamer ideally via USB. This will connect to a (yet to be purchased) DAC.
- my entertainment setup which is based on a NAD AV Receiver that accepts HDMI inputs.
Of course I want to be able to switch between using the system for music streamed from Volumio and entertainment from the AV Receiver without manually changing the cables in the pwoer amps. The receiver has Pre-Outs, so I can connect it to a possible pew-amp or a DAC that has analog inputs.
Why XLR? Well, the Power amps (2x Audiolab 8300MB) support it, and it just seems to make sense. It somehow seems more substantial as a connection than RCA, although this might well be superstition on my part.
So, in short, I am looking for a device that will accept both signals (potentially in combination with an external DAC for the USB audio coming from the Volumio streamer) and output XLR to the power amps.
I am already looking at the RME ADI-2 PRO DAC, which offers analog inputs compared to its non-PRO cousin. However, I would really love to avoid the 1.6k-Euro price point.
So perhaps anyone can recommend a device, or one of those two approaches (DAC + preamp vs. only DAC).
