Should I use duet or marantz DAC?

[capitano]

Hello,
just bought a Duet.
my sistem:
Thecus 5200 NAS with ripped music Flac.
Marantz SR8500
Question: do you suggest to use Duet for decoding and link it via analog to my Marantz or just use optic/coax to connect Duet to Marantz and let SR8500 does the decoding job?
In other words: who has the better DAC?

[Robin Bowes]

capitano wrote:
> Hello,
> just bought a Duet.
> my sistem:
> Thecus 5200 NAS with ripped music Flac.
> Marantz SR8500
> Question: do you suggest to use Duet for decoding and link it via
> analog to my Marantz or just use optic/coax to connect Duet to Marantz
> and let SR8500 does the decoding job?
> In other words: who has the better DAC?

Try both. Use whichever one sounds best to you.

One thought - unless the Marantz has an "analogue direct" input, it will
convert the analogue signal to digital, process it, then convert it
back. In that case, you might be better using a digital input.

R.

[ralphpnj]

Hello,
just bought a Duet.
my sistem:
Thecus 5200 NAS with ripped music Flac.
Marantz SR8500
Question: do you suggest to use Duet for decoding and link it via analog to my Marantz or just use optic/coax to connect Duet to Marantz and let SR8500 does the decoding job?
In other words: who has the better DAC?

I have a similar setup with the differences being that I have a SqueezeBox (version 3) and a Marantz SR8400 (a slightly older model than the SR8500). I use the digital output of the SqueezeBox into one of the digital inputs on the Marantz and it sounds great. I would recommend using the digital output since it can "pass thru" a dolby digital or DTS signal (for files encoded with this info) to the receiver and it will also "pass thru" HDCD signal to the receiver (again, with files encoded with HDCD info).

Besides all that I feel that the DAC in the Marantz is somewhat superior to the DACs in both the SqueezeBox and Duet. But as Mr. Bowes so rightly pointed out, try it both ways and see which method sounds better. If you can hear little or no difference, I would still go with the digital output for the reasons given above.

[Nonreality]

I have a similar setup with the differences being that I have a SqueezeBox (version 3) and a Marantz SR8400 (a slightly older model than the SR8500). I use the digital output of the SqueezeBox into one of the digital inputs on the Marantz and it sounds great. I would recommend using the digital output since it can "pass thru" a dolby digital or DTS signal (for files encoded with this info) to the receiver and it will also "pass thru" HDCD signal to the receiver (again, with files encoded with HDCD info).

Besides all that I feel that the DAC in the Marantz is somewhat superior to the DACs in both the SqueezeBox and Duet. But as Mr. Bowes so rightly pointed out, try it both ways and see which method sounds better. If you can hear little or no difference, I would still go with the digital output for the reasons given above.
I wouldn't assume at all that the Marantz has the better DAC. You might be surprised. I would hook it up both ways. The Marantz has a direct mode so make sure you use that if you want to listen to SB's analog output.

[Themis]

IMHO you should try both as suggested.

If your setup has a subwoofer, you should rather use the digital input which should have a better integration with the crossover function of the Marantz.

[Nonreality]

IMHO you should try both as suggested.

If your setup has a subwoofer, you should rather use the digital input which should have a better integration with the crossover function of the Marantz.Yes exactly. I do this with mine for albums that take advantage of the sub, but with good acoustic albums I'll run mine with the analog on the SB in pure mode on my Yamaha. I just like the SB more for acoustic. Massive attack gets the digital. :0

[capitano]

Thank you for all the kind answers.
As soon as Duet will arrive I'll try both configurations.

[androidtopp]

Kind of a follow up to this (and I think I know the answer) but comparing DAC in the SB3 to the DAC in a Marantz SR-4003 - I'm guessing the SB3 has the better DAC, but a Nonreality and Themis have noted, if I want better integration with my subwoofer, it's better to just run digital from the SB3 to the Marantz? I guess, it's also less line level cable runs, and my stereo cabinet is a mess of power and audio all over the place.

I can't manage to find any specific info on the Marantz DAC. I know it's a 192/24, but don't know the brand - I see the SB3 has a Burr-Brown 24-bit.

Granted, I should just listen. But I'm wondering what the technical answer is.

Thanks!
Andrew

[Phil Leigh]

Kind of a follow up to this (and I think I know the answer) but comparing DAC in the SB3 to the DAC in a Marantz SR-4003 - I'm guessing the SB3 has the better DAC, but a Nonreality and Themis have noted, if I want better integration with my subwoofer, it's better to just run digital from the SB3 to the Marantz? I guess, it's also less line level cable runs, and my stereo cabinet is a mess of power and audio all over the place.

I can't manage to find any specific info on the Marantz DAC. I know it's a 192/24, but don't know the brand - I see the SB3 has a Burr-Brown 24-bit.

Granted, I should just listen. But I'm wondering what the technical answer is.

Thanks!
Andrew

There is NO technical answer. Hi-Fi doesn't work like that!

[androidtopp]

Well, I understand that nothing matters aside from my ears. But if you had to compare items on paper, I guess I'm just looking to know if one has better technical capabilities than the other.

[radish]

The problem with that is that the specs of the chip are only a small part of the overall picture. So although DAC A may have a "better" chip than B, it may well not perform as well.

[seanadams]

Most AV receivers, for defensible reasons, digitize all their analog inputs. So when you're listening to Duet you may be hearing it through the Marantz' DAC anyway, plus another A->D stage on the way in.

Some receivers have a passthrough mode, which might be limited to a particular input, which bypasses the A->D->A.

Level matching is very important if you're comparing them by ear...

[androidtopp]

I kind of figured that would be the answer - I'll just have to have a listen and figure out which I like. Hopefully the digital output from the SB3, since it's just one cable to wrestle into my nightmare of a cabinet.

As far as levels go - I keep my SB3 at maximum volume internally and control the volume through my reciever - is this what you're referring to when you talk about leveling? Or might optical/line level have different levels even if the SB3 volume is set the same?

Thanks everyone!

[Mnyb]

As far as levels go - I keep my SB3 at maximum volume internally and control the volume through my reciever - is this what you're referring to when you talk about leveling? Or might optical/line level have different levels even if the SB3 volume is set the same?

Thanks everyone!

Yes most likely even if the difference is small, our imperfect brains will interpret the sligthly louder as "better".

So to make a fair comparison one should try playback at the same level, if one is really nerdy one could play a test tone and measure with an spl meter and take notes on where the Marantz volume has to be to make Equal spl.
I have a cheap RS spl meter but i'm unsure of it is fit for pupose.
It's is how ever useful when calibrating my home cinema.

[androidtopp]

I'm that nerdy...but have no SPL meter. I will just crank every volume knob I can find to 11, and that should keep things even. ;-)

[Mnyb]

I'm that nerdy...but have no SPL meter. I will just crank every volume knob I can find to 11, and that should keep things even. ;-)

You have to switch the web UI to the classic interface then you crank your SB to 11 too ;-)

[androidtopp]

I actually already use the classic interface - So done and done!