What outboard DAC do you use with Squeezebox?

[ob_kook]

Touch --> Toslink --> Audio-gd NFB 10SE

[Daverz]

Looking back on the thread, 2 years ago I was using a Cambridge 840C as a DAC. I switched to a Neko D100 DAC -- which has a more relaxed, natural sound -- about a year ago, after ordering one for the 30-day free trial.

I did try the Benchmark HDR briefly, but I found it too lean, and didn't like the treble presentation.

Lately I've been running the Neko directly into a Bryston 3B-SST. I've had the Bryston for years, but didn't realize what a great sounding amp it was until I tightened down the speaker posts on my spade-terminated speaker wire with some pliers. (They are the Audioquest combo 1/4"-3/8" spades. Probably plain 3/8" spades or even banana plugs would work better with the Bryston.) A lesson in how important tight connections are. I could have saved a lot of money on amps.

[Jacky]

SBT -->

--> DIY DAC (acc. forum) with CS4398, up-sampling to 192 kHZ, one stage op-amp with 2x OPA-627BP (no resistors, no caps at all in analogue path)

--> coax (InAkustik, Germany)
--> PMA2000AE (Denon) & QSC (PA-power amp)
--> Sonics Allegria S1 (Speakers; bi-amped) & Subwoofers.

Works fabulous.

[beetof]

Touch > Siltech coax > Lindemann 24/192 > CrimsonCordPlus > Primaluna Dialogue One > Sonus Faber Cremona Auditor M

[TheOctavist]

Forssell MDAC2 > coax>>sbt

Mytek Stereo 96>> coax>> sbt

[congole]

SB Touch -> silver coax -> VTL Straight-Line (two-channel, tubed D/A converter, UltraAnalog DAC D20400 module).

[NoRoDa]

SBT w/Teddy Pardo TTouch --> BJC coax --> Rega DAC








REGArds

[darrenyeats]

Benchmark DAC1 HDR. Why?

1. One box DAC/pre solution with remote ALPS analogue volume control and balanced out
2. Preamp RCA input (used for XTZ Room Analyzer)
3. Many digital inputs (USB laptop, coax from old Cambridge Audio CD player, optical from SB Touch)
4. Headphone amp
5. Internal jumpers for configurable gain (I use -30dB for balanced out and -20dB for headphone out)
6. Good measured performance of DAC, pre and headphone stages

IMO it sounds fine - better than SB Touch analogue outputs but I would say the difference is subtle (as expected). I've not checked this rigorously, but I get the impression it sounds best after a warm up period.

I don't know of an alternative with all the above (unless I spend much more, on multiple boxes).
Darren

[gizek]

If they can't make a DAC you like, then make one yourself.

[Sakkerju]

Internal DAC only here...

1. Squeezebox Touch (Analog RCA out) -> Monster Cable (uplink connector) -> Little Dot MK III (tube amp.) -> AKG K240 DF (vintage headphone)

2. Squeezebox Touch (Analog RCA out) -> Coaxial cable (uplink connector) -> Denon PMA1500ae (integral amp.) -> Van Den Hul Snowtrack (Biwire speaker cable) ->KEF iQ70se (floor speakers)