DAC with 1050

I am interested in trying out an outboard DAC to go between my Sony DVP s360 dvd player and the 1050. I am looking at the ART DIO because I have heard good things about it. Anyway I never used a DAC and do not even know if it is possible. Can anyone give me some input?

Thanks!

If you use an external DAC, you would want to use the 5.1 direct inputs. Otherwise, you would be re-digitizing the already converted signal and running it through the 1050's DAC.

I think the 1050 does a pretty good job on DA conversion, at least better than my DVD player does on music. I have heard some great sounding high-end CD players with their own DACs, but never side by side with my 1050 doing the DAC.

Make sure any DAC you buy has good jitter reduction. That is the most critical part to getting good sound.

I am assuming this is for stereo playback so why would it be connected to the 5.1 inputs rather than the analog stereo CD input?

The 5.1 input bypass all ADC/DSP/DAC, so you get nothing but volume control and amplification -- which is exactly what you want if you have invested in a good outboard DAC. Connecting a DAC to the CD input will mean you take the digital audio from the CD player (or DVD in this case), converts it to analog with the fancy DAC, then the 1050 converts it back to digital, passes it through the DSP (which may do absolutely nothing to it, depending on how you have the 1050 set up), and then on to the 1050's DAC. This is why the 950 includes "stereo bypass" on the two-channel analog inputs.

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gonk -- Saloon Links | Pre/Pro Comparison Chart

Also means you lose base management, which may be an issue if you have satellites for your fronts (obviously not as much of an issue if you've got full-sized towers up there).

I'm curious, does anyone know if the 950 will do 80 Hz analog crossover on the stereo inputs that are set for analog bypass? Or do you have to use the 5.1 input if you want to use the analog crossover?

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Matthew J. Hill
matt@idsi.net

Damn Gonk, now you made me impatient for my 950

From what I understand, the "stereo bypass" does exactly that and nothing more -- takes the analog stereo input, allows some volume control, and passes it along to the amp. No bass management. The crossover on the 5.1 input is a purely analog circuit built into that input and so only available to that input, I think.

Oh, and morphsci, m-mmeyer did refer to me as his evil twin yesterday...

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gonk -- Saloon Links | Pre/Pro Comparison Chart

Sorry my bad.

[This message has been edited by m-mmeyer (edited March 21, 2002).]

Gonk,
I stopped at the not-so-evil bookstore on the way home to get some not-so-evil ideas for exacting revenge for all the annoyingly good things you have done here, so keep that in mind and BEWARE!! um, well I guess that "beware" is too evil so.... oh just watch it, o.k.?




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m-mmeyer not so evil twin of Gonk

-- Consider my eyes open...

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gonk -- Saloon Links | Pre/Pro Comparison Chart

I use the Perpetual Technologies P-1A/ ModWright Signature "Plus" P-3A DAC/Monolithic Sound P3 Power Supply combo with my 1050. I run the output from the P-3A through the 5.1 input. It sounds incredible! A good DAC is essential to CD playback.

I use a Rel Strata III sub which gives seamless bass integration with my mains down to a bit below 20hz. The loss of bass management is fine by me.

I bought my 1050 as a stopgap to get me by till I can save up for a good 2 channel preamp. I've been pleasently surprised with how good it sounds.

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Lynn Olan Little
lolittle@earthlink.net

Does an outboard DAC change the sound as much as say a tube pre-amp?



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m-mmeyer not so evil twin of Gonk

"Does an outboard DAC change the sound as much as say a tube pre-amp?"

Well, I can't really say. That depends on how good the tube pre-amp &/or the DAC is. A really good DAC is something you've got to hear to believe. Here's my best example.

Before I installed my Perpetual Technologies gear, my wife wouldn't stay in the room with me for more than 5 minutes at a time when I was listening to CDs. Since I installed the P-1A/P-3A/Monolithic Sound P3 Power Supply combo, she'll listen for 45 minutes at a time. Without me asking for her opinion, she actually told me she LIKES the sound now!

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Lynn Olan Little
lolittle@earthlink.net