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Hello fellas, first time poster here
I have been using my ipad/iphone6s to stream SiriusXM to my small budget bedroom stereo via the headphone jack (using 3.5mm-rca splitter). I'm using some Elac b6 speakers with a 30w Topping amp. I've read that the siriusxm app, with the settings at high quality, stream @ 256kbs+. I mean, it already sounds really good...but if it can sound better with little expense, I'm all ears!!!
Anyways, would it be a worthwhile investment to get a usb dac and connect it through the thunderbolt/camera usb cord, or is going through the headphone jack like I have been plenty sufficient for the audio I'm listening to? I don't really use itunes, flac, alac, or anything like that. I just stream.
I have considered getting the airport express and using it to stream via airplay from my phone, but I'm not so certain its built in dac is any better or worse than my ipad/phone. I'm also looking at this:
http://www.amazon.com/HRT-i-dSp-Hea...?ie=UTF8&qid=1455950690&sr=8-1&keywords=i+dac
Any input would be greatly appreciated. I'm looking in the 100$ budget range.
Thanks in advance!
Hi...Just a few thoughts based on my experiences as it relates to your question. Mostly, I listen to internet radio, ripped CDs and streaming services, and mostly through iTunes, but this should also apply to your uses also. I have higher end "stuff", but also have "budget" systems having accumulated parts from being a long term hobbyist and experimenter, including one system using ELAC B6 speakers, which are not too bad, and will definitely allow you to hear more from your music. Of course, as with most things audio, these are my subjective opinions, but are based upon my experiences. I am trying to suggest to you possible solutions based on your need to observe a budget. I have also been there, where you need to find the best "bang for the buck" method to get the job done. Actually, I still am there, so this is why I can try to help you with these suggestions, I've been there, done that!
Even with a chip amp like your Topping (and just about almost all cases using external sourced audio), I have found that an external DAC interface notably improves the sound quality from either a computer (iTunes or other streaming via USB interface) or, from an iPod/iPad/IPhone (via Airplay) as opposed to using the headphone output with an RCA "Y" connector to the amp input. The DACs in an iPod, iPad, or IPhone are very good, but the analog headphone amps are not that great when used to feed a higher capability audio system. You may not hear the difference using earbuds for which they are intended, but you will when you compare direct digital output through a DAC into an external amp and speakers as opposed to being connected with a Y connector through the 3.5 mm headphone out jack to RCA plug inputs.
You don't have to get an expensive DAC to experience the improvement either, but of course like in most things, the sky is the limit on what you could spend, and more expensive stuff does have more refinement and better specs, but the laws of diminishing returns applies here, it would make no sense to buy a $10,000 DAC for connecting an iPhone to a Topping amp (to use an extreme example) in a budget system.
I agree with alazhaarp that the Schitt Modi is a very good USB-RCA interface DAC. You need to upgrade to the Modi 2 Uber to get both USB and coaxial/optical inputs. I have the Modi, and use it to connect to a Laptop PC or a Macbook Air for iTunes and Internet radio. You can get a less expensive Behringer UCA-202 that sounds almost as good for $30 on Amazon (for example), to give it a try. If you don't like it, not much is lost. The biggest difference (among others, I'm sure spec wise) is that the Behringer does not have the same file bandwidth (24/48 kHz) as the Modi (24/192 khz), but that does not make a difference if streaming iTunes, CDs or Internet radio (my uses). It is difficult to tell the differences in actual sound output (I'm talking aural perceptions here, not specs!) unless you compare them directly in an A/B comparison, even then, it is relatively subtle...I won't get into the differences as it will take this thread in another direction, except to say both do a credible job. I have them both, and they both work very well. It makes for a good budget solution, and you can always upgrade later, like with everything else! You will still will hear marked sound improvement (in clarity, detail and less distortion) with either DAC.
If you need an optical/coaxial to RCA out DAC, you can use a FiiO D03K - Taishan, available on Amazon for $22, or $25 with an optical cable. This little DAC actually sounds pretty good after a few hours of "burn-in". I've never believed in "burn-in", but I must say when it comes to DACS, a little run time does help to open them up. I don't know why (but, I digress). There are other "cheaper" alternative DAC modules, but I have not tried them, so I cannot recommend them or say it would be worth any savings. The FiiO D03K has an input capability of 24/192 kHz, so a wider bandwidth capability than some others, although in this case, you may not need that capability, it does not hurt to have it though. The FiiO is probably not considered state of the art. There are better DACS for more money, but again, diminishing returns applies here too. It does a very credible job, and delivers clean highs and low bass, and instrument separation. I am listening to a high bit rate internet station fed through one to my stereo system as I am writing this reply; it sounds good!
I mention that you many need this type of DAC because it ties directly into another (2nd) part of the "solution" you may want to consider. You can buy an Apple TV for $70 new, or $40-50 refurb, and use the optical output only as an audio streamer. You don't need to connect it to a TV (although you still can if you want to!), except for the initial setup. From that point on, it can be disconnected from the TV HDMI port, then moved to where you want it to be, where it then acts as a remote digital receiver. You can make the connection for the Apple TV to your router via wi-fi, or a hard wire via LAN connection. The Apple TV and Airplay on the iPod (or iPhone) or from iTunes transmits the signal wirelessly at Apple Lossless quality and sounds very good. You feed the optical output of the Apple TV into the FiiO DAC, where it gets converted to RCA L-R output to connect to the amp. The FiiO DAC also does a nice secondary job cleaning up a CD output from a "cheap" DVD player using the DVD coaxial audio out (a plain RCA patch cord will do fine here for this job) as opposed to the analog RCA outputs on the DVD, because the DVD is used solely as a transport in this situation, bypassing the cheap DAC and analog sections on most run of the mill DVD players that typically don't do a good job with CD audio. There is a switch on the FiiO DAC unit that allows it to select either optical or coaxial input, so it will support two source (e.g., Apple TV and DVD) inputs, if you like. (Remember, these are my subjective evaluations-you may have differing ideas).
The Airport Express can be used in a similar way to the Apple TV with it's optical output (the analog jack doubles up as an optical digital output when a mini Toslink optical cable is used instead of the 3.25 mm analog audio plug), but costs a little more than an Apple TV. However, it can be used for wi-fi purposes too. I have heard the output from the Airport Express is limited to 16/44.1 kHz, as opposed to 24/48kHz on the Apple TV, but won't make a substantial audible difference in this situation as it is acting as a distributor for the sound. It is still at or above CD level quality.
To use these solutions, you stream your audio out via Airplay to the Apple TV or Airport Express, which acts as your receiver, then you use the DAC optical input to RCA analog output for conversion to plug into your amp's input. An advantage here is that you won't need to tether the iPhone via direct connection wires to make the wireless connection either. You can also connect multiple Apple TVs and or Airport Express units from one source if more outlets are desired at a later time, and stream to any or all units through Airplay simultaneously (select Multiple in Airplay, then check off the desired receivers).
There is also the Schitt Modi Uber (mentioned briefly above), where both type of DAC inputs are in one unit, but that starts to be getting more expensive ($149 + shipping), and may not be within your budget. The other suggestions above will keep you below the $100 you mentioned as the bottom line. So often, suggestions are made with good intent that, although valid and helpful, will pull you way out of your targeted budget and run up your costs.
I apologize if this reply has been a bit long-winded, but, I wanted to offer not only suggestions on what to get, but why I recommend them and how to use them. These are practical and workable improvements you will be able to hear, not state of the art solutions that disregard your budget and are out of context relative to use/benefit relationships. Plus, you may find it is kind of fun to be getting this stuff together to work. As I said, you will definitely find the sound quality you will hear from digital audio to be notably better from your iPhone, or from a typical computer sound card output using a DAC instead of the headphone plug/Y connector analog outs. And, if and when you do upgrade your system, these setups can be moved on to the new components where you may notice even further improvement due to upgrading components (like for instance, starting with the Topping amp???...I find the chip amps run out of "gas" (distort) if you turn up the volume too much, or feed inefficient speakers with high dynamic range material, like the B6's for instance because they just run out of power, but I digress again! Your call here if and when!) I hope these suggestions I offer helps you and helps improve your listening pleasure.
