Buffered DACs

All these threads about Sqeezeboxes have set me thinking. A squeezebox is a great option if your PC is nowhere near your hifi. If, like me, you already have the PC next to the hifi, a squeezebox is overkill and all you really need is a buffered DAC.

I know that the Chord DAC64 is buffered but it is also expensive. Are there any other buffered DACs out there that hopefully cost somewhat less?

 

Behringer DEQ?

 

Why do you need a buffered DAC? If you want jitter immunity look no further than the Benchmark DAC1. It has measureable complete immunity to input jitter (graphs etc on their site).

Michael.

 

Wow, I never thought about that! If you turn the delay mode on it forces it to buffer! I wonder if it will increase the quality?

 

Hi TB,

The Squeezebox has remote control, so you don't have to be sitting at your PC to browse or change tracks etc.

 

Tenson - in no case (including the DAC64, contrary to what some will have you believe) does the length of the buffering have an effect on the sound.

 

Oh, and technobear - Make sure you connect the PC to your DAC with an optical lead. Otherwise you've just provided an electrical pathway from one of the noisiest pieces of electrical equipment in your home into your hifi.

 

Then what's the point of a buffered DAC? I thought buffering reduced jitter and thus improved sound quality?

 

Buffering makes sense. My point was that the length of the buffering has no impact. You can buffer the data for 1 cycle or you can buffer it for 10000, it will sound the same.

 

Hmm. Interesting points.

Benchmark DAC1: I'll take a look, thanks Michael.

Remote control: no need since the PC will be on anyway

Optical connection: my soundcard doesn't have optical out. Damn! But isn't a hard wired ethernet connection to a squeezebox also providing a pathway for interference?

 

Yes, it is. But if you have an optical connection from squeezebox to DAC you cut the path.

You can get a decent soundcard with optical out for £30 or so (that's what I paid for my terratec Aureon which I use on the same basis).

 

The TCP/IP protocol provides immunity to data damaged by electrical noise.

 

Indeed. But it doesn't provide immunity to analogue circuitry in the same box to picking up that noise.

 

Clocks spray rfi like a fountain all over those lovely analogue stages, hooo......... not nice

 

HiFi News will be reviewing it next month apparently.

Michael.

 

ahem hi-fi world.
cheers


julian

 

Are you sure? I'm pretty sure it's HFN as I bought HFN this month and have only briefly flicked through HFW at the newsagent so far and I distinctly remember reading about it. Will take your word for it until I get home this evening and can confirm....unless they're both reviewing it (which wouldn't be out of the question).

Michael.

 

Agreed - so the challenge is how best to protect the analogue section. What can be done? Ishiwata san style copper boxes? Funky wires? plenty of earthing strips? Hmmm

 

Or, in fact, an optical connection between noisy and non-noisy environments? Cheap to implement, 100% effective.

 

my dax 2 is all 'canned up' the 2 'clocks' and the output stages are both in shielded boxes.
see...


also the hefty transformers give it a load of welly when it comes to bass control.
cheers


julian