Schu Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 (edited) I dont know those exact units... perhaps they have options to allow the playback to remain native. As a matter of fact, I wouod be willing to bet they would. Edited May 2, 2015 by Schu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thaddeus Smith Posted May 2, 2015 Author Share Posted May 2, 2015 the denon should play native, but it's a full AVR and I'm wondering if that's a dumb use for it as a limited streamer/dac/preamp. the oppo is an obvious choice, but it lacks solid support of streaming services or (Apple Airplay to make up for it) and I don't have any CD's or SACD's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willland Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 Michael, Have you considered one of the low profile Marantz AVR's? I was just looking at the feature list. http://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/marnr1605/marantz-nr1605-7.1-slim-line-a/v-receiver-with-wi-fi-bluetooth/1.html Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshnich Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 I certainly do not know about this but wouldn't the oppo 105 do what you are looking for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thaddeus Smith Posted May 3, 2015 Author Share Posted May 3, 2015 I certainly do not know about this but wouldn't the oppo 105 do what you are looking for? Most, but not all - most specifically Apple Airplay. It's not my primary feature requirement, but it opens up a whole world of audio options independent of whatever a manufacturer aligns with in any given year. and its more than the even the cambridge device costs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thaddeus Smith Posted May 3, 2015 Author Share Posted May 3, 2015 Michael, Have you considered one of the low profile Marantz AVR's? I was just looking at the feature list. http://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/marnr1605/marantz-nr1605-7.1-slim-line-a/v-receiver-with-wi-fi-bluetooth/1.html Bill have not, but will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators dtel Posted May 3, 2015 Moderators Share Posted May 3, 2015 That's a cool looking little receiver, looks to have connections for anything. Mr Ray, you mad me laugh just reading the title. Am I Crazy? (keep it on topic) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thaddeus Smith Posted May 5, 2015 Author Share Posted May 5, 2015 I reached out to Cambridge Audio support - on this device, upsampling cannot be circumvented. For the same cash I can pick up a refurb Denon-4520ci, which has the same functional streaming and DLNA support albeit with a less pretty presentation, and a 32" TV for that space. It will be primarily an audio system, but that would give me video capabilities from time to time since that space is my "cave" where I also do gaming and late night movies,etc. I looked into the marantz and it doesn't seem as appealing to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schu Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 (edited) I think I would hold out, or compromise, for a ESS DAC equipped unit. The 9018 chipset really does offer up a substantial improvement in liquidity and "life" out of your audio stream... well and above many similar spec'ed DAC's. I know you might not be fond of the class D topology but the Pioneer units offer up outstanding performance for dollar outlay and they come equipped with the ESS Sabre. Edited May 5, 2015 by Schu 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thaddeus Smith Posted May 11, 2015 Author Share Posted May 11, 2015 I think I would hold out, or compromise, for a ESS DAC equipped unit. The 9018 chipset really does offer up a substantial improvement in liquidity and "life" out of your audio stream... well and above many similar spec'ed DAC's. I know you might not be fond of the class D topology but the Pioneer units offer up outstanding performance for dollar outlay and they come equipped with the ESS Sabre. What you think of a Peachtree Nova Pre? http://www.peachtreeaudio.com/novapre-preamplifier-with-dac.html uses the 9023 chipset, but was pretty well regarded. I still have my old macbook pro and I've reduced its function down to just arcade software, which I could easily run in vmware the few times a month I actually need it, and then keep it dedicated to stereo the rest of the time. a new SSD, a used Nova Pre, and a new gig-E/wireless AC router would give me all the same functionality and a little more bang for the buck compared to an AVR. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtimer Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 Thad. Get off the tubes. They are bad for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thaddeus Smith Posted May 11, 2015 Author Share Posted May 11, 2015 (edited) with digital files, apparently so. Edited May 11, 2015 by Thaddeus Smith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davis419b Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 Thad. Get off the tubes. They are bad for you. +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schu Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 (edited) I am sure that PT might be better than what you are using now, and that might be enough. I like the galvantic isolation and ess chipset, slight compromise in specification based on costs, but I am sure it sound very decent. I understand where you are coming from when it comes to cost versus performance, but also consider that your new CW's are capable of extreme detail and liquidity now... you could easily hear the difference between a generation old dac and the latest dacs. Specially in terms of asynchronous usb high resolution file types and thruput. Quite a bit of granularity and jitter is created when clocking and resolution is compromised. Will it still sound good, no doubt... could you hear the difference between an older dac and a femto/vishay dac with multiple ess chips that isolate each channel and input/output, absolutely. You know, all this doesnt come cheap though... Edited May 11, 2015 by Schu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thaddeus Smith Posted May 11, 2015 Author Share Posted May 11, 2015 do i want to afford newer generation dac's right now? meh.. but i get where you're coming from, with respect to the CW's newly found resolving capability. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schu Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 (edited) I hear you... buying anything new is a bit like chasing the dragon, never enough. I do think with some of these late gen dacs have reached a plateau in terms of diminishing returns and as we go forward things will be incremental and not revolutionary. That being said, if you shop wisely or wait a few more months you may get much more for your money on the secondary market Edited May 11, 2015 by Schu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thaddeus Smith Posted May 11, 2015 Author Share Posted May 11, 2015 shop wisely or wait a few more months pure blasphemy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtimer Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 Sell all your possessions. And follow me. (give me all the money from the proceeds of your possessions) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thaddeus Smith Posted May 11, 2015 Author Share Posted May 11, 2015 I might need to for that hot sauce order I'm making. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thaddeus Smith Posted May 11, 2015 Author Share Posted May 11, 2015 I hear you... buying anything new is a bit like chasing the dragon, never enough. I do think with some of these late gen dacs have reached a plateau in terms of diminishing returns and as we go forward things will be incremental and not revolutionary. That being said, if you shop wisely or wait a few more months you may get much more for your money on the secondary market these have a good reputation: http://www.audio-gd.com/Pro/dac/NFB32014/NFB32014EN.htm my amp has per-channel volume knobs, but I'm thinking of pairing it up with one of these so I only have one knob to deal with for volume control: http://www.tisburyaudio.co.uk/mini-passive-preamplifier my plan is to decide on something and then sit with it for a year before changing anything else - so I once again find myself in the middle of analysis paralysis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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