BlessedPrince Posted March 4, 2017 Share Posted March 4, 2017 I stream my music using Tidal on my MacBook to Receiver via analog to use the RX A1050 dac. I also stream it through airplay on iPad. I have an external power amp hooked up. I hear all the hype about dacs that I want to try one but theirs an endless selection. Thanks. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimjimbo Posted March 5, 2017 Share Posted March 5, 2017 Schiit Bifrost 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam2434 Posted March 5, 2017 Share Posted March 5, 2017 If you use the analog output from your Mac, your receiver will to an A-D then D-A conversion if you use bass management or any other processing. Plus the signal is limited by the quality of the Mac's DAC. These are limiting factors to sound quality. Before you get an outboard DAC, I suggest you try the digital optical output from your MAC. I'm not at Apple guy, but I believe most Mac's output digital optical from the headphone output. Using this, you will keep the signal in the digital domain and will only be using the DAC in your receiver. If you are using Airlplay built into the receiver, an outboard DAC would not be relevant, as you would be using the DAC in the receiver. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlessedPrince Posted March 5, 2017 Author Share Posted March 5, 2017 I use the headphone jack from mac to analog(receiver). Tidal has a setting on mac that allows you to use the receivers dac. I believe so because controls are on mac are disabled. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pallpoul Posted March 5, 2017 Share Posted March 5, 2017 I recently purchased the Oppo Sonica DAC, and it sounds fantastic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Srinath Posted March 5, 2017 Share Posted March 5, 2017 I have a Grant Fidelity tube dac 11 and IMHO, a TDA1541 double crown based dac is the best SS you can buy. If you have a CD player that has that, you could experiment with a tube dac and just to compare and play with it, IMHO, all the "newer" dac's are just trying to make you forget that TDA1541 isn't made any more. I have had $3000 dac's ES9018 based dac's - I think - get beat by the 1541, and worse yet, the 1543 is so close behind it. IMHO - the GF Tubedac 11 only serves to be "different" not better. IMHO. You may be able to get a TDA1543 based dac that you can be reasonably sure its not a fake, but a 1541 likely is going to be a fake. Cool. Srinath. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam2434 Posted March 6, 2017 Share Posted March 6, 2017 4 hours ago, BlessedPrince said: I use the headphone jack from mac to analog(receiver). Tidal has a setting on mac that allows you to use the receivers dac. I believe so because controls are on mac are disabled. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk If you are using the Mac's analog headphone output, you are using the Mac's DAC followed by the receiver's ADC and DAC if you use bass management or other processing. If you only want to use the reciever's DAC (avoiding the Mac's DAC and receiver's ADC), you would need to use a mini optical from the Mac's headphone output. Here's an example: https://www.amazon.com/KabelDirekt-TOSLINK-Optical-Digital-Audio/dp/B00GZQWM54/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1488759637&sr=8-8&keywords=toslink+to+mini-toslink+optical+cable 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlessedPrince Posted March 6, 2017 Author Share Posted March 6, 2017 Thanks everyone for your input. I will surely buy that cable and try it out. I will also invest in a dac sometime down the road for a 2ch set up. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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