miekl
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Newbie DAC Question
designmule
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You're going to stream music from your iPhone to the AE or you are going to use your iPhone as a remote for music stored on a computer? I guess it doesn't matter too much but I hope you are using lossless files. They just sound so much better.

Generally speaking most folks do not allow iTunes or the Remote app or whatever to control the volume of their music as the software is then altering the digital file. Volume is generally controlled at the pre-amp.

An outboard DAC will bring about a big improvement to the AE. You do need to be a little careful though. The wireless N AEs have had problems working with an outboard DAC. The DAC has a tendency to lose its lock on the digital signal. I have witnessed this with my own AE and DACMagic. Luckily, I had a wireless G AE as well and it works just fine. Apple may have resolved the issues by now but I don't know for sure. A little Googling should give you a good idea.

Over the last 18 months or so, Stereophile has reviewed a whole bunch of budget DACs so you should have no trouble getting some sound advice.

jackfish
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(1) Airport Express > Emotiva XDA-1 > Emotiva UPA-2 > Magnepan MMGs, very cost-effective, good sounding system. You can try everything to see if you like the idea implemented at home and return it all for a full purchase price refund if you don't. +1 on lossless digital audio files.

miekl
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Thanks for getting back to me. Going forward I am encoding in lossless and plan to re-rip my back catalog as time allows. I just need to dig some boxes out of the basement. If only storage had been this cheap in 2002. I think I will go with the Emotiva DAC. It seems pretty well reviewed and is priced competitively with other DACs.

JoeE SP9
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Don't place to much importance on amateur reviews by owners of said gear who have little or no experience with anything else. This doesn't mean that the Emotiva isn't good. I've been hearing nice things about it from other than the Emotiva forum. However, while it may be very good, a giant killer it's not.

A +1 and thumbs up on the MMG recommendation.

miekl
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So I did end up going with the Emotiva XDA-1 > Emotiva UPA-2 > Magnepan MMG system and all I can really say is wow. I have very little to compare this to, but it is so much better than what I had that I am just blown away. At some point in the future I imagine that I might add a subwoofer*, but aside from that I can't see changing anything about this setup anytime soon.

*Does anyone have a good suggestion?

jackfish
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be sealed, exhibit a low Q, and preferably be servo controlled.  The Rythmik F12G subwoofer would be about ideal.  Little cheaper could be the Epik Legend or Elemental Designs A5s-300.  If that is too much to spend, your budget choices could be the Emotiva Ultra Sub 10 or 12, or the Elemental Designs A3S-250.

I run my MMGs full range and low pass the subwoofer at 50Hz which seems to be a good configuration in my room.

I'm glad you like your new system, congratulations!

Glotz
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Anything from the T Series is friggin unbelievable for the money... I own late model MG-1.6's and REL's sound fantastic.. They have 5-6 in the line now. 

And Joe is spot on.  Audio reviews by amateurs, are just that.  They simply don't have the wide point of reference nor the scientific process for eliminating variables while auditioning that the professionals do.  They can help to point you in the right direction to begin with, but the professionals are far more exhaustive and complete, despite not reading about the minutia in each review.   

dbowker
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Almost any outboard DAC, if you use the optical out from the Airport will be significantly better sounding. I used a Channel Islands Audio DAC (at the time about $350) and it was like going from cheap FM radio to a well-made CD player.

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