Hi, I'm trying to jump up to higher fidelity streaming audio than I've enjoyed with my SONOS system, and just wanted to make sure I'm on the right track. Hopefully someone can give me a vector check.
I currently have a Macbook pro connected to my NAD receiver via 3.5 mini to toslink optical cable. It works pretty well, streaming lossless Tidal and Qobuz with Roon loaded on the Macbook.
I have been researching all-in-one streamers for a while thinking I should replace my Macbook in the setup, but it finally got through to me that most reviewers who review DACs seem to be using a Macbook as their source. So now I'm thinking I should just add a DAC to the Macbook and call it good (plus I can use the DAC downstream of my CD player, although I don't know that I'll use it that much going forward).
I'm willing to spend about $1600 on a DAC, and have pretty much narrowed it down to the $1000 Mytek Liberty. I also took a very hard look at the $1900 Chord Qutest, but it was both over my budget and does not decode MQA. Which to many people doesn't matter.
The reviews seem to be similar, so I think the Liberty wins.
A couple of questions... am I even on the right track? Is it true that my Macbook will pass the basic digits to the DAC and is therefore a perfectly fine source? I do like the Roon app on my iPhone that controls the Roon software running on my Macbook, so I don't have an issue with the "inconvenience" of using my computer as the source.
Am I simply unaware of a giant killer DAC in this price range that would make the Liberty a poor choice?
[EDIT: So now I've discovered the Schitt Gungnir. At $1250 for the multi-bit version it seems to be in a different league if one is to believe reviews. And it can be home auditioned for a reasonable price.]
I do see a need to upgrade, as I'm detecting digital harshness in the highs, some general muddiness, I don't know...just not closing the gap between digital and analog as much as I believe is possible with a DAC upgrade. I'm using decent speakers (Triton 2+) and can hear the difference versus LPs.
Thanks for your consideration...
Hi, I'm trying to jump up to higher fidelity streaming audio than I've enjoyed with my SONOS system, and just wanted to make sure I'm on the right track. Hopefully someone can give me a vector check.
I currently have a Macbook pro connected to my NAD receiver via 3.5 mini to toslink optical cable. It works pretty well, streaming lossless Tidal and Qobuz with Roon loaded on the Macbook.
I have been researching all-in-one streamers for a while thinking I should replace my Macbook in the setup, but it finally got through to me that most reviewers who review DACs seem to be using a Macbook as their source. So now I'm thinking I should just add a DAC to the Macbook and call it good (plus I can use the DAC downstream of my CD player, although I don't know that I'll use it that much going forward).
I'm willing to spend about $1600 on a DAC, and have pretty much narrowed it down to the $1000 Mytek Liberty. I also took a very hard look at the $1900 Chord Qutest, but it was both over my budget and does not decode MQA. Which to many people doesn't matter.
The reviews seem to be similar, so I think the Liberty wins.
A couple of questions... am I even on the right track? Is it true that my Macbook will pass the basic digits to the DAC and is therefore a perfectly fine source? I do like the Roon app on my iPhone that controls the Roon software running on my Macbook, so I don't have an issue with the "inconvenience" of using my computer as the source.
Am I simply unaware of a giant killer DAC in this price range that would make the Liberty a poor choice?
[EDIT: So now I've discovered the Schitt Gungnir. At $1250 for the multi-bit version it seems to be in a different league if one is to believe reviews. And it can be home auditioned for a reasonable price.]
I do see a need to upgrade, as I'm detecting digital harshness in the highs, some general muddiness, I don't know...just not closing the gap between digital and analog as much as I believe is possible with a DAC upgrade. I'm using decent speakers (Triton 2+) and can hear the difference versus LPs.
Thanks for your consideration...