Turn Tables and DACs - Getting the best sound
In the Psst Fresh Faced - Earthling thread, some users were nice enough to help me get some info on how to hook up my dads old turn table. In an effort to not pollute that thread, I thought id move this here.
Right now, I'm running a 70s Audio Research Turn table (AR-XB), into an 80s Pioneer SA-V1160 Amplifier, then out to 2 old Advent speakers.
I also have a Laptop, with Flacs, headphone out, into RCA AUX in Pioneer receiver.
My question is what receiver/amp/DAC device will allow me to hook 2 inputs then go out to my Advents to replace my receiver/amp? (This Pioneer is huge and really ugly.)
I think the Shiit Modi is what I want on the DAC front, but that doesn't take into account the turn table.
Thanks in advance for the help.
I will be testing the FLAC out tonight on Benaroya.
Right now, I'm running a 70s Audio Research Turn table (AR-XB), into an 80s Pioneer SA-V1160 Amplifier, then out to 2 old Advent speakers.
I also have a Laptop, with Flacs, headphone out, into RCA AUX in Pioneer receiver.
My question is what receiver/amp/DAC device will allow me to hook 2 inputs then go out to my Advents to replace my receiver/amp? (This Pioneer is huge and really ugly.)
I think the Shiit Modi is what I want on the DAC front, but that doesn't take into account the turn table.
Thanks in advance for the help.
I will be testing the FLAC out tonight on Benaroya.
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Comments
Has a built in phono stage to handle the TT directly. Also has a built in DAC and 3 digital inputs (1 coaxial, 2 optical)...not sure if this will meet your exact needs.
1. Purchase a more modern integrated amp that has an internal DAC ( almost all do) along with at least one analog input, and a USB A input.
2. Keep your ugly 80s receiver and get an external DAC like the Schiit that accepts USB A as well.
The reason USB A is key is two fold
First, it's unlikely that your laptop has an optical out. Few do. If you do, then you have some more flexibility. But generally they do not. So you have to use USB A to connect the laptop to the DAC or integrated amp along with a software program like JRiver.
Now the good news is that this is the best way to play digital music. It's bit perfect, jitter free and bypasses the crappy sound card in your laptop.
If you need a new amplifier, you could go with the Cambridge AXA35. It sounds like a million bucks (my opinion, of course), and it is very affordable. It has a built-in phono preamp, as well. It does not, however, have a DAC. You could hook up the Schiit Modi to this, and have a really nice setup.
I will check out the Marantz pm7000n. I also saw some decent reviews on other huge big box units...but I dont love this route.
foriginalsin - Ill absolutely get them off the floor on stands. I'm usually sitting playing guitar or screwing around with records on the floor, so lower is ok.
mrussel1 - I am in IT, how big an advantage is an optical out? If its huge, ill get something. Right now i'm just playing the FLAC in VLC player. Ill check out Jriver.
The issue I have is when I remove the amp, I don't fully understand the amount and correct shiit I would need.
So, I would need the Magni just for headphones, the Modi for the digital audio from computer and the Mani Preamp for the turn table. Then I also need some kind of switch right to get 2 inputs?
Going to read about the Cambridge DacMagic 100 and asgard.
2. If you remove your amp, you need a new integrated, pre/amp amplifier combo, or receiver. You need something to power the speakers.
The setup you're trying to do is not complicated at all. We're all throwing a bunch of crap at you, but you could easily do a decent integrated amp and plug your laptop and TT straight into it, and be done. Poof. The question really is what is your budget, and are you trying to meet your goal on day one, or add pieces over time.
As you say, id love to do piecemeal, but once I pull that amp, I need everything.
I would buy the Modi today but its out of stock. I want to listen to Benaroya as high quality as I can without buying the record.
Am I right that with the Magni, Modi, Mani I'm short an input and would have to swap for PC/Turn Table or am I missing something?
Dad was a bit of an audio guy in the 70s, so the turn table had 2 old cartridges in a plastic case as well as the one on the unit, which im not sure how to tell what kind it is. Im getting there. Alot of information.
The backup cartridges look like an Audio Dynamics and a Pickering.
If you waned to do piecemeal, honestly the only thing you need right now is the external DAC. Adding that to your rig would dramatically improve your digital audio quality.
Adding the phone stage would help next, as I'm sure the phono stage in your receiver is pretty old and could use some help. And then your headphone stage, if you use that often.
Changing your receiver/amp could be last. Solid state amps should all sound the same, or at least the difference should not be wildly different. So you could skip that. However, if you are going to do it, all these Schiit's could become unnecessary down the line, as every replacement integrated will have some combo of phono, headphone, DAC. It just depends if you like to have stand alone components for flexibility. So you have to plan.
Regarding your last question, I don't know what you mean by an input short. If this image is of the back of your receiver, you have plenty of analog inputs. You could run your new DAC to any of them, same with the phone stage. Then, assuming there is an analog out (I can't really see), you would have the headphone amp at the end of the line. So DAC/Phono stage ->receiver ->analog out > headphone amp. If you don't have an analog out, then it gets a little more complicated to put the headphone amp into the chain, but it can be done with an RCA selector.
Yes the Pioneer has a phono amp.
I dont care if its stand alone components or one thing, but I hate the big black receiver look.
As far as an input short, the goal is to get everything hooked up without having to swap anything and replace the Pioneer. Everything from Shiit has a single input.
Is the assumption all the shiit equipment precedes the Pioneer Amp and that remains? I guess so because none of these have speaker outs.
Sorry this is a lot of info and old equipment i'm trying to understand.
KEiiD Bluetooth (V5.0) Stereo Digital Amplifier Receiver
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07SLRBDV4/ref=as_li_ss_tl?SubscriptionId=AKIAJO7E5OLQ67NVPFZA&ascsubtag=345539904-2-&tag=shopperz_origin3-20Then I just need 1 input for turn table, put my FLAC on USB and this can play them.