Graduating to separates need help

The modded Adcom might still be useful for the time being. I’d focus on the preamp, as a good stereo pre will provide a big performance boost over the preamp section of an AVR. As others have mentioned, a separate DAC is a better idea than an onboard DAC in a preamp or integrated. It will likely sound better, and requiring an onboard DAC will significantly limit your choices in preamps. With that in mind, here are some very good preamps currently available that will wipe the floor over the pre section of your AVR, and I believe both have HT bypass, which is nice...

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lis9d86i-ayre-acoustics-k-5xe-solid-state

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lis9d7j1-belles-28a-solid-state

And here’s a good DAC...

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lis9da98-schiit-bifrost-gen-2-with-usb-2-and-uber-analog-upgrades-...

Oh, and if you go the separate DAC route you’ll need a digital cable. This one is very good and only 40 bucks. No need to spend more at least for now. Make sure you heed the direction arrows -- I installed mine backwards once and sounded like total crap.

https://www.amazon.com/Geistnotes-Apogee-Wyde-Cable-WE-RR/dp/B01N29180M/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3ODRJOPRA5TT...

And yes, if you spend $1000 on a DAC you will certainly get better performance over the DAC in the Marantz. If you can spend that much, here’s another good option, but even the Schiit Bifrost I listed above will be an improvement over the Marantz.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/123416278237?ul_ref=http%253A%252F%252Frover.ebay.com%252Frover%252F1%252F7...

One of the benefits of stepping up to this level, if you buy one of the preamps I listed above you can run the DAC balanced into the preamp. Then you’ll want this digital cable...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N6XL1XW/ref=twister_B01MUH69P1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

In theory, digital cables are better when terminated with balanced connectors.

Hope this helps, and best of luck!

DACs look good but only pass 96/24 on toslink input?

Would one of those DACs beat this?



THX Surround EX, Dolby Digital EX, DTS-ES®, Pro Logic IIx, DTS Neo:6 and Dolby Headphone processing
3 Texas Instruments 32-bit processors for main room, one SHARC 32-bit processor for 2nd room
32 Burr-Brown 192kHz/24-bit D/A converters (20 for main room, 12 for 2nd room)
192kHz/24-bit A/D converters
multichannel Advanced ALPHA 24 Processing
Pure Direct mode
HDCD decoding
DDSC-Digital construction
Audessey Laboratories' MultEQ XT eight-point auto setup and room calibration system (microphone included)
4-room/4-source capability:
line-level and powered audio outputs for 2nd, 3rd and 4th rooms
composite, S-video and component video output for 2nd room
composite and S-video output for 3rd room
learning/multibrand touchscreen electro-luminescent remote
Faroudja DCDi scaling (480p/720p/1080i) for main-room component video output
Denon Link input
Two IEEE 1394 inputs (digital audio only)
DVI/HDMI switching (one DVI input, 3 HDMI inputs, one DVI output, one HDMI output — only one output can be used at a time)
HDMI version 1.1
2 multichannel inputs (one 9.1, one 5.1)
2 preamp outputs: one 9.1 (main room), one 5.1 (2nd room)
component video switching (100MHz bandwidth): 6 in (1 BNC), 3 out (1 BNC)
component video conversion for main-room and 2nd room
digital inputs: 6 optical (including one front-panel), 6 coaxial

Yes toslink tops out at 24/96 usually. Digital coax or usb is typically better. 

I’m with the guys suggesting a good integrated. and with or without the DAC, really DAC’s are going to be old faster then the integrated amp or amp-preamp. good quality integrated will last decades.

But you could put together a nice new system with the Schitt Audio Fraya or Saga preamp, Vidar Amp ( maybe 2 for mono’s), then one of their DAC’s like the Bifrost multibit that would put you right at $2k. could sub out the Bifrost multibit for the reg Bifrost and use the extra cash for cables. that would give you a very good system and flexibility, even a taste of tubes or not (switchable) with the Fraya
https://www.schiit.com/products

that actually looks really good. mmmm skip the integrated ;-)


glen