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Add a external DAC, buy EAR Acute or go PC`?

I am wondering what to to right now. I have put my Electrocompaniet EMC1up up for sale. I love the design and the build quality of this player, but want to upgrade my digital front end. My options is; Keep my EMC 1 and add an external DAC (i will not have the funding to buy a state of the art DAC then), sell it and go for a EAR Acute player witch will match my EAR 864 and 890 amp set both in looks and i presume in sound, or convert to PC-audio and use the funds from the sale of my EMC1 and go for a Audio Note 2.1 signature DAC or evtn a used EMM Labs DAC6. Theese are my alternatives. Any suggestions of what i should do?
gut_man
tarsando
578 posts
 
Huh, PC audio would be my last choice. A used dac is what I would do. Like a Levinson--they show up here sometimes.
larryrx7's avatar
larryrx7
137 posts
 
Hi ..I went to a modded squeezebox and haven't looked back...Its a close call as to whether the internal dac or an outboard dac is better. I have tried several moderately price DACs. They all change the sound but it is entirely subjective as to whether its for the better. Right now I am usning a Channel Island DAc with matching ps and I like it very much
rja's avatar
rja
2,371 posts
 
Gut_man,
If you buy an EAR Acute you will be able to sell your preamp (assuming you have no other components that need it). The Acute has a tube output stage with an analog volume control making a preamp un-necessary. So sell your CDP and preamp and buy the Acute! Any money left over, buy music. This suggestion is assuming you have many CDs and aren't interested in SACDs.
PS: I've heard the Acutes are back ordered because of demand, however I may be wrong on this.
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