2. digital
  3. 190834-171779

Start with Upgrade to DAC?

I am ready to set out on an upgrade cycle to my system, which consists of the following, over the next couple of years:

* Rogue Audio RP-7 Preamp (Upgrades: Rogue RP-9 or McIntosh C2800--C2800 includes Phono preamp and DAC)

* Odyssey Kismet Monobloc Amplifiers (Keepers!)

* Lounge Audio LCR Gold phono preamp (Keeper!)

* Fyne Audio F-702 Speakers (Keepers!)

* Definitive Tech Supercube 6000 (Vandersteen Sub Three or Paradigm XR11)

* Schiit Bifrost 2/64 DAC (Schiit Yggydraseil or ????)

* NAD C568 CD Player used as transport (Schiit Urd or ???)

* iFi Zen Stream

*iPad Pro for Apple Music

* Ice Age Audio OFC Power Cords

* Audioquest and mostly Morrow Interconnects (RCA & XLR)

* Performance Audio Speaker Cables, using Mogami W3104 Speaker Wire

  I am thinking that perhaps the best place to start would be the DAC, with the idea of moving from the Bifrost 2/64, which I like, to the Yggdrasil (model TBD) DAC, which has gotten superb reviews that speak to sound quality characteristics that are of concern to me.  Budget for DAC upgrade is about $2500.  OR, should I go for room correction capability?

I recently replaced a highly-rated 100 wpc tube amplifier with the Odyssey mono blocs, and I was stunned by the improvement in sound quality, definition, and imaging, but I think there still is some room for improvement.

Thoughts and recommendations most welcome.

mike4597
mdalton's avatar
mdalton
458 posts
 

Don’t even think about replacing your streamer.  You’re fine there.  Everything else is a matter of taste (by which I mean sound, lol).

deep_333
1,318 posts
 

Bifrost is not weaklink

Rogue RP7 = trash

NAD C568 = trash

Replace  trash with Technics SLG700M2 (streamer+dac+ sacd player+ pre)

Get Schiit Kara as  pre.

 

Technics -->Kara-->Odyssey--> Fyne

Or

Technics -->Odyssey --> Fyne

 

 Room = untreated living room = Lower expectations 

No subwoofer detected/dialed in = Drastically lower expectations

 

 

 

zlone
634 posts
 

I agree with the others, the ZEN streamer is a significant weak point, and move to Qobuz or Tidal. Start there, auditioning new DAC’s before that would not give you a good idea of their capabilities. I recommend Innuos, but of course there are many choices. Go used, you will save a lot. 

g2the2nd
51 posts
 

Alternative approach

 

Keep everything and get a pair of speakers with a radically different presentation that work with your electronics. Maggie 1.7 might be interesting. When you feel you need to scratch the itch swap speakers.

mesch
3,470 posts
 

How important is CD listening relative to streaming? In my case I use streaming to find new music, once found then purchase the CD. In your case you play CDs and spin vinyl. 

More info on the above would help. 

More to discover