DAC question - is music streamer DAC better than mcintosh DA2?

I believe the only pure analog integrated amps they make are the hybrid amps, the 352 and 252

@nathandfwacoustics 

Generally speaking, quality of a DAC greatly affects sonics and often DACs within an integrated is subpar.  There are exceptions of course, but quality DACs increase cost while an integrated is for saving costs of casework and cables.

Whether or not an integrated DAC is satisfactory is an individual subjective judgment.

@kennyc 

+1

Y'all have given me so much to think about. Sorry about not replying back until now. Been busy as heck. 

@jastralfu - I think I love that McIntosh sound but asked my dealer if there are cheaper options (sigh). I'd like to fill a few rooms and so, the McIntosh (unexpectedly) is becoming cost-prohibitive. I'd love to see what the dealer can do at my next audition. I have decided on the brand of speakers - Sonus faber and am exploring a couple of floor-standing and stand-mounts with him. Bless him, the guy is very patient with me. 

@oddiofyl - my dealer says the same - that it can drive the Sonus fabers (4 ohm) and that there won't be any 'fatigue'. The autoformers, I guess, is what makes it the "McIntosh sound". Dealer also suggested as a cheaper option - the MA252. 

@p05129 the hifi rose - RS150B is what I auditioned with Sonus faber Olympica Nova III and the McIntosh MAC7200 receiver. The DAC in. the hifi rose, he tells me, is way better than the DA1. Better even than the DA2 in MA8950, he tells me. When I auditioned, I guess the RS150B acted as a pre-amp and the MAC7200 was an amp? idk - I am still new to all of this. I really thought he ran the MA7200 integrated amp but when I looked back at the pictures, I realized it was a MAC7200 receiver. I guess my question is: if I don't get the RS150B or any network stream player, when does the internal DA1 come in to play? Is it for CD/DVD/Blu-Ray audio connections then?

@cherbib - I am gonna look up your products; didn't even know what "NOS" meant until I read it here first :) Do you by pass the DAC in your Pro-Ject StreamBox Ultra 2 to use the MA12000's DA2? Or there's no DAC at all in your Pro-Ject StreamBox Ultra 2? What speakers do you use? 

@captaindidactic NOS tubes again? wow. Now I have to really pay attention to this - since both of you invested very heavily via the McIntosh amps/integrateds. Were you able to bypass the DAC in your Lumia T2 to do an A/B test against the DA2 in MA12000? Is the possible to do with the Bluesound Nodes, Cambridge, etc? Agree re: integrated vs separates. I can't imagine handling the cables or even finding the perfect combination for proper synergy. I thought my dealer used the integrated amp but it was a receiver. What speakers do you use? :)

@jeffreyw - that's a big data point to consider - that the DA2 is better than your $19K external DAC. I gotta figure out a way to separate the DA2 and the RS150B and see what I like better. I don't even know if my dealer has an integrated amp with DA2 because he only mentioned DA2 while I was stepping out the door "if you want a more updated integrated amp, check out the 8950; it has more controls on it and oh also, a new version of the DAC compared to the 7200". So same question as above - I guess the internal DAC in the 8950/9500/1200 plays a role when we connect to a CD/DVD/Blu-Ray player, no? 

@john1629 - competition to Sonus faber then - I have to check out the Dynaudio speakers then :) 

@profoundprorva "It’s almost like comparing Class AB to D amps." - doing the research on these two gave me a headache; I gave up :( I can't even tell which class the McIntosh integrated amps fall under; they have a phone number on their site. I ought to just call them and see what happens

@chcumo63 - thank you for the data-point re: upgrade, the comparison and your experience with the Aurender

@raysmtb1 - did you try the hifi rose 150B? now that would be a great comparison :-) The hifi rose 150B was totally unexpected - and not even in my budget. But I fell in love with the combination of the components I auditioned. And it plays videos. And ad-free YouTube (forever). And if I choose songs from YouTube, it picks up and plays the best "hifi-resolution" clip. And I can attach it to my TV and the video can play there too. AND my dealer says it's better than the DA2. I tried to do some research on the motherboards and brands and what-not in various DACs but it got too technical for me. @jbuhl  alluded to a particular chipset. I'm married to an electrical engineer but talks about electronic components gets way too technical for me way too easily and I have to remind myself that I am doing this for the music that I love - not the components :-)

@cat345 - how many hours/days did it take to achieve 'break in'? My worst fear is that I spend all this $$$ and I don't find the heavenly bliss that I found during the audition process and the dealer will just attribute it to "break in" :-)

@jmrrobbie1- thank you for a thorough breakdown of your A/B comparison with separates vs integrated amps. I never had the gall to put my dealer through that BUT I also knew I just couldn't deal with finding the perfect synergy between separates + extra cables :) Integrated amps for me, all the way

@john1629 - "MSB Discrete" - just looked it up and totally cost-prohibitive for me. Maybe one day, I can audition it and see if I can do an A/B comparison. Interesting that the combo made you go "wow" :)

@chasda - great to hear first-hand that the McIntosh integrated amps worked well with Sonus faber. This is my ultimate goal, as well. I have auditioned the Sonetto Vs with a McIntosh MHT300 and then Olympica Nova III with MAC7200 receiver (two separate occasions). I am about to audition the Amati G5 soon but the dealer doesn't deal with McIntosh - he wants me to audition it with Michi X5 series 2. So I'll see how that goes :) 

@mahler123 - McIntosh sure does make the preamp+amp separates but I'm so not qualified to make the judgement call with the synergy. Integrated amps is the way to go for me :)

@jastralfu - my dealer certainly wants me to try the 252 for one of my smaller rooms along with a more affordable streamer (instead of the hifi). I gotta set a date with him for this particular combo

@kennyc & @ghdprentice - gotcha re: in-built DACs within integrated amps. I gotta talk to the dealer about being able to "separate" it out without making it too much of a hassle for him so that I can hear it myself. 

I love that y'all responded and gave me food for thought. Thank you, all. 

I was suggesting getting a traditional integrated amp-no DAC- not complete separates