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Good DACs for Apple Airport Express? Or receivers?

I'm new to the digital audio world, although I've always hated MP3s and have ripped my CDs to lossless format.

However, naively I figured just setting up an Airport Express into my analog receiver would be the equivalent of playing a CD. Boy was I disappointed!

So doing some research, I now know that I need some kind of DAC connected via toslink optic cable to my receiver.

I'm hoping that people have some suggestions, especially something affordable, like under $300.

Also wondering, are there simple receivers with DACs in them that will do the same thing? I see someone on Craigslist selling a Denon 5700 for $350. Is this old flagship with DAC channels any good? I don't need a theater setup, but this seems like a good deal to a newbie.
engelgrafik
sfar's avatar
sfar
1,756 posts
 
I've used the Airport Express with four DAC's, the Benchmark DAC1, the internal DAC in a Peachtree Decco, the Valab and the Beresford. I never had a problem with any of them locking onto the signal from either the Airport Express 802.11g or 802.11n models I've owned.
peter_s
1,320 posts
 
Cool. I hadn't head of the Beresford before. Pretty reasonably priced for what you get. Sfra, have you listened to the headphone output yet? How does it do with high impedence headphones (e.g. Sennheiser 600s)? Thanks.
ballan
184 posts
 
The DAC in the Peachtree Decco is sweet. Proof that simple designs can offer excellent results.
sfar's avatar
sfar
1,756 posts
 
Peter_s

I didn't know much about the Beresford, either, until I went into a local high-end audio store and had one of the salesmen tell me they had all been shocked at how good it was at the price. When he was clearly trying to steer me toward the Beresford rather than any of the pricier DAC's they stock I decided I ought to pay attention.

I went for the model with National Semiconductor LM4562NA opamps, which is $350, because I'd had good experience upgrading opamps in CD players. The 30-day trial period makes it so that there's not a lot of risk.

I own the Sennheiser 600's myself, and the Beresford drives them very easily. I haven't done much listening to the headphone output and don't have anything else to compare it to now but as part of the overall package I think it's a great bargain. It works well and sounds good.
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