Help improving my PC audio

[SteveJ]

I am on a temporary assignment that is expected to last another 4 months so I am relegated to having a modest sound system for the time being. I use a PC I built as a music server and until last night used Pandora and Amazon Prime Music as sources.

On a whim I subscribed to Tidal. After a brief (6 or so seconds) critical listening session I was convinced that this was a desirable upgrade. 😊
This morning I am listening to Roel Dieltiens’ rendition of Vivaldi’s Cello Sonata in E Minor from ‘The Cello in Baroque Italy’ and frantically Googling streaming devices to replace the PC as the DAC. The motherboard is an Asus ROG Strix z270-i gaming so it is not the typical PC audio hardware but I am sure there is much better to be had with an outboard server/DAC. I have not previously explored this segment of the audio playback market so I don’t have much of an idea what options are available.

The system I am using now is my ‘office’ setup. The primary function is for commodities trading but I also web surf, stream Netflix, do email and, in the background, stream music.

My ‘PC’ speakers are JBL 4412a’s and a pair of JBL 4408a’s (both pair are near field studio monitors) as a pseudo center source for when I watch something on Netflix. I run the analog audio output from the PC to an Adcom GFP-565 preamp and to an Adcom GFA-535 for the centers and an Adcom GFA-555 for the mains.

When I finish the assignment in Rockford I will go to Dayton and establish a domicile where I will be able to setup my main system and this PC system will continue to be my office system.

I am looking for suggestions for both reading and for equipment to stream the audio from ethernet to the preamp, converting it from digital to analog along the way. The equipment would need to interface with my PC and it’s WIN10 OS.

When making reading suggestions, please keep in mind the modest equipment with which it will interface. I will do something different for my main system and hope to use this as an opportunity to learn about this segment of the audio playback market.

Bonus points if it is compatible with better streaming music sources and hi-rez files.

[PeterMusic]

Welcome! I was reintroduced to hifi after a 20 year hiatus when I stumbled into a local stereo shop about 8 years ago and asked to buy a CD player. The sales consultant was very helpful and sold me a Dragonfly DAC for $200. I was hooked!

So I recommend a Dragonfly from Audioquest or one of the low priced DACs from Schiit. You will have much better sound and a good launch to hifi for $200 or so. Check out their websites. Good luck!

[W9TR]

There are a number of decent DAC’s for not a lot of coin. I’m currently using a Topping D50 driven by a SurfacePro3 running Win10. Tidal and JRiver SW for streaming and local file access, respectively. I use a Shunyata Venom USB cable for this setup and it is matched well. Total cost for the cable and DAC were $300 delivered to my door via Amazon.

I’ve got more premium stuff (Schiit Yggdrasil, Wireworld Starlight Platinum USB cable) in another system, but this is what I’m listening to right now.

I like it a lot.

[SteveJ]

Thanks for the reply Peter.

I don't think the Dragonfly would get me where I am trying to go. It would be running on PC power a subject to that inherent noise and grounding, or rather lack thereof.

The Shiit products, like the Bifrost or Gungnir, look quite interesting and would not suffer from those impediments and would solve part of the equation, the conversion of the audio file from digital to analog, but there is still the matter of the files arriving at my home over my internet connection and passing through my computer where the digital file would be extracted and passed on to the DAC through USB.

How do I get the music file from the modem to the DAC without passing it through the PC?

W9TR, how do you get the music files from the modem to the Yggdrasil?

[PeterMusic]

Steve,

Yes, the Dragonfly is not going to sound as good as a DAC that does not rely upon USB power, and your PC is going to compromise the sound. I misunderstood your budget--I thought you wanted the lowest price tag for an outboard DAC.

Schiit is widely regarded as the best bang for the buck line of DACs. I would just pick the one that fits your budget. I bought my Yggdrasil years before I had amp and speakers to "match", but it was worth every penny even when it cost about as much as my amp and speakers combined.

On getting rid of the computer--you need a dedicated streamer and/or server. My Naim is terrific, so is Aurender's line. If these brands are too high priced, check out Bluesound Node. If you go Bluesound, I would still connect via hardwire to the preamp.

Do you have a good old school dealer within an hour or so of home. If yes, I recommend using him for advice and (assuming you think he's a good guy) buying as much as you can (everything but the Schiit?) from him even if it costs a bit more. My dealer has been incredibly helpful. If you do not have an old school dealer nearby, Best Buy's Magnolia department carries very good brands, but only some of the staff are knowledgeable.

[W9TR]

Originally Posted by SteveJ

Thanks for the reply Peter.

I don't think the Dragonfly would get me where I am trying to go. It would be running on PC power a subject to that inherent noise and grounding, or rather lack thereof.

The Shiit products, like the Bifrost or Gungnir, look quite interesting and would not suffer from those impediments and would solve part of the equation, the conversion of the audio file from digital to analog, but there is still the matter of the files arriving at my home over my internet connection and passing through my computer where the digital file would be extracted and passed on to the DAC through USB.

How do I get the music file from the modem to the DAC without passing it through the PC?

W9TR, how do you get the music files from the modem to the Yggdrasil?

Apart from a dedicated piece of streaming hardware, you can use an Audio Renderer like the microrendu to get audio out of your pc and into a dac without connecting your audio system directly to your PC.

I use the SurfacePro3 as my music server. It is a laptop/tablet combo device. It drives The Yggdrasil in my main system and the Topping D50 in the system at our lake home. For critical listening I run it on its internal battery.

The Schiit DAC’s are all very good. I love my Yggdrasil but at $2400 it is not inexpensive.

At this point I would try an external DAC with your existing PC. Get a decent USB cable and if you want there are a number of external devices you can add that isolate the DAC USB input from the PC to reduce noise. Some DAC’s like the Yggdrasil already have isolated usb inputs, which is a big plus.

Tom

[SteveJ]

Peter, I can see how you could assume as you did. Sorry. $500 to $1,000 would be fine.

As you mentioned a hard wired connection from the DAC to the preamp is preferred.

Tom, My motherboard has an S/PDIF optical output and the Gungnir has the same input. That would solve the isolation problem. Since this will also serve as my PC sound I wouldn't have to solve the problem of what to do with PC sound. Your suggestion to start with a DAC is quite welcome. Thank you!

I didn't mention in my OP that I subscribed to the Tidal Master service. They offered a significant discount for military veterans. Nice!

I am listening to Norah Jones' Come Away With Me. I had always thought that album was the victim of poor mastering. Seems as though the problem was elsewhere.