WTD low cost but decent DAC

[Sherwood]

Getting back on track, now sorted, I went with Sherwoods (Geoff) offer, just sent the money and the DAC should be in the post on it's way.

Now to get the Quad 33/405 from the spare room and replace the Pioneer receiver for the time being, as I am looking for a minimalist system, the Quad setup could well be replaced by the Cyrus One later on in the year if funds allow, but for now the Quad will do, just got to hide the power amp and the DAC out of the way.

Indeed, the DAC is already winging its way to CAMBS courtesy of Royal Mail!

[bobvfr]

V DAC arrived in the post about midday but I was busy in the garden (Well it ain't raining), just unwrapped it, unplugged the Pioneer and set up the Quad 33 and 405 and put the V DAC inline.

I think I need to adjust the disc input board on the pre amp, I have it playing Kate Bush "Hounds of Love" on volume nob setting 2 and it's already louder than the Pioneer on about 40% volume.

Having said that, you can instantly tell the difference between the Pioneer and the Quads, there is a "Threat" to the music, a deeper bass, just more of it, even at the lowest volume nob setting ;-)

Both sets of neighbours are in and one of them has a sick 1 year old, so I want be able to give it a full test tonight.


Are you a professional "Wrapper" Geoff?

[Lawrence001]

Isn't the disc input a phono level (high gain plus RIAA) input for a turntable?

[bobvfr]

I had the board conversion for CD input back in about 1990 when I got the Quad from a friend, there are three input levels available by moving screws to the desired input, haven't done the adjustment yet as the first track of Tubular Bells has just finished and now Suppers Ready is playing.

Will look at it tomorrow, just hope the neighbours are going out at the same time over the weekend :-)

[Sherwood]

V DAC arrived in the post about midday but I was busy in the garden (Well it ain't raining), just unwrapped it, unplugged the Pioneer and set up the Quad 33 and 405 and put the V DAC inline.

I think I need to adjust the disc input board on the pre amp, I have it playing Kate Bush "Hounds of Love" on volume nob setting 2 and it's already louder than the Pioneer on about 40% volume.

Having said that, you can instantly tell the difference between the Pioneer and the Quads, there is a "Threat" to the music, a deeper bass, just more of it, even at the lowest volume nob setting ;-)

Both sets of neighbours are in and one of them has a sick 1 year old, so I want be able to give it a full test tonight.


Are you a professional "Wrapper" Geoff?

Glad to hear it arrived safely and is performing well. Even though the V-Dac is an older design it definitely stands up well against modern DACs.

Not a professional "wrapper" but perhaps a gifted amateur. Spent most of the last 20 years working overseas so highly experienced in packing for moving without too many casualities!

[bobvfr]

Just an update, I have cured the volume issue.

My source as mentioned is an Xbox One X (Plays, CD's, 4k Blu-Ray's, any form of online stuff like Netflix, Amazon, standard TV, FLAC format files and allows me to Mira-Cast from my other devices) using HDMI to connect to my 4k TV, then I take optical from the TV to the DAC and finally Phono's to the Quad and off to the Tannoy's.

I looked through the TV's settings and found I can decrease the output signal to the optical output by single digit DB's from 1 to 10, doing this has allowed the Quad to be turned up to 3 on the volume control and be acceptable for TV and of course if I want to shake the house I can still turn the amp up to 10.

If I needed more I can easily increase the decibel count via the TV's setting as and when required.

More than happy with the setup now.