Originally Posted by
mattmerr
Hello everyone,
This is my current system,
Apple Lossless files with iTunes 9
PowerMac G5
M-Audio Audiophile 2496 Soundcard
Arcam A65 plus Amp
B&W 602.5 SE Speakers
I’m far from happy with the way it sounds, its flat and bland, I hate to use the iTunes Equalizer and even though the demo of Pure Vinyl and Amarra, both improved the sound tremendously I would rather keep the signal as clean as possible without internal processing.
My question, that I hope someone can answer is, would a better option be to use a DAC between the Mac and Amp, I have looked at the Caiman and DACMagic, from what I read the DACMagic is preferred but i like the technical specs or the Caiman more.
Does anyone have any experience with either of these DAC or can recommend another, or have any other ideas to make my system sing and not sound more like a Roberts Radio, my budget is around £1000.
Thanks,
Oh this is too easy In this setup that I am suggesting, you would be using the Caiman as a pre-amplifier to drive the amp more or less directly.
Get the Caiman - 190 pounds.
Buy a decent toslink cable, like this one;
http://www.beresford.me/PP/TOSLINK_CABLE_XQ_.html
Get an inexepensive power amp, like my Behringer EP2000, 150 pounds.
Lastly, get a line converter like the s-convert to bump up the Caiman's consumer level output to match the Behringer's pro-level inputs; 40 pounds;
http://www.samsontech.com/products/p...fm?prodID=1699
Here's the list summarized;
Caimain - 190 pounds
Toslink cable - 20 pounds
S-Convert - 40 pounds
Behringer EP2000 - 160 pounds
Total spent: Approximately 420 pounds. Less than half your budget.
3 caveats;
1. The PowerMac G5's optical output is limited to 48Khz, so only bit perfect 44.1/16 is possible to the Caimain optically. Your soundcard may have better options to take full advantange of the Caiman's 24/96 capability.
2. The Behringer has an incredibly noisy original fan. You would have to open it up to replace it with a quieter fan. This activity, of course, would potentially void your warranty. But then, where else can you get 1000 watts per channel of true hifi audio quality power for less than 200 pounds? The Behringer EP1500, 2000, 2500 and 4000 models all have the same chassis. Details of changing the 2500's fan is here;
http://forums.audioholics.com/forums...ringer+fan+mod
I used these very same instructions to change my 2000's fan.
3. Since the Caiman IS the pre-amp, the only inputs you can use are the ones going ito the Caimain. No analog inputs and no remote. The sound is hard to beat.
Last, and probably the most important part, set the gains to your amp properly. This is how I did it;
Set the gains on your amp to zero, or minimum.
DISCONNECT THE SPEAKERS!! The test signal can actually destroy corssover and/or mid-range or tweeter.
Itunes is set to bit perfect mode. No EQ. Volume at max, 100 percent or 1.
on my Digital audio workstation, I recorded a 1Khz sine wave at 0 db for 10 minutes. If you don't have a DAW I can send you the file if you'de like.
Playback that test signal in iTunes and set the gains on the Behringer to the point that the clip (RED LEDs) just start to flicker.
Once you've set the gains, delete that file from your itunes library. You don't want to leave it there and one day while on random, iTunes plays that file. Can you say "Ouch!"
DONE.
Connect your speakers and enjoy.
When I set my gain by ear, I had set the Behringer to 12 oclock. However, after using this method, I had to set the gain to 9 oclock!!
My system sounds so good now I can't believe it, and I only have a lowly G4 running at a "blazing 733 mhz" running iTunes 7
David
iTunes 7,PowerMac G4 733, Mac OS X 10.4.11, Airport Express, Beresford TC-7520 (Dual LM4562NAs) MLC5/6 clipped, 36K and 100nf cap mod, Behringer EP2000, Cambridge Soundworks Tower II