Author Topic: What's your digital audio set-up? (Read 67063 times)

tonedeaf · « **on:** Aug 24, 2014 at 10:16 AM »

Since we have a "What's your analog set-up?" thread (http://www.pinoydvd.com/index.php/topic,193911.0.html), I thought it would also be educational for all of us who are just thinking of going into digital audio to find out how other members have set up their digital audio system. Please indicate your source (laptop, hard disk, DAP), whether you use a DAC, the type of amp and speakers that you use. It would also be good to know what you usually play - CD quality (ripped), flac, or streaming music like Spotify, Pandora etc.

Thanks in advance.

To start, this is how I envision my set up to be initially, since I haven't really had the chance to collect digital audio files. Hopefully this will change as my collection grows.

Type of music file: streaming music from Spotify, a few ripped CDs + various mp3s etc which I've purchased from iTunes over the years
Source: Macbook air + Samsung Galaxy Note 3 + NAD 316BEE
Music player: Spotify, iTunes, Vox for my MBA, Google Music or stock music player of the Note 3, Poweramp for Note 3
DAC: Fiio E18 Kunlun, NAD DAC 1 Wireless USB (still being ordered), which will connect both my MBA and Note 3 wirelessly to my AV receiver

This will connect to my regular HT set up which consists of a Denon 1713, PSB Image B6 + C5 + Mission M30i, Velo CHT 10R

P.S.

Items in blue font are as of 31 August 2014
My review of the NAD DAC 1 Wireless USB: http://www.pinoydvd.com/index.php/topic,189940.msg2163491.html#msg2163491
My regular HT set up: http://www.pinoydvd.com/index.php/topic,70807.0.html

DTNS · « **Reply #1 on:** Aug 24, 2014 at 04:05 PM »

here are my digital audio setups:

Source: Desktop, Laptop (MSI GE620DX), Lenovo A390 (my old budget android phone)
Music Player: Youtube, pinoytuner.com/digradio (Internet radio station), FM radio app
DAC: Musiland Monitor 01

Connected to either:

my PC Audio Setup consisting of

Audioengine A2 powered speakers + SVS SB1000 subwoofer

or

my dedicated Audio setup consisting of

GoldenEar Aon 3
NAD C326BEEE

both sound awesome, but the GoldenEar + NAD combo is able to play tracks/songs that my Audioengine/SVS setup find hard to play right.

tonedeaf · « **Reply #2 on:** Aug 24, 2014 at 04:16 PM »

@DTNS, thanks for posting! Did you have to buy a nice sound card for your desktop, or is that taken cared of by the Musiland DAC?

DTNS · « **Reply #3 on:** Aug 24, 2014 at 04:29 PM »

Quote from: tonedeaf on Aug 24, 2014 at 04:16 PM

@DTNS, thanks for posting! Did you have to buy a nice sound card for your desktop, or is that taken cared of by the Musiland DAC?

the Musiland 01 IS the soundcard of my desktop. I swap it between my audio setup and desktop audio. I find it a hassle to keep on swapping DACs, so I'm in the market for a second DAC now.

tonedeaf · « **Reply #4 on:** Aug 24, 2014 at 05:11 PM »

I'm thinking of having a digital audio set up in my office.

My options are:

Option 1 - desktop/MBA + DAC + powered speaker or headphone
Option 2 - desktop/MBA + DAC + amp + passive speaker or headphone

Parang mas mahal yata option 2

and I'm not sure what amp to use. Parang DAC/AMP na kaya? Hope others can chime in with their set up so I'll have more ideas.

The A2, based on reviews, sounds great. It's also got a distributor near my office so I'll try to audition

jeffry10 · « **Reply #5 on:** Aug 24, 2014 at 06:52 PM »

my htpc connected to my ht setup using the onkyo 838s dac into a nad c275 power amp into my psb imagine t's.

or my second setup in the den which has my old ivy bridge 3330 and edifier studio monitors (i hardly use this but just felt like mentioning).

i don't see the need for an external dac

.

raider125jeigh · « **Reply #6 on:** Aug 24, 2014 at 07:09 PM »

Digital Setup ...hmmm

Source:
Cambridge Audio NP30 Streamer - (Streaming Audio to audio my Netgear and WD NAS)
Iphone 5 remote for the streamer

Speaker:
Dynaudio Audience 42

Cable:
Chord Silverscreen

IC:
Monster interlink 300

Amp:
Technics 99A

Hoping to integrate the SB12NSD to the setup

jeffry10 · « **Reply #7 on:** Aug 24, 2014 at 07:35 PM »

oh yeah. forgot to add. i play sacds in multi channel and my flac files off of the above mentioned setup

.

shrek7 · « **Reply #8 on:** Aug 24, 2014 at 07:38 PM »

Hp laptop using foobar2k controlled by android phone via internet. Fed into my non-oversampling dac, then goes thru the Smsl sa36a pro with audio nirvana speakers playing flac, eac,aiff, ogg,wav,ape and mp3.

J-M · « **Reply #9 on:** Aug 24, 2014 at 07:47 PM »

Source: PC / laptop
Media: mostly mp3's and flac
Player: Foobar 2k
DAC: Odac
Amp: SMSL SA36A Pro / Dayton APA 150
Speakers: Audio Nirvana

For an office setup, I'd go for Option 1 without the DAC.

raider125jeigh · « **Reply #10 on:** Aug 24, 2014 at 08:38 PM »

Quote from: °BSΩLE†e on Aug 24, 2014 at 08:25 PM

Source: Desktop PC
Digital Audio Files: FLAC and MP3
JRiver Media Center 18 via 24-bit Kernel Streaming output
HRT Music Streamer II DAC rev.2.4 firmware
Wireworld Ultraviolet USB Cable
Cambridge Audio Series 300 RCA Interconnects (Musicstreamer II to C326BEE)
NAD C326BEE Integrated Amp
Generic AWG 14 speaker wires
Monitor Audio BR2 Bookshelf Speakers + Auralex Mopads
Cambridge Audio Series 300 RCA Interconnects (C326BEE to SB12NSD)
SVS SB12 NSD Subwoofer + Auralex Subdude [sub settings determined via UMIK-1 USB Measurement Mic + Room EQ Wizard + final tweaks by ear]

bro how do you connect your amp to your sb12? thanks

beringin · « **Reply #11 on:** Aug 24, 2014 at 08:50 PM »

Set up 1
2TB external HD for flac and wav files
J Feng Digital HDM 01D
REGA DAC
Cambridge Audio RC 1550 Preamp
Cambridge Audio RB 1550 Amp
Amp switcher c/o si Markcrenz
Speaker

Set up 2

500 GB External HD for flac and wav files
Cambridge Audio Stream Magic 6 Network Player
Accuphase amp
Amp switcher c/o sir Markcrenz
Speaker

I usually use my digital set up vs using my cd player as it is very easy to look for my preferred album or music file esp with the Stream Magic 6.

Now my set up 1 is in the bedroom.

esr101 · « **Reply #12 on:** Aug 24, 2014 at 09:12 PM »

Itunes on my samsung laptop.
Dragonfly dac
Rega brio
Psb image T5

DTNS · « **Reply #13 on:** Aug 24, 2014 at 11:22 PM »

Quote from: tonedeaf on Aug 24, 2014 at 05:11 PM

I'm thinking of having a digital audio set up in my office.

My options are:

Option 1 - desktop/MBA + DAC + powered speaker or headphone
Option 2 - desktop/MBA + DAC + amp + passive speaker or headphone

Parang mas mahal yata option 2 and I'm not sure what amp to use. Parang DAC/AMP na kaya? Hope others can chime in with their set up so I'll have more ideas.

The A2, based on reviews, sounds great. It's also got a distributor near my office so I'll try to audition

your office is near Greenbelt 5 or Spectra?

btw, you can try an SMSL amp for a budget amp for a passive speaker. it only costs 3.5k IIRC. a seller here in pdvd also sells a matching DAC.

royc · « **Reply #14 on:** Aug 25, 2014 at 08:09 AM »

Ipod nano 3rd gen + fiio LOD + marantz pm44se + diamond 10.1. Hoping to replace the ipod with a fiio x3.

Gino · « **Reply #15 on:** Aug 25, 2014 at 08:18 AM »

My desktop system:

Mac Mini
JDS Labs ODAC
Anlysis Plus Oval rca
APPJ tube amp
Fostex FE126EN in 5 liter boxes
Wharfedale SW150 10" sub

dodie · « **Reply #16 on:** Aug 25, 2014 at 08:33 AM »

sa digital setup ba kasama din yung cdp ? wala kse akong nakikitang cdp as source sa mga setup mentioned....

Gino · « **Reply #17 on:** Aug 25, 2014 at 08:45 AM »

Yup. Basta hindi vinyl.

tonedeaf · « **Reply #18 on:** Aug 25, 2014 at 11:19 AM »

Quote from: DTNS on Aug 24, 2014 at 11:22 PM

your office is near Greenbelt 5 or Spectra? btw, you can try an SMSL amp for a budget amp for a passive speaker. it only costs 3.5k IIRC. a seller here in pdvd also sells a matching DAC.

Yup, Makati area

I'm reading up on SMSL and other small amps, thanks, which I didn't even know existed

I've gotten a lot of suggestions on Option 2. Very confusing. Hahaha.

mykel18 · « **Reply #19 on:** Aug 25, 2014 at 11:59 AM »

For option 1, check this out:

Powered speaker with DAC

Definitive Technology Incline

Polk Audio Hampden

tonedeaf · « **Reply #20 on:** Aug 25, 2014 at 12:51 PM »

^the Hampden looks good. wonder if local dealers have it already. i'll check with the usual suspects.

jeffry10 · « **Reply #21 on:** Aug 25, 2014 at 12:53 PM »

polk ? you should try sanjay.

DTNS · « **Reply #22 on:** Aug 25, 2014 at 12:56 PM »

the Kef X300:
http://www.kef.com/html/en/showroom/digital_music_solutions/x_300a/x_300a/index.html#.U_rBxfmSw8w

nogo · « **Reply #23 on:** Aug 25, 2014 at 02:48 PM »

Bookmarking

qguy · « **Reply #24 on:** Aug 26, 2014 at 10:56 AM »

ACER netbook -> Itunes -> Behringer UCA202 DAC -> Vintage Pioneer SX-1050 Receiver -> Usher X-719 bookshelf/Rythmik F15 Subwoofer

The DAC cost me 1500 pesos sa Amazon.com

remington · « **Reply #25 on:** Aug 26, 2014 at 11:42 AM »

desk top to musiland 03 dragon to tube pre amp to tube rectified tube buffer to 6L6 push pull tube power amp to dual driver audio nirvana speakers in 4 ohms config.

genre - kung ano mapag tripan

player - jriver,foobar,youtube,internet radio
speaker wire - diy copper foil, diy braided cat 6
interconnects - esoteric,diy

dts-HD 3D · « **Reply #26 on:** Aug 26, 2014 at 12:08 PM »

for dsd / flac:
HP laptop > JRiver > Oppo bdp-105d > Accuphase e360 > ML Montis

for sacd / hdcd / cd:
Oppo bdp-105d > Accuphase e360 > ML Montis

ndotcom · « **Reply #27 on:** Aug 26, 2014 at 12:25 PM »

If big office space at sarili lang ang room plus would not mind used items, here is what I have in mind.

For amp and DAC in one with the convenience of remote, para anywhere in the room pwede setup, I would always consider paano turn up/down volume easily on an office setup.

WADIA 151 PowerDAC Mini
http://www.pinoydvd.com/index.php/topic,186769.0.html

Then a high sensitivity small speakers like this one..
http://www.pinoydvd.com/index.php/topic,189438.0.html

Even as a bedroom setup this will fly...

My digital set-up:

Lenovo laptop (foobar 2K) > musiland o1 dac > DIY LDR passive preamp > semi DIY B&O icepower x 2 in bridge mode amp > Harbeth C7ES speakers

disturbed · « **Reply #28 on:** Aug 26, 2014 at 12:41 PM »

Source: Olive One (with 500GB HDD)
DAC/Pre-amp: Emotiva DC-1
Amp: Emotiva Mini-X
Speakers: Wharfedale Dentons

Gino · « **Reply #29 on:** Aug 26, 2014 at 01:13 PM »

Nice and clean.