DAC as preamp?

[dB happy]

So, I've been looking at DACs, and the possibility of using one for a preamp for my sx-1250. Right now I'm using a mixing board as a preamp, and have the headphone out from my tv connected to it. The headphone out is a very low level, if you plug actual headphones in, the volume is pathetic, even with the tv @ max volume. It won't even drive the mixing board to max output with input level, and main volume set to max. Not a big problem, because it will still drive the 1250 to a level that would blow my speakers. However, I think I'd get better sound if I hooked up the optical out from my tv to a dac. Most of my music listening is done casting from my phone to an Amazon fire stick. So, I have some questions about DACs.

What models have remotes with a volume control?

Do any have tone controls/eq?

Wifi casting direct to a DAC from android?

 

[gvl]

Budget?

 

[RedSquare]

Budget? Also, why does the DAC need to have a preamp built in it? Why not use the 1250?

 

[winters860]

Watch out. Many DACs with headphone outputs have big ol' friendly volume knobs on the front that make you think they can be used as preamps, but the RCA outputs are fixed volume.

 

[JoeESP9]

Budget? Also, why does the DAC need to have a preamp built in it? Why not use the 1250?

What he said.

 

[dB happy]

Preamp has issues in the 1250, all kinds of crackle and pop even after deoxiting it thoroughly. Something wrong in the electronics. The main amp is good though, and still sounds excellent.

Budget, under $500 hopefully.

I do believe I found what I want, the yamaha wcx-50 looks good.

What else out there is similar to that?

 

[gvl]

Budget, under $500 hopefully.

I do believe I found what I want, the yamaha wcx-50 looks good.

What else out there is similar to that?

I was going to suggest the wcx-50 and you'll be pressed to find a more fully featured device at this price. One thing to keep in mind it is more of a network media player and less of a DAC, as it only has a Toslink optical digital input. While I think it will work for your current needs going forward you may find it lacks flexibility and/or it becoming obsolete as Yamaha may stop updating the firmware at some point. If you can drop the requirement to have tone controls you can find a remote-controlled DAC with variable outputs and also get Chromecast Audio for Android streaming needs, which you can connect with a mini-Toslink cable to the DAC, DACs usually have one optical input so you will also need an Optical to Coax SPDIF converter for your TV connection. The following DACs should be more or less in your budget: Emotiva Stealth DC-1 and Optoma NU Force DAC-80, the latter is often sold on Massdrop with a good discount.

 

[nyhifihead]

under 500 I think the brand new audio gd 11.32 would be your best bet for ~350 shipped

Audio gd makes great DACs and their preamp circuits are excellent, most of their offerings start at much higher price points

The new 11.32 uses the new ESS 9028 which offers great sound for the price, just like the 9018 did

http://www.audio-gd.com/Pro/Headphoneamp/NFN1128/NFB1128EN.htm

 

[Raynald]

Emotiva DC-1 and Cambridge DacMagic Plus, maybe a used Audiolab M-Dac. I have the DC-1 and it sounds very good.

 

[winters860]

It's nice that the Emotiva DC-1 has an analog input. There are several options that I wouldn't consider on account of them being digital-only.

 

[gvl]

Add Arcam irDac II to the list, it has dual optical inputs so no need for the optical to coax spdif adapter, they are kind of rare and discontinued iirc. There is also Teac UD-503 and Benchmark DAC1 HDR, but they are more than $500 even used.

 

[dB happy]

The yamaha looks like what I want. Anything else is gonna be a lot more $. I really only need the one optical input for my tv, because everything else can go over wifi or Bluetooth.

I also like the line in, which the yamaha has. I might add a turn table some day, and all I'd need is a phono stage.

 

[gvl]

The yamaha looks like what I want. Anything else is gonna be a lot more $. I really only need the one optical input for my tv, because everything else can go over wifi or Bluetooth.

I also like the line in, which the yamaha has. I might add a turn table some day, and all I'd need is a phono stage.

There is no USB input, not too flexible for a computer connection, if that's something you might want to add later.

 

[Mark B]

There is no USB input, not too flexible for a computer connection, if that's something you might want to add later.

The WXC-50 has a USB input.

 

[RedSquare]

The WXC-50 has a USB input.

View attachment 976597

Not for use as a DAC with a PC, only for USB storage.

 

[gvl]

The WXC-50 has a USB input.

It has a USB port for playing media from flash drives, not a USB audio input for playing audio from computers, last time I checked anyway....

 

[Hipocrates]

for your application why not sell the 1250 (doesn't seems that you want to fix it), add the $500 and get a yamaha integraded with digital inputs

 

[winters860]

for your application why not sell the 1250 (doesn't seems that you want to fix it), add the $500 and get a yamaha integraded with digital inputs

Or, alternately, buy a $100 DAC and put the remaining $400 into getting the 1250 fixed.

 

[Descartridge]

The Emotiva XDA-1 has remote control and all of the inputs and outputs you will ever need.
It is a jewel, plays great and is very inexpensive.

 

[dB happy]

The Emotiva XDA-1 has remote control and all of the inputs and outputs you will ever need.
It is a jewel, plays great and is very inexpensive.
View attachment 976783 View attachment 976784
View attachment 976786

That looks like it might be an option, but I can only find one for sale used. Not that I'm opposed to buying used, any suggestions on where to buy?

I do intend to fix the pioneer, but I have a marantz 4400 I'm currently working on.