AirPort Express vs. Fiio D3 vs. Carver C-100 vs......

[lattiboy]

Hi all,

I recently got a Carver C-1000 old-school home theater receiver. This thing pumps out 200 wpc and weighs a metric ton. It's got 3 optical, 3 coaxial, and a phono stage. After doing a million different configurations, I think this might be "the one" amp I can keep as my central piece of kit for listening and testing speakers/TTs.

I use a new model Apple AirPort express streaming TIDAL hifi and Spotify via mini-optical direct to the Carver. I have it set to stereo with all DSP turned off.

My other options are to use the DAC on the AirPort express and connect via 3.5, or to use my cheapo Fiio D3 as I did on previous non-DAC amps.

What would you all suggest? Is there a sub-$200 used or new option that would bring an appreciable increase in quality or features?

I will obviously do some testing, but I'd like to hear opinions from people who've kind of moved up the DAC chain from where I'm at.

 

[E.Auer]

I would try to bypass the Carver's DAC to see what it sounds like. If you like what the AE or Fiio does better than the Carvers DAC then you know what direction to take for further improvements.

Eric

 

[amit11]

I was also in the same boat, except the amp was different.

Two things.

A) the latest airport express is bad. I have the oldest G version and i have both actually. The oldest G version is the best. We can clearly hear difference. G version is hard to find but worth it.

Better to us dac via optical instead of 3.5 mm


B) Fiio dac is ok-ok...not that good. It was my first dac. Now i have schiit modi multibit. Its fantastic. You can choose other options.

 

[Poultrygeist]

I have the $250 Schiit Modi MB but can tell little if any difference between it and my $99 Topping D30. Either would be an upgrade to the Carver as would the D3 which I also have.