There's a question here somewhere, but a little background info first.
As implied, I'm using an Onkyo 805 AVR, with a Logitech Squeezebox duet as a source. My speakers are DIY with fairly high end drivers (Accutons), and for music i usually listen in Direct mode - 2 channel only, no processing. My room is sufficiently treated so I don't miss Audyssey for music.
I was thinking of adding an analog preamp with HT bypass to my system for hopefully even better stereo sound (Parasound 2100 maybe? or full analog pre like the Halo P7), but figured I'd better test the analog output of my Squeezebox before i made any purchases to see if an external DAC would be a requirement.
I connected the Squeezebox with both an optical and RCA inter connects to my 805, and listened to a couple of songs while fast switching the inputs on the Onkyo between digital in and analog in.
Holy , the digital input was WAAAYYY better (ok, exaggeration but considerably better). Switching from analog back to digital (therefore using the Onkyo's internal Burr Brown DACs) was not like lifting a veil; it was more like removing a wet blanket.
Question is - is the weak point the Squeezebox DAC, or the Onkyo analog circuits? I wouldn't have thought the latter except for Kal's (Rubinson) observations that the Integra 9.8 analog inputs were a weak point, and the circuits are probably the same...
thoughts? I guess I'd need to try a decent external DAC and see if the problem still exists?
As implied, I'm using an Onkyo 805 AVR, with a Logitech Squeezebox duet as a source. My speakers are DIY with fairly high end drivers (Accutons), and for music i usually listen in Direct mode - 2 channel only, no processing. My room is sufficiently treated so I don't miss Audyssey for music.
I was thinking of adding an analog preamp with HT bypass to my system for hopefully even better stereo sound (Parasound 2100 maybe? or full analog pre like the Halo P7), but figured I'd better test the analog output of my Squeezebox before i made any purchases to see if an external DAC would be a requirement.
I connected the Squeezebox with both an optical and RCA inter connects to my 805, and listened to a couple of songs while fast switching the inputs on the Onkyo between digital in and analog in.
Holy , the digital input was WAAAYYY better (ok, exaggeration but considerably better). Switching from analog back to digital (therefore using the Onkyo's internal Burr Brown DACs) was not like lifting a veil; it was more like removing a wet blanket.
Question is - is the weak point the Squeezebox DAC, or the Onkyo analog circuits? I wouldn't have thought the latter except for Kal's (Rubinson) observations that the Integra 9.8 analog inputs were a weak point, and the circuits are probably the same...
thoughts? I guess I'd need to try a decent external DAC and see if the problem still exists?