Quality of DACs in different controllers

[AVHomeInstalls]

Is there any difference in DAC audio output quality between controllers? What about between the old HTC and HC controllers?

Noticed a big fidelity drop from analog RCA input to the output on single HTC.

[dogdvr]

Is there any difference in DAC audio output quality between controllers? What about between the old HTC and HC controllers?

Noticed a big fidelity drop from analog RCA input to the output on single HTC.

You noticed a drop from the HTC as compared to what?

Brent

[AVHomeInstalls]

From Apple TV optical digital output to Yamaha Sound Projector. The Apple TV's analog output to HTC RCA inputs. HTC RCA output to Sound Projector.

So the HTC RCA outputs are buffered to match zone audio. Maybe C4 can chime in here and tell us what the audio sampling rate is or brand of DAC used by the different controllers?

[blub]

Hello!

Just asked myself the same question - does anyone know what DAXs are used in current conbtrollers i.e hc250.

I am asking because I am currently using my Onkyo 3010 via DLNA to listen t music (FLAC) and I think of switching to a HC250 to replace my remotes. Therefore I would like to use C4 for my music but only if it has a decent DAC and audio quality - anyone has any insdes?

Otherwise I need to go for a used HC 500.

thx

[Cyknight]

? DAC is digital audio to analogue audio converter - ie optical or digital coax to stereo RCA. Has nothing to to with "digitizing" an audio stream to transmit across a network.

Of all controllers only the 500 and the old MC ever were able to receive one of those (coax on 500, optical on MC) and then only if set to stereo - the file stream coming OUT of those were/are no better than the RCA inputs, unless the source's rca output were for whatever reason worse than the source's stereo signal over a digital output.

The quality of the digitized signal is an mp3 file, not sure of the bit-rate but likely low to allow for the "live" streaming.

This again is COMPLETELY unrelated to listening to files stored on a network. FLAC is certainly supported there, and audio quality is fine for normal listening - although I doubt it'll match the Onkyo you mention one for one, once the stereo goes into the onkyo for sampling you may not notice that much of a difference.

[blub]

Ok thank you I should have been more precise but I think I got your point.

Status at the moment: Digital music files (mostly flac) are played via my Onkyo 3010 - that means I am using a pretty good DAC there

For me with C4 there are two possibilities:

1) I just use C4 as a remote and still play and decode my music with the Onkyo.

2) Use C4 to manage and play my music. This would mean using the analogue output of the HC250 to output to an analogue input of my Onkyo. The Onkyo will do the handling of the input just fine I am more worried how good the digital to analogue conversion in the HC250 ist - therefore my question :-)

2a) Same as no. 2 but using an HC 500 which should output the music digitally over COAX to the Onkyo which then does the digital to analogue conversion.

By going with choice option no 2 I do have a nice GUI for selecting and managing the music :-)

[thecodeman]

Why not use the 250's hdmi?

[Cyknight]

Again DAC is digital to analogue SIGNAL conversion.

What you're worried about is decoding a digital audio FILE to play as music.

The Onkyo has a good processor to do this. The C4 processor isn't bad either - better in the 250 than in the 500 afaik.

IF the files you play are encoded at a very high level (ie surround encoding) - that would be lost REGARDLESS of the controller used or output used. It's also fairly unlikely to make a difference what so-ever.

Keep in mind that at the end the Onkyo is still doing the final audio processing.

Is the Onkyo going to be a better at taking the music FILES and decoding them - possibly, even likely, although how much of a difference that part is going to make is hard to tell short of live testing.

Is hooking it up FROM a controller digitally or stereo going to make a difference? No NONE as the controllers ALL output stereo only on ALL outputs. That signal being sent as a "analogue" or "digital" signal is besides the point (not even taking into account the misnomer of ANY signal being digital but that's a different discussion) because there is not advantage to be had - unless it's for some reason a very interference prone run?

And the Onkyo is still taking that stereo signal and doing it's audio processing on that.

Should you somehow be worried between "analogue and digital" transmission - as mentioned the HC250 will gladly send that music over the HDMI output. In fact if you want to use the GUI, that would be the way to go.

So in short:

Onkyo may sound better, but likely marginally and perhaps only noticeable in bench-test vs real-life.

Getting the HC250 for control still leaves both options open.

[blub]

Ok thanks.

I am not worried about where the software decoding of the files happen - there should not be any noticeable differences. I only want the digital to analogue signal conversion to happen in the best possible place in that setup because I know from fact that crappy DACs can be heard with a good stereo (If the Onkyo is good enough of a stereo I don't know. I once tested it with my T+A amp and different CD Players)

So the way to go for me is using the HC 250 and output it via HDMI. The decoding of files should happen in the 250 with a digital signal signal transmission to the Onkyo I am fine with that.

thx :-)

[Bubben]

Why not use the 250's hdmi?

I´m experiencing audio dropouts between tracks with my hc250 and Integra over HDMI. A pretty big deal to me...just listen to Pink Floyd´s The Wall.

Usually I´m using Sonos, but would be nice to hear if someone has adressed this problem?

[lippavisual]

Why not use the 250's hdmi?

I´m experiencing audio dropouts between tracks with my hc250 and Integra over HDMI. A pretty big deal to me...just listen to Pink Floyd´s The Wall.

Usually I´m using Sonos' date=' but would be nice to hear if someone has adressed this problem?[/quote']

Is the Integra/Onkyo's firmware up to date? These manufacturers have had huge issues regarding HDMI.

[zaphod]

The Onkyo has a good processor to do this. The C4 processor isn't bad either - better in the 250 than in the 500 afaik.

IF the files you play are encoded at a very high level (ie surround encoding) - that would be lost REGARDLESS of the controller used or output used. It's also fairly unlikely to make a difference what so-ever.

Why does it not matter what component is doing the decoding if the file has a high bitrate? Don't audiophiles pay thousands of dollars for separate DACs? Something like this - the exaSound e28 DAC that sells for $3300. http://www.exasound.com/e28DAC/e28DAC.aspx

Sure a high bitrate files has less "holes" to fill in since there is more information with a high sample rate. But that doesn't mean it gives a sound that is pleasing musically, especially if you are a finicky audiophile.