PC to Arcam rDAC to Arcam Solo Mini?

Halloween

Halloween

Limp Gawd
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Jun 12, 2007
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Will this set up work and produce good results?

I have an Arcam Solo Mini that i want to move into my study (currrently used as stereo in lounge). I want to use this and my Monitor Audio RX1's as my PC sound system.

The plan is to connect the Digital Audio Out (sPDIF) connection out of my Asus Xonar DX into an Arcam Solo rDAC and then have that connect via RCA/Phono to my Arcam Solo Mini.

So my question is firstly will this work and secondly will it produce a better result than having the sound card link directly to Arcam Solo Mini via the front 3.5 jack?

Cheers in advance, as not sure if to buy the Arcam rDAC or not?

PS - this will be replacing current Bose Companion 3 to Asus sound card set up.
 
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Procyon12 said:
id use usb on the rDac.
Click to expand...

Why the USB? So in effect avoiding the sound card altogether? Is there then an advantage to using this solution instead of linking the sound card directly to the Arcam Solo Mini?
 
the Arcam rDAC has a very good USB bridge in it. probably better than most sound cards. its also asynchronous and has anti jitter design.
 
Ok thanks fella. So in effect it would be a good decision to get this dac and would be an improvement on the existing sound card. Not sure I understand going through USB as opposed to the digital out via the sound card to the dac, won't there be noise going through USB as opposed to through the sound card?
 
I'm a bit confused - Arcam Mini is small receiver - what speakers are connected to it ? Are they matching Solo Muse speakers ? or Muso plus Lego ? or any other speakers?

I think that other than placebo, there will be zero audible difference b'ween xonar build-in dac and external one, but if have arcam dac anyways - you should use it as advised before in USB more to eliminate additional complications in configurations

Asus Xonar card series have very good dacs, not using them would be a waste

I'd suggest getting decent 3.5 to RCA cable from monoprice (the one they call it premium type)
 
BoredSysAdm said:
I'm a bit confused - Arcam Mini is small receiver - what speakers are connected to it ? Are they matching Solo Muse speakers ? or Muso plus Lego ? or any other speakers?

I think that other than placebo, there will be zero audible difference b'ween xonar build-in dac and external one, but if have arcam dac anyways - you should use it as advised before in USB more to eliminate additional complications in configurations

Asus Xonar card series have very good dacs, not using them would be a waste

I'd suggest getting decent 3.5 to RCA cable from monoprice (the one they call it premium type)
Click to expand...

Monitor Audio RX1 speakers, http://www.monitoraudio.co.uk/products/silver-rx/rx1/.

So basically not bother buying an external DAC and just go with sound card out to Arcam Solo Mini via RCA using a 3.5 to RCA cable of high quality. Will this be better than my current Bose Companion set up?
 
Halloween said:
Monitor Audio RX1 speakers, http://www.monitoraudio.co.uk/products/silver-rx/rx1/.
Click to expand...

Sorry, something about black background kills my reading comprehension...
you did say it before....

Halloween said:
So basically not bother buying an external DAC and just go with sound card out to Arcam Solo Mini via RCA using a 3.5 to RCA cable of high quality.
Click to expand...
Yes, that it my opinion (just don't go crazy on cable, I'd consider adding good filtering power surge protector or UPS.

Halloween said:
Will this be better than my current Bose Companion set up?
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Yes, The vast majority of sound quality difference would come from switching the speaker, not anything else. RX1 are much better speakers than anything from Bose, but there are better speakers out there for same or lower money than MA RX1.

Solo Mini is "rated" to work with 4 to 8 ohm speakers (per manual) but specs online show only 25wpc at 8ohm, normally 6ohm power is higher, but for this tiny amp I don't know how loud it could play RX1 without any distortion.
 
BoredSysAdm said:
Sorry, something about black background kills my reading comprehension...
you did say it before....


Yes, that it my opinion (just don't go crazy on cable, I'd consider adding good filtering power surge protector or UPS.


Yes, The vast majority of sound quality difference would come from switching the speaker, not anything else. RX1 are much better speakers than anything from Bose, but there are better speakers out there for same or lower money than MA RX1.

Solo Mini is "rated" to work with 4 to 8 ohm speakers (per manual) but specs online show only 25wpc at 8ohm, normally 6ohm power is higher, but for this tiny amp I don't know how loud it could play RX1 without any distortion.
Click to expand...

Thank you :). The other option is to get another receiver (i'd like to keep the MA RX1's ideally). I can always sell the Solo Mini. Was looking at this receiver, http://www.audiovisualonline.co.uk/product/3841/yamaha-as500-stereo-amplifier

Again would it be a case of connecting from sound card to receiver via 3.5 to RCA or SPDIF to digital input on receiver for best sound quality?

Would the aforementioned receiver provide better results than the solo mini with my speakers? Cheers.
 
Halloween said:
Thank you :). The other option is to get another receiver (i'd like to keep the MA RX1's ideally). I can always sell the Solo Mini. Was looking at this receiver, http://www.audiovisualonline.co.uk/product/3841/yamaha-as500-stereo-amplifier

Again would it be a case of connecting from sound card to receiver via 3.5 to RCA or SPDIF to digital input on receiver for best sound quality?

Would the aforementioned receiver provide better results than the solo mini with my speakers? Cheers.
Click to expand...

As500 is nice integrated amp (not a reciever). It's rated at 100wpc into 6ohm - more than enough for RX1 speakers, but it doesn't have digital inputs. You'd still need a solid audio card or external usb interface to connect to.

You already have solo mini and other pieces - Connect and use it.
If you feel it's not loud enough - you need a beefier amp like AS500
 
BoredSysAdm said:
As500 is nice integrated amp (not a reciever). It's rated at 100wpc into 6ohm - more than enough for RX1 speakers, but it doesn't have digital inputs. You'd still need a solid audio card or external usb interface to connect to.

You already have solo mini and other pieces - Connect and use it.
If you feel it's not loud enough - you need a beefier amp like AS500
Click to expand...

Thank you, I will trial the Solo Mini and RX1's first before deciding whether to go down the AS500 route. Would you consider the Asus Xonar DX to be an adequate sound card or would the Arcam rDAC be better? Thanks for your help btw!
 
BoredSysAdm said:
I think that other than placebo, there will be zero audible difference b'ween xonar build-in dac and external one, but if have arcam dac anyways - you should use it as advised before in USB more to eliminate additional complications in configurations
Click to expand...

but what about the xonars built in analog output stage? i think its quite a reach to call the difference between than an the arcam rdac a placebo. the dac chip is one tiny fairly insignificant part of the source component.

infact, when going from onbaord to something like a xonar dg, your not getting an increase in SQ due to the dac being better, your getting it from going for a lousy POS, electrically dirty and polluted analog output stage to a somewhat decent one.
 
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Procyon12 said:
but what about the xonars built in analog output stage? i think its quite a reach to call the difference between than an the arcam rdac a placebo. the dac chip is one tiny fairly insignificant part of the source component.

infact, when going from onbaord to something like a xonar dg, your not getting an increase in SQ due to the dac being better, your getting it from going for a lousy POS analog output stage to a decent one.
Click to expand...

If OP to utilize line out (vs headphone out) on Xonar card - the difference even if could be measured most likely would not be audible. This does not apply to lesser onboard cards - they are 99.9% trash.

Now, if OP had really nice, lets say Salk Veracity HT2-TL speakers (4k each), then I guess Acram DAC vs Asus Xonas DX difference would be audible
 
BoredSysAdm said:
If OP to utilize line out (vs headphone out) on Xonar card - the difference even if could be measured most likely would not be audible. This does not apply to lesser onboard cards - they are 99.9% trash.

Now, if OP had really nice, lets say Salk Veracity HT2-TL speakers (4k each), then I guess Acram DAC vs Asus Xonas DX difference would be audible
Click to expand...

you dont need that nice speakers, thats bogus, couple hundred dollar speakers will elevate it to a level high enough to hear a difference. also understand that what a better source is going to do isnt really the same thing that speakers might do at this level. also, in the nearfield, the less money you need to spend on speakers. hes got great speakers.

an amp is more important in this part of the chain, and he has a pretty good amp. probably has a better amp than 99% of the people who insist on spending $1000 or more on speakers and running it with a HT reciever integrated amp --yuck.

now, i agree, a $450 source probably isnt best for his system, as far as money but there will definetly be a difference in sound between that and onboard. no doubt. and that arcam is a great dac that will scale to upgrades.

also OP? are you english? just curious.
 
DAC is not SOURCE. PC will be source for OP. DAC will be just small nut in this config.
OP already has couple of hundred dollars worth speakers.
AMP is important, but all solid amps will sound same (at same power level) given the amp designer didn't do really bad mistakes. OP's speakers aren't easiest load for amp, but realyl far from worst case scenario. Neither DAC nor the AMP would not define audio quality (given existing components) - both of them could contribute of course, but the difference b'ween good dac and great dac is not that big as a difference b'ween good speaker and a great one
 
Halloween said:
Will this set up work and produce good results?

I have an Arcam Solo Mini that i want to move into my study (currrently used as stereo in lounge). I want to use this and my Monitor Audio RX1's as my PC sound system.

The plan is to connect the Digital Audio Out (sPDIF) connection out of my Asus Xonar DX into an Arcam Solo rDAC and then have that connect via RCA/Phono to my Arcam Solo Mini.

So my question is firstly will this work and secondly will it produce a better result than having the sound card link directly to Arcam Solo Mini via the front 3.5 jack?

Cheers in advance, as not sure if to buy the Arcam rDAC or not?

PS - this will be replacing current Bose Companion 3 to Asus sound card set up.
Click to expand...

just to say this setup will be leaps,and bounds better than the bose.
 
BoredSysAdm said:
DAC is not SOURCE. PC will be source for OP. DAC will be just small nut in this config.
Click to expand...

ughh...when speaking about sound systems, a source component describes what feeds the amp....everybody and their mother speaks about source this way. when your talking about audio, source doesnt = sound files on pc. source = cd players, dacs, turntables, etc etc. the device creating the sound that goes into the amp = source component.

and what im saying is that a dac is only a small nut in the difference between a xonar dx and an arcam rdac, so saying that a xonar has a good dac, doesnt say much.


as a source component as a whole, an rcam rdac is way way way better than a xonar dx.
way better.

OP already has couple of hundred dollars worth speakers.
Click to expand...

right, which is why improving the source is a good idea.

AMP is important, but all solid amps will sound same (at same power level) given the amp designer didn't do really bad mistakes.
Click to expand...
i dont even..know how to respond...

OP's speakers aren't easiest load for amp, but realyl far from worst case scenario. Neither DAC nor the AMP would not define audio quality (given existing components) - both of them could contribute of course, but the difference b'ween good dac and great dac is not that big as a difference b'ween good speaker and a great one
Click to expand...

right, but this is hard to respond too, because im still not sure if you consider a dac to be just the dac chip or the source component as a whole. and you fail to mention analog output stage in any of this. the difference between a good analog output stage and a great one, is a big difference. consider the quality of the electrical components, power delivery (inc stability, response, and cleanliness), circuit design, and as far as the dac chip, the design and implementation of that dac chip within the component....
 
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OP, I'm guessing you don't own the rDac yet. Try what you already own before you buy more stuff! All you need is a $5 cable to do this.

If that setup sounds pretty good, get used to the sound for a couple weeks before adding a DAC.

No one else can tell you what you'll hear on your system in your room with your music and your ears.
 
Procyon12 said:
you dont need that nice speakers, thats bogus, couple hundred dollar speakers will elevate it to a level high enough to hear a difference. also understand that what a better source is going to do isnt really the same thing that speakers might do at this level. also, in the nearfield, the less money you need to spend on speakers. hes got great speakers.

an amp is more important in this part of the chain, and he has a pretty good amp. probably has a better amp than 99% of the people who insist on spending $1000 or more on speakers and running it with a HT reciever integrated amp --yuck.

now, i agree, a $450 source probably isnt best for his system, as far as money but there will definetly be a difference in sound between that and onboard. no doubt. and that arcam is a great dac that will scale to upgrades.

also OP? are you english? just curious.
Click to expand...

Yeah I'm English :) what gave it away the links?

When you say better amp do you mean my existing Arcam Solo Mini system or the Yamaha I was looking at?
 
Halloween said:
Yeah I'm English :) what gave it away the links?

When you say better amp do you mean my existing Arcam Solo Mini system or the Yamaha I was looking at?
Click to expand...

actually its because you have all english brands for equipment, some of which are really hard to find inside the US. thats the number one reason.

and also because you have good taste in audio equipment. anytime i find someone who has good taste in audio equipment, they are english or lived in england or something like that about 50% of the time.

sorry i stereotyped you, haha.
Germans:Cars::English:Hi Fi audio

oh another stereotype.

your amp is good.
 
Procyon12 said:
actually its because you have all english brands for equipment, some of which are really hard to find inside the US. thats the number one reason.

and also because you have good taste in audio equipment. anytime i find someone who has good taste in audio equipment, they are english or lived in england or something like that about 50% of the time.

sorry i stereotyped you, haha.
Germans:Cars::English:Hi Fi audio

oh another stereotype.

your amp is good.
Click to expand...

:D haha yeah you are probably right! I don't mind that stereotype.
 
In my experience the biggest problem with using the 3.5 mm jack to nice audio gear is the noise caused by the noisy electrical environment that is a computer. For that reason alone I always run toslink so that the PC is electrically isolated from the audio gear. Hopefully you don't have that problem with your setup but in my experience that has always been a problem.

A word on my bias. Usually when I am integrating a PC to nice audio gear I am using many amps spanning a couple of circuits so grounding starts to be a issue so maybe in your scenario it will all be good. (I hope so) If not toslink is your friend.
 
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