Systemic Development > Bipolar System Disorders

TacT vs. Squeezebox w/DAC

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Carlman:
I'm thinking about making a change to my 2-channel system... mainly to add a little tubey-ness to the sound and second to add a phonostage
I have a few choices...

1- Keep what I have, it sounds lovely, accurate, detailed, w/ great imaging, etc.  There's no real reason to change a thing... but to add a TT is $1500 to do it right... and it'll still be converted to digital.

2- Replace the TacT with a traditional preamp with similar resolution but with tubes and a phonostage... and use a separate DAC.  (Scott Nixon tube DAC)  Cost to sell/buy everything is about $600.... give or take.

3- Replace TacT pre and the Audio PC* with a Squeezebox, move the PC to another room and get the SN USB DAC.  No TT but possibly netting a savings, not sure after SB3 mods.  My PDA (or laptop) would become my remote, with album art.... neat!
*-PC is a 20db noise-maker that resides in the sound room now

My goal is to compare all 3 scenarios back-to-back in the coming weeks.
It will not be easy.  However, I'm very interested to see how all these fair.  If anyone has a modified/upgraded power supply or SB3 they'd like to see compared, let me know and I'll thow it in the mix.  As it stands, I have the stock wired setup... I don't need wireless for the SB3.

So, let me know your thoughts or suggestions on performing the comparisons....

It'll be a couple of weeks before I can A/B/C compare these options... but I'm going to work on them prior to the big 'shootout'. ;)


Thanks,
Carl

miklorsmith:
Wow!  Very ambitious.  Will you be able to do comparisons side-by-side?

What is the TacT currently doing for your system?  If I didn't Need mine, it would be gone.  On the other hand, if you need what it can do, there aren't any true alternatives.

From what I've read, it seems a lot of USB interfaces don't have their stuff fully together.  The soundcard interface seems to be a weak point though I don't have anything more definitive than that.  Empirical Audio seems to be on the right track but their stuff is way spendy and I don't know if it's a plug'n'play solution (it may be).
 
Any particular reason the Nixon unit is the choice?  I did a side-by-side between a Red Wine Monica-2 and a TubeDAC+ about two years ago and the TubeDAC owner and I agreed the Monica was better.  Then, the Monica was set aside for an Ack! 2.0.  The Altmann Attraction and Lessloss both kick the teeth out of any of the three.

Now, this was two years ago and I'm sure there have been improvements so take this with a shaker of salt.

Converting LPs to digital seems blasphemous, but what do I know?  I don't own a TT and never have.

If you *really* like what you have going on, try hard not to sell it until you're SURE of the move.  The quest for better sound can go backwards.

This stands to be exciting!

Carlman:
Thanks for your thoughts... and I'm not sure it'll be something I can  directly A/B... but I'll at least be able to switch cables and play each configuration.

I've heard the latest USB DAC from SN... as in, just developed, hard to obtain at this point... but Hantra has one and I love it.  I'd really like to hear some of these other DAC's... Maybe I could get on a tour?  I have no information on the Lessloss... just heard it referenced.  If it (or the Altmann) is battery-powered, I'm not interested....

The TacT is currently in bypass mode.  I have fixed the primary issues with physical treatments for the room.  It's a fiberglass cocoon now. ;)

The TacT I have is the RCS 2.0S and has had EVERY one of Anthony's latest modifications done to it... by him personally.  It's an incredible presentation with the McIntosh 402 amp and Piega P5 Limited speakers.  I can't imagine getting anything 'better' just 'different' at this point without spending several thousand. (sound familiar?  :lol: )

The USB DAC drops the sound floor significantly.  However, does this also happen when using the Squeezebox?  I hope to find out.

I'm still open to any SB power supplies, modified units, or other DAC's to throw in the mix.  :)

-C

Inscrutable:
Carl,
Since you are in bypass mode now, it would seem the TacT is not being used for its distinguishing advantage, and you may do better with an alternate preamp.  That said, I'd not count on finding the preamp you like and it being a full function (includes phonostage) rather than needing an outboard phono pre.  Does your TacT have the A/D board?  Unless you are going pretty high up the food chain, I wonder just how much you would lose in the extra A/D>D/A conversion?  Didn't you have (maybe still have) a mid level Pro-ject?

If it would be of any help, you are welcome to borrow my Plinius just to use either the phono stage alone, or the preamp and/or phono.  Or borrow the Oracle if you need a table.

WEEZ:
I've never experienced a TacT...so, I don't have a frame of reference as to a tube pre-amp that would have similar resolution.

I can only say, from my experience, tubed pre-amps almost always sound more natural to my old ears. There is just something about using tubes in the voltage amplification stage that helps to create ambiance, air, and space. But to mate well with a solid state amplifier of lower input impedence (are you using a Mac amp?), I would condider a tubed pre-amp that uses a follower curcuit of some type (Cathode, Mu, or, White) to insure a low output impedence. Much better electrical match...

As far as phono amplifiers are concerned, I would probably not elect to have it integrated into the main pre-amp..for the same reason you prefer a separate DAC; i.e., it has it's own power supply. Whether battery or ac..it still doesn't have to 'share' it's power supply with the pre-amp.

Have you considered a Mac pre?

WEEZ

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