DAC vs Turntable for desktop system

I can't see a pre-amp adding anything to this system.  Unless..... you got a turntable.  Even then, I think there may be ways to avoid it, eg a decent combined phono stage / headamp (though one doesn't spring to mind, admittedly).

To match what you have in SQ I'd have thought you're looking at a Rega RP6 or Clearaudio Concept, at the very least.

Thanks Karlos, very interesting. My main system is built around 202/200/cdx2 but it's not something I can move around or take to the office so the experimentation with the "desktop version".

Got you, Chris.

Much as I love vinyl, its probably not the obvious choice for a desktop system, although it could work providing the desk has enough space, whilst the headphone option keeps things compact and reduces the likelihood of vibration problems.  It would still need to be a very solid desk though - no wobbles whatsoever.  Or better still a proper stand next to the desk, or on a wall just above it.

Beyond that the biggest drawback I can see is the actual media itself.  Typically the desktop is a workspace from which you don't want to be jumping up every 15 mins.  Computer audio lends itself to this perfectly.  Vinyl on the other hand has to be stored somewhere such that it can viewed/perused, then extracted from inner/outer sleeves, set playing, etc etc.  I know its not a huge effort per se, but it is enough to be distracting from work -  assuming you are actually busy..... ;-)

Nice setup, almost identical to mine using MacBook with iTunes + BitPerfect > USB to Chord 2Qute and playing only up to CD level quality.  The sound is surprisingly good for such a miniature setup - it may be hard to find something based on phono turntable, which will also have that kind of tiny footprint?

Yes, the turntable thing is not easy to set-up on the desk, I would almost have to replace the imac by a mac mini to save some space. The Naim headphone amp and phono seem to need connection to a preamp and separate power supply as well which means more boxes and cables to store on the desk.

Yes Chris, to be honest for a compact & simple vinyl system I'd forget Naim phono stages.  Rega's are pretty good....

Putting a turntable on a computer desk sounds like a recipe for disaster to me. If you really want to try it, I imagine you'd get better results with a suspended sub-chassis design like an LP12, better to isolate the TT from the inevitable vibrations and wobbles that will come from a large, heavy desk. A wall shelf would obviously eliminate this issue, although personally, I think they look awful.

If it was me, I'd look at my budget and think about how I could use it to improve my digital setup.