DAC- V1

Posted by: djs1784 on 02 January 2017

1) Can I use the DAC-1 as a pre for 2 channel listening in my Home Theatre with Marantz 8801AV in unity gain mode? ( 250.2/SL2/nSub) How would it work? Do I need a custom cable with a resister to match the impedance?

2) is it better to use a large USB flash drive with music loaded on it or the asynchronous input connected to a computer?

3) any recommendation on how to get airplay to the DAC V1. I tried for little while Air express with nDAC/PSU set up and it was just OK.

Any help appreciated. David

Posted on: 02 January 2017 by Dr_J

1) Sorry, don't know.

2) If you're referring to the USB B input on the DAC V1, I believe this expects a PC/Mac as a source rather than a thumb drive.

3) Depends on the AirPlay receiver, the commonest of which is the Airport Express as you say. Have you tried the AE on the DAC V1 yet? Also what is your AirPlay source?

KR, J

Posted on: 03 January 2017 by GregW

1. The 250 and DAC-V1, I don't see why not. I'm using a DAC-V1 to drive my 250 DR. The Naim supplied; in the box with a 250, XLR-DIN will do the trick. Not sure how your other Naim bits will influence the result. Sorry.

2. The DAC-V1 has no playback ability over USB. It needs a computer or iPhone to 'drive' it. I haven't tried Android mostly because it's USB audio out support is rather problematic.

3. Connecting an AirPlay receiver to one of the DAC-V1's inputs is your only option. Here are devices that could do the job:

- Airport Express is easy and pretty cheap
- Cheap streamers from Denon/Marantz, Pioneer often have Airplay
- Sonore microRendu supports AirPlay when connected to the DAC-V1 via USB, as does it's cheaper cousin the Sonicorbiter SE
- Auralic Aries Mini
- If you install AirSonos on a local node server you can even use Sonos devices as AirPlay receivers.

Posted on: 03 January 2017 by djs1784

Thank you everybody. Any idea how to integrate the unit with a sound processor? DAC V1 does not have analog input with unity option but instead has a volume software setting option to integrate with another downstream pre. That is the issue - i want to utilize the pre in the Naim for two channel music, not the surround processor. Anybody knows how that works?