[timfromcanada]

Hi All,
My name is Tim, and I live in Canada. I am just starting into the audio world and building my first set of speakers (https://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=160647.0) and subwoofer (http://gr-research.com/servosubkit2.aspx). I have so much to learn, and I'll probably lurk most of the time, but I thought I'd get started by introducing myself.

I'm also currently trying to figure out what amp / dac combination I should use, so if you have any suggestions, please feel free to comment below. I'm always game to build something .

Thanks,

Tim

[FullRangeMan]

Welcome Tim

[Wind Chaser]

Hi Tim,

Welcome to Audio Circle! What kind of a budget do you have in mind for the amp and DAC?

[ntjetsmoke]

Welcome!

[JLM]

Welcome, neighbor!  Just spent last weekend in Canada at the Ice Wine Festival at Niagara on the Lake.  Being from Michigan we've vacationed in Canada several times.

The biggest challenge with DIY is stepping into the unknown, in particular not knowing what the finished product sounds like (or should sound like) as the chance to audition beforehand is rare.  The best most can do is to read specifications and descriptions from strangers or perhaps "hear" them via your own system. 

Back in 1980 I built transmission line bass boxes after hearing a closely related product (same driver/crossover in a box from the same manufacturer) several times at a local shop.  It was a pretty safe bet, except for my woodworking skills and available tools.     They turned out performing very well, but the veneering was horrible (veneering options have improved greatly since then).  I should have painted them.  Oh well, live and learn. 

Have heard GR 2-way monitors and wasn't impressed, but their studio monitor looks interesting.  Without knowing your budget, I'd go with a $699 USD Schiit Vidar amp (extreme value, good sounding Class AB design in case you're not a Class D fan) and a $470 USD Sabaj D5 (great sound, cheapest DAC to use the lastest ESS chip) DAC with volume control via Amazon.  You might need two Vidars depending on how you connect the speakers/sub in which case you might consider upgrading to the $799 USD Schiit Aegir. 

[ArthurDent]

Greetings & Welcome to AC Tim   

[Phil A]

Welcome!

[rollo]

  Welcome Tim. Budget, preferences as to SS , tubes, hybrid ?


charles

[timfromcanada]

Thank you all for the warm welcome! My budget is somewhat flexible, but I'd like to keep things in the <$1000 range, (which I understand is still quite low in the audio world). I have no particular bias to different amplifier types as long as they sound good. As far as tubes, I've heard that some people really like adding tubes in the preamp stage to add warmth to the sound, but that would be something that I would have to experiment with myself. I am open to recommendations.

Tim

[timfromcanada]

Welcome, neighbor!  Just spent last weekend in Canada at the Ice Wine Festival at Niagara on the Lake.  Being from Michigan we've vacationed in Canada several times.

The biggest challenge with DIY is stepping into the unknown, in particular not knowing what the finished product sounds like (or should sound like) as the chance to audition beforehand is rare.  The best most can do is to read specifications and descriptions from strangers or perhaps "hear" them via your own system. 

Back in 1980 I built transmission line bass boxes after hearing a closely related product (same driver/crossover in a box from the same manufacturer) several times at a local shop.  It was a pretty safe bet, except for my woodworking skills and available tools.     They turned out performing very well, but the veneering was horrible (veneering options have improved greatly since then).  I should have painted them.  Oh well, live and learn. 

Have heard GR 2-way monitors and wasn't impressed, but their studio monitor looks interesting.  Without knowing your budget, I'd go with a $699 USD Schiit Vidar amp (extreme value, good sounding Class AB design in case you're not a Class D fan) and a $470 USD Sabaj D5 (great sound, cheapest DAC to use the lastest ESS chip) DAC with volume control via Amazon.  You might need two Vidars depending on how you connect the speakers/sub in which case you might consider upgrading to the $799 USD Schiit Aegir.

Ice wine festival sounds like a lot of fun! I live a couple hours drive from Niagara, so I should do a wine tour at some point.

Yes, I've found the DIY route to be a learning experience for sure, and if nothing else I will gain that from it. What is the significance of the ESS Chip? I have a Schiit fulla headphone amp which I quite like, how do you rate their other products? It seems like they are good quality for a decent price.

The sub will be self amplified, so I will split the input from the dac/ preamp to go to the sub. Or at least that's the plan right now. It can accommodate speaker level inputs.

[JLM]

The ESS chips are the leading source for off the shelf DAC chips and well regarded.  Most DAC's use off the shelf chips, some like Schiit use old school R2R (what they call Multi-Bit) technology, a few use FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) that they program themselves.  There is no consensus on which route is best. 

Flavoring system sound such as warming up the sound with a tube, results in everything having that tint to the sound.  Some like that, but many want as pure as possible (neutral) sound.  The decision takes a bit a soul searching, do you want to be entertained with extra seasons on your food or do you want to hear exactly what the performer and studio professional intended? 

Tinting the system sound is all but impossible to avoid due to the transducers (speaker, headphones) that have the toughest job of changing energy from one form (electrical) to another (mechanical).  Speakers have the hardest job as they function in various environments that can't be known by the designer. 

I like the Schiit business model.  Home auditioned their Freya balanced tube preamp (with stock and highly recommended New Old Stock replacement tubes) and Gungnir Multi-Bit DAC.  However wasn't impressed with the sound no matter how I configured them compared to my $1200 DSPeaker Anti-Mode 2.0 Dual Core DAC/preamp/DSP, so I sent them back.  Those outside the Schiit universe don't believe they measure well.  And if it's important to you, note that they don't handle higher resolution formats.

Am currently using a NAD M10 "streaming amplifier" ($2750 USD MSRP) and getting the best sound of my life, using a computer only as a control option.  It is throughly modern and flexible one box solution (streamer, DAC, preamp).  NAD also sells the Node 2i ($550 USD MSRP) that is a streamer, DAC, preamp and a C658 ($1650 USD MSRP) that is described as a Node 2i on steroids.  The C658 and M10 also have Dirac room correction.  All use BlueSound proprietary software, no computer needed, and can stream Tidal, etc. 

[Endo2112]

Where are you in Canada Tim?? I'm in Kelowna if you would like to hear some GR gear?

Don

[timfromcanada]

@Endo2112 I'm close to Toronto, so a bit far, but I appreciate the offer.

@JLM that's some really good information thanks. I'll have to think more about the dac / amp situation. I'll probably start on the cheaper end of the spectrum and then upgrade various parts if I feel I am lacking. Any experience with ICEpower amplifiers? They are class D but seem inexpensive for their quality.