WiiM Amp Ultra with external DAC?

[mattultrahifi]

How can it be that? Doubling DAC noise and distortion plus the ADC.

No noise or distortion

 

[slartibartfast]

No noise or distortion

It can't be less noise and distortion than not using the DACMagic.

 

[hgo58]

No noise or distortion

Of cause there is more but probably still below what is audible?

I wonder why you do this instead of using the SPDIF input of the Amp directly.

 

[Groove Catcher]

Yew. It's two different outputs. You will have to select the one or the other.

I think @mattultrahifi are maybe using the external DAC output as analog input to the WiiM Amp Ultra?

In that case the CD is going through DAC - ADC - DAC - Amp.

That’s too much conversion for my liking. I would just use one dac. Two dacs seem like overkill.

 

[slartibartfast]

Have been very happy with my Denafrips Ares II. But I got a good deal on a used Douk U8 along with the latest version of the Douk U2 Pro DDC, and since I'd never had a chance to try an I2s connection before, I took advantage of it. I'm glad I did.

Bottom line is that sticking with the Ultra's DAC is going to be more then fine for many as it should be. But if one has the means, experimenting is fun and might provide a sound different then what the Ultra provides, and to some ears preferable.

This is about the Amp Ultra though.

 

[JAB]

If workers are already at hand: They have to work! (Book of Economic Rules §34,4)

 

[EddNog]

That’s too much conversion for my liking. I would just use one dac. Two dacs seem like overkill.

I know, right? Here I am deciding to go literally the opposite way and to completely eliminate any and all DACs from my chain entirely (Marantz M1 is a direct PCM -> PWM digital amplifier, no analog stage anywhere in my entire chain!

-Ed

 

[saberger1]

This is about the Amp Ultra though.

Ah sorry thought it was just the Ultra. My bad. Just deleted.

 

[mattultrahifi]

Of cause there is more but probably still below what is audible?

I wonder why you do this instead of using the SPDIF input of the Amp direct

 

[mattultrahifi]

Only have a coax output on the cd deck' no optical

 

[hgo58]

Only have a coax output on the cd deck' no optical

I would then suggest this

https://www.amazon.com/coaxial-optical-converter/s?k=coaxial+to+optical+converter

The DAC - ADC - DAC signal path is not optimal no matter how good the DAC is.