Even though my current main setup is a pretty classic configuration kinda stuck in a 10 year old audio(phile) paradigm, it still sounds sweet. And yet, when I think about the next step, I would definitely go for a standalone DA I think. I believe in a component serving ONE purpose, more or less. With the possible exception that maybe integration of amplifying and speaker components (ie active speaker) eliminates matching guesswork.
Personal story follows: my current setup is great for my current listening "shrine", a large room with cathedral ceilings. But I am selling the house (and getting divorced) and no way this will do as we'll in a downsized environment. There, I am a form believer in the resolution of two way bookshelf speakers. I am debating whether to get the Dynaudio Focus active or the KEF LS50 with a matching compact IA. But I think I am sure about getting a separate DA like the newest Benchmark. I need the audio and entertainment digital inputs to go through the same front end. And the SB feeds into it as today... Via optical Toslink, uncoupled electrically. ...pablo Server: Virtual Machine running Ubuntu 12.04 + LMS 7.7.2 on VMware Player Sources: SB3 (3), SB Boom (3), Touch (1), Duet (1), Radio (1), Accuphase DP65v CD (used as DAC for SB3 mostly) Amplifiers: Accuphase E306v - Creek OBH21/22 Loudspeakers: Ceeroy 3-way tower (tuned) - Audioengine 5/S8 - Acoustic Energy Aego M Headphones: Grado SR-1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ pablolie's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=3816 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=99491 _______________________________________________ audiophiles mailing list [email protected] http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/audiophiles
