> if so then is the only way to make proper use of the SB3's DAC to use > the analog output....
Correct. In my experience, you'll not only hear the differences in DACs, you'll hear the differences in analog versus digital implementation. Most receivers digitize all signals, even analog. If it's digital already, no conversion is necessary. If it's analog, it has to go through an ADC (analog-to-digital converter). It's here that there can be a dramatic loss in quality. Despite the SB3's DAC, I found the analog sound to be so warm as to be muddy and indistinct in vocals. This problem is largely negated by using headphones directly to the SB3, which obviously bypasses the receiver. The digital is clear and crisp, perhaps a little bright. You can bypass the receiver's ADC by selecting "bypass" or "direct" mode. It sounds a lot better to me, but L/R speakers only in this mode. Other analog sources have a similar muddy low-impact sound. And I'm not using a bad receiver either, it's a Marantz 8400. -- Mark Lanctot ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Mark Lanctot's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=2071 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=25805 _______________________________________________ discuss mailing list [email protected] http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/discuss
