frezon

Now I have gone through the thread on the Audiolab units by John W at Pinkfishmedia Well then, that settles it. I will be looking out for the "MDAC" release from Audiolab, or if it's delayed, go with the 8200CDQ. I will also consider the Bel Canto DAC1.5, but I must admit the Audiolab units looks extremely tempting! The digital 2ch preamp is here to stay!

I'd like to keep a DAC/Pre solution below the $1000 mark, but I suppose I could stretch it a bit more. The CDQ looks interesting. I just wish they would have made a version with just the DAC/PRE feature.

Hello, I'm new to this forum and the world of computer sourced audio playback, but I have been interseted in high-fi for as long as I can remember. Through the years I have gone through many different 2ch setups, but now I find myself listening more and more to my computer through earphones leaving the expensive CD-player collecting dust. Time for a change! I'm planning my new multimedia system around the wonderful little Mac Mini (mid 2010 model) and find myself struggling with a couple of questions. I have noticed there are not many DACs out there featuring a remote controlled analog volume control, and the ones that have are often quite expensive. I'd like to avoid using a preamp if I can avoid it. Are there any cheaper options out there? Would I be dissapointed over the poor audio quality if I used the Mac Mini internal volume control witha fixed volume DAC? What audio output should I use for the DAC to obtain the best audio quality; USB or optical? I'd like to get the sound from the TVs built in digital tuner to my speakers. The TV features a fixed volume optical output, but if I connect it to a DAC without volume control it would not be usable. Could I use the optical input on the Mac Mini to connect it and route it to the Mac's optical out and through to the DAC, using the Mac's volume control to regulate the volume? Is there some way I could connect the TV to the Mac to record TV? Thanks!