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Am looking for a front end to some ATC powered speakers. Presently using a Squeezebox into the coax dig. input of a Cary 303/200 CD player, which feeds a VTL preamp that in turn feeds the ATC 20-2 actives. Brief experimentation w/the Cary going straight into the ATC gave more transparency and air, though I got the very subtle sense that I was losing a bit of bass and dynamics. It might be that the analog output of the Cary isn't quite up to driving the amps directly, perhaps it really wasn't made for this.SO, suggestions on a DAC that could take my Squeezebox input, and drive my ATCs via balanced outs? Volume control obviously needed and preferably remote.
Follow Ups:
Benchmark
Bel Canto
Apogee Digital
Thanks for the info. guys. I should note here that the run to the speakers is very long, over 20 feet of balanced cable.
Try the Citypulse DA7.2X Dac which has a balanced (4V) and unbalanced (2V) output. It is supplied with an aluminium remote control which can shame many high end manufacturers. Also, as a bonus, it has a headphone socket.
Try a passive transformer volume control. Do a search for TVC and you should get lots of info. Some advantages are :You can send unbalanced into the TVC and run balanced out of it.
You can keep the DAC you already own.
You can upgrade to a DAC that does or doesn't have balanced outs.
You will get some isolation between the source and the powered speakers.
You can get some TVCs with remote.Most TVCs are impedance friendly for both the source and amplifier IF you have plenty of drive from the source and lots of gain in the amp. (Sounds like you do.) You should always run short cables into the TVC, but you can run reasonably long ones out to the amps (powered speakers). "Reasonably long" is probably something like 3 meters. It will depend on the input impedance of your ATCs.
...has balanced out and has a discrete resistor based volume control. No remote though :(
Die gefährlichste Weltanschauung ist die Weltanschauung derjenigen, die die Welt nicht angeschaut haben.
Alexander von Humboldt (1769-1859)
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