Should I buy an XDA-1?

[maseline98]

I'm about 80/20 movies/music and most of the music I listen to is either through the iPod or internet radio(pandora/Last FM). Are there any HT benefits to adding the piece?

[jlafrenz]

There may be some improvement, but you would see more benefit from better quality recordings. A DAC can only do so much and feeding one a poor signal means that you will have poor output and sound quality.

[Topend]

I use an iPod for music too. To connect this to the XDA-1 you will need an iPod dock that can bypass the iPod DAC and access the digital signal.

I have a Wadia iPod dock that I can connect to the XDA-1. I expect to hear an improvement over the current connection to the UMC-1.

My XDA-1 arrives in a few days. I will report on my findings then.

Dave.

[LCSeminole]

Dec 4, 2010 13:17:53 GMT -5 jlafrenz said:

There may be some improvement, but you would see more benefit from better quality recordings. A DAC can only do so much and feeding one a poor signal means that you will have poor output and sound quality.

Judd, You mean I spent all of that time last night tearing down a part of the home theater and inserting what I thought was a magic music box: ie an XDA-1, to only be told it won't make 128mp3's sound like lossless? I'm sending it back!!! ;D

Actually, I've found that my new Oppo BDP-93's networking capabilities hooked up to one of the Coax inputs on the XDA-1 is in fact quite convenient and sounds better than I imagined with 192mp3's, and sounds immaculate with WAV's. Next I'm gonna try a USB stick in the Oppo. Convenience, Gotta Love It!!!