08-Jun-2020, 03:36
@JuanBK:
Do you need the DAC?
This depends on a) your belief if the external DAC is better than the Phantoms, and b) if you are willing to capture this improved performance via hardwiring the DAC output to the optical input on the Reactors, or c) the DAC has other benefits like MQA decoding/rendering. I completely agree with supaDean here (as always!). I like the simplicity of having the DAC/streaming/amp/speakers all in a nice small package that can do airplay for when I need something super easy (my wife isn't interested in this stuff, as an example).
Is Audirvana better than MConnect?
The interface is better, it tries to reduce noise from the computer's other electronics, and I trust it more with the MQA output. Downsides are cost and the need to have my Mac running. My take? yes, it's better.
Is it better to stream to the Reactors via Audirvana over Tidal?
Heck yes. If you go via Audirvana, you can UPnP 92 kHz MQA or DSD. If you go via Tidal, you're limited by airplay or bluetooth as mentioned above.
Room Geo (from Juan's other thread)
I'd focus more on speaker positioning versus building around a set of speakers. (Again, as supaDean suggests.)
Do you need the DAC?
This depends on a) your belief if the external DAC is better than the Phantoms, and b) if you are willing to capture this improved performance via hardwiring the DAC output to the optical input on the Reactors, or c) the DAC has other benefits like MQA decoding/rendering. I completely agree with supaDean here (as always!). I like the simplicity of having the DAC/streaming/amp/speakers all in a nice small package that can do airplay for when I need something super easy (my wife isn't interested in this stuff, as an example).
Is Audirvana better than MConnect?
The interface is better, it tries to reduce noise from the computer's other electronics, and I trust it more with the MQA output. Downsides are cost and the need to have my Mac running. My take? yes, it's better.
Is it better to stream to the Reactors via Audirvana over Tidal?
Heck yes. If you go via Audirvana, you can UPnP 92 kHz MQA or DSD. If you go via Tidal, you're limited by airplay or bluetooth as mentioned above.
Room Geo (from Juan's other thread)
I'd focus more on speaker positioning versus building around a set of speakers. (Again, as supaDean suggests.)
