QUOTE(gregy @ Mar 24 2008, 10:12 PM)
AV receiver means three things:
1) It's an integrated amp
2) With a tuner
3) That has theatre sound decoding
Those AV amps without tuners are called AV amplifiers.DACs are usually built into digital audio and video players, so that they can convert the digital signal from the discs into analogue (hence: Digital-to-Analogue Converter). AV Receivers/Amps OTOH have a built-in DAC that converts and separates the audio channels necessary for surround theatre.
If you want to use the DAC that's built into a receiver, you'll need an optical cable, and a disc player with the same type of output. You wouldn't be able to access the receiver's DAC if you used RCA cables. If you have a high end disc player paired to a so-so receiver, you'll be better off using analogue RCAs, cos chances are the DAC in the player is better than the one in the receiver.
OTOH if you had a high-end receiver and a so-so player but with optical out, then use the DAC of the receiver which will give you better sound quality. However, IINM if you want dts decoding for theatre surround you will need to use the optical cable.
IMHO a separate DAC is usually one of the last things to consider even in a moderately high end system; you'll be better off dealing with the acoustical bottlenecks elsewhere like the player, amp, speakers, cables and room acoustics. Only after you've done all that and spent a considerable amount of time listening to the system and tweaking it to the max,
will you be able to discern subtle changes to the system, i.e., external DAC, separate transport, pre-power amp, tube amps, power supply etc.If you plan to get a DAC for your PC, I'd say not needed, just get a reasonable sound card will do,
cos the Aego M isn't that great for serious listening to begin with (I'm using them for my pc). Let's not forget also that the DVD writer/combo or whatever, is not meant for serious music so why waste good money on bad equipment? And we don't even need to talk about compressed music
cos that's even worse
AV amp does not necessary comes with tuner.
AV amp is same with AV amplifiers. amp = amplifiers in short form.
AV amp means it support multi channel, and with selector (thats why they call it receiver some time). so that you can connect different DVD source, of image / audio. and it comes with multichannel surround support.
usually for higher end system. people take source into first count when they have a not bad amp and not bad speaker. else rubbish in rubbish out. and usually they opp for external DAC because of it's cheap price, to use the DAC with cheaper transporter. else CDP with the same DAC built in will cost much much higher.
other than that. high end DAC will indeed provide better quality than high end CDP as the DAC has it's own isolated power supply,.rather than sharing power with servo, lens, and other component in the CDP system.
there are some people prefer DAC also because the ease of upgrade. he just have to change the DAC. instead of the whole CDP which including transport and DAC
if you serious about music listening, aego m is hard to fight within budget of RM 1500 (which including speaker and amp)
DAC is a must for it if u want max quality.
i had heard some high end systems like sonus faber, wilson audio, ATC for quite some time. Lower Mid range systems like AE1 (Reference of AE) , which in fact i owned this speaker before or even epos that i am using now. and some lower entry hifi speaker such as NAD flood stander and B&W601.
i do think that soundcard will be bottle neck even if u are using it with aego m.
i had once heard AEGO M with Agile Audio CDP, paired with Cardas Gold Reference RCA-RCA cable.
the sound is truly immersing.
aego m has it's potential. only draw back is the bass provided by a single woofer. which causing it's mono bass situation. however, it does hit deep and punchy.
and the frequency cross over point is well defined and the satelite doesn't sound detached from the woofer bass.
it's a good plus imho.
and for your info,changes caused by external DAC, separate transport, pre-power amp, tube amps, power supply is not subtle, which in fact they bring MAJOR different. even in my lower mid range system. i upgraded my CDP, and they sound MUCH MUCH different, i upgrade my cable to van den hul, i change my AMP transformer, and power section cap. and it bring super big different. ask those who had listened to my system before and after.
my system had become much quiet than before as compare to the original condition.
if you were into DAC, i will suggest you to opp for DAC with coaxial input. most of my friends with DAC agreed with me that coaxial input sounds more natural than optical.
on their systems respectively.
This post has been edited by PcWork: Mar 24 2008, 10:32 PM 
Mar 24 2008, 09:33 PM
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