Right now, I think you're connecting to your integrated via a 3.5 mm plug to RCA connectors (red/white). If this is the case, and since your amp is analog which leaves you with no choice, you're using the DAC in the apple TV.

However, if you have a home theatre receiver or plan on getting a DAC (the come in all price ranges) then you're going to want to bypass the DAC in your computer/apple TV/whatever by using a digital cable out. I think Apple products only have optical/toslink. A lot of people seem to think coaxial is far superior to optical and some think otherwise etc. because of jitter etc (the jury is out on that topic too.

Either way, if you have an Apple there is only one choice. However, there was this good article from six moons, where the reviewer did a shootout with relatively inexpensive ($150) toslink cables and found them to be equal to very expensive coaxial cables... so this is good for Apple people.

Only two cables met his expectations. The "Wireworld SuperNova+ MKII" and the "Van Den Hel Optocoupler". They're both glass toslink cables. I'm still waiting for mine so I can't say if it is an improvement.

http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/toslink/toslink.html

Oops, re-read your post. If you have surround, then you have a digital processor. In that case, I would use a toslink to send out the ones and zeros and use your surround processor to do the DAC conversion.

By the way, find out if the output on the Apple TV is a "mini-toslink" or regular toslink (which is synonymous with optical). You can buy an adapter, but Van Den Hul makes a mini-toslink to toslink cable. That's what I chose.

I basically use my Macbook and send all audio... divx movies, youtube, itunes (Airport Express/files in AIFF/MP3), whatever, through a toslink cable into my cheap DAC ($150 entech 205.2) which I connect to my cheap analog integrated. Sounds good to me.

I have to admit there wasn't a huge diffence with the cheap DAC and the DAC in my airport express. There was less grain, and the images were bigger and I guess the sound was larger, but I have a pretty basic amp. Your system should be much more capable of discerning sonic differences.

By the way, different file types make a difference. If you can ripping CDs in bit for bit formats like AIFF (or WAV, but this is not ideal for itunes because you can't tag tracks as well) is far superior to MP3 or lossless. In fact, I found (granted it's on my non-hi resolving system) lossless sounded really compressed and I think I preferred a high bit rate MP3 (320kbps) over it. AIFF is definitely better. You'll have to see for yourself.

You should go to the "wavelength" site (their Brick DAC..tube) and have a read, it explains things much better than I would. If I could drop that kind of cash, that would be my new toy. A lot of reviews like the Benchmark DAC 1 (SS), but then I wonder why there are so many for re-sale. Either way, both these items go quick.

I'm pretty new to this and didn't want to spend a mint while I figured stuff out. Hope this helps.

elf73 February 22, 2008 05:31

Somebody might come up with a better answer for you, but here is my non-technical understanding/explanation.

DAC stands for Digital to Analog Converter. It's a chip. CD tracks or music files are basically ones and zeros (digital), sound is analog (speakers need an analog--electrical/mechanical signal). Your NAD integrated is an analog component. All digital media players (CD, DVD, Apple TV, etc) has a DAC in it in order for you to hear music. Obviously, as you can figure out, some DACs and their designs (tube or whatever) are better than others.

Some stand-alone DAC manufacturers claim (Wavelength, Benchmark etc) that their product sounds as good or better than CD players, with equal or less expense and greater convenience (store all music on a computer hard-drive and use as jukebox).

Haven't used the Apple TV, but I do use an Apple Airport Express, connected to a cheap DAC via an optical cable and stream music wirelessly into my integrated from my Macbook. Works well. I'm too knowledgeable enough about various hi-fi equipment to comment on the merits of the sound, but it sounds good to me. Can't beat the convenience.

Internet radio on itunes is pretty cool too. I like Radio Paradise in the "eclectic" subcategory and the reggae stations. No commercials.

elf73 February 21, 2008 15:42

Great system. I love iTunes and the idea of using my computer as the digital front end. I might pick up a Mac Mini later on, but for the time being I'm using my Macbook, the Airport Express, to a cheap DAC (Entech 205.2) via toslink. Can't beat the convenience.

I'm glad I read your review of the Benchmark vs Bel Canto. I will upgrade my DAC soon. I was leaning towards the BM because of their supposed "jitter lock" circuit, theoretically it shouldn't matter whether I use optical, usb, or coaxial then....(I don't want to give up the Airport Express)...

Did you find there was a difference between Lossless and AIFF, because I swear I hear one. I can hear the difference between a WAV/AIFF file and a 320kbps MP3, but I can't hear one between Lossless and an MP3 (even 192 kbps). Decay is less and bass is muted/not as pronounced... of course my system is not very revealing, so it might just be me. I'm holding off ripping all my CDs until I better my system and then do another format comparison.

Anyway, cool system.

elf73 January 13, 2008 13:06