ARCHIVED FORUM -- March 2012 to February 2022READ ONLY FORUM
This is the second Archived Forum which was active between 1st March 2012 and 23rd February 2022
Hello,
I am still using a MasterLink based system. My audio master is a Beosound Overture.
I wonder how much I should invest in a DAC as the BS Overture will ultimately broadcast the analog signal over the Masterlink cable.The signal is un-amplified so I'm not worried about loss, but is the master cable the weak link in my system ?
Thanks for any input,
- Scott
If I were to guess, the weak link is likely the DAC in the Overture, since modern DACs are better. What speakers are you driving with the Overture?
B&O in my life 😊:
Thanks for you answer. I use a Concero HD external DAC and the speakers are connected to a BV-7 40.
Resonessence, the company that makes the DAC is gone so I’m thinking the future and wondering how much improvement I could get out of a better/new DAC given that the music always goes over Masterlink before getting to a speaker.
Thanks again,
There is no DAC in an Ouverture.....apart from the one that is dedicated to the CD player.
MM
There is a tv - and there is a BV
Scott Needham: Hello, Thanks for you answer. I use a Concero HD external DAC and the speakers are connected to a BV-7 40. Resonessence, the company that makes the DAC is gone so I’m thinking the future and wondering how much improvement I could get out of a better/new DAC given that the music always goes over Masterlink before getting to a speaker. Thanks again, - Scott
That will be perfectly fine for years to come, now that you already have spend the money on it.
The sound qualty - apart from on the source material - depends on many things..........mostly on the speakers/how they are set up and the room.
I would not worry about the DAC used to feed the Ouverture - most modern, even lowprized DACs are fine.
(There is a lot of snakeoil in the DAC business today).
Spend the money on better/additional speakers - or on dining with your wife/family..........once that is again possible.
Millemissen: (There is a lot of snakeoil in the DAC business today).
There has always been a lot of snake oil in the DAC business sadly.
Jeff
I'm afraid I'm recovering from the BeoVirus.
That is what I meant. If you can't bypass the DAC on the Overture (for the CD) there is no use in getting another DAC if you keep the Overture. The only way to get better audio would be to bypass the internal DAC if Overture allows for digital out.
I have noticed audio quality differences between DACs.
Jaffrey2230: I have noticed audio quality differences between DACs.
I did as well, as did my audio buddies, until we level matched them and double blinded the test. I couldn't even tell the differences once we level matched them, and I had thought certain I could hear differences. Out of 5 of us who did the tests, not one could tell the difference when the test was blinded and level matched.
Add it to the list of things everyone thinks they can hear the difference in that magically goes away when tested properly.
Makes sense and definitely possible. It's hard to describe why we end up perceiving things differently in different environments. Typically buying decisions are influenced by many. factors. For the OP, I would suggest if the Overture sounds good ( it looks great) then no need to add a DAC, perhaps upgrade the speaker (it's why I asked what speakers were being driven by the Overture). I am not sure what connections are available, but adding a Core would add streaming capabilities with a very good DAC and integration with the rest of the B&O ecosystem. I really like the Core - when I first got it, I wasn't convinced, but it's an underrated streamer and a solid value - even if you get the Essence remote with it.
It is puzzling. I've seen instances and read about numerous tests where people hear things differently when presented with the same equipment and an A/B switch that's not connected to anything. Which makes things like human perception tests very difficult to perform properly to filter out biases. I remember one instance quite a while ago where one of the people who did the A/B test got incredibly irate, I mean just seething mad and loudly accused us of "tricking him" and was quite verbally obnoxious. Why that was the reaction is beyond me, when I first got "fooled" in a test that showed I couldn't hear what I thought I could I was really curious as to why, not pissed off about it.
I agree, the only reason to add a DAC is to add streaming capability. The idea of adding a CD transport and a DAC to feed an analog input on the Beosound then via analog PowerLInk or MasterLink to speakers is pointless. Now, something like a Core or such that lets you add streaming is a good way to modernize the system.
We don’t know, but usually a device like the Concero HD is used for connecting to a PC/Mac with some kind of audioplayer running on it.
Since most analog outputs (e.g. the headphone output) on PC’s/Mac’s are rather poor, people wish for a DAC to handle the digital data and to feed an analog input on a receiver/amp.
If that is the case here, the suggested Core probably won’t be an alternative for Scott.
As said before.....there is absolutely no need to spend more money than already spend on the Concero HD.
If Scott is hapoy with what it does, that will be fine.
Just enjoy your music, Scott.
Should you however, think of getting rid of the computer based setup and want something sleeker, a BeoSound Core would be fine with the Ouverture and ML.
Thanks for your answer. As you suspect I am using a computer running Roon to play music. The BS Overture mostly servers as a 'distributor' to the MasterLink network.
I will have a look at the Core, but most of my gear is probably too old now. Thanks again,