Source for my vintage amplifier Marantz PM 7001

[sand64]

One more option that I can think of Is FiiO - K11 R2R
UjjThe reviews are good and its onsale too.

Thanks Rohan for your inputs...
I will decide and buy one cost effective dac as suggested. Rather I am thinking to add one inexpensive usb dac for wired connection between my amp and laptop and a seperate streamer with dac also in quick succession.

Cheers

 

[sand64]

Guys,
Since bluetooth is strict no-no due to lossey in nature..the only option to stream remains internet based. Here most affordable are wiims. Pro or pro+ as mini is not having rca output.
Since I am not a tech savvy person and I am not very confident of setting them up. Few questions..
1. Can wiim be controlled through laptop, that too window based? Can I control it both from laptop & android mobile?
2. Can I stream my local files on my laptop through streamer or I have to upload them to a network storage?
3. Does it support apple music? Here apple music is the only available cost effective option for streaming high resolution.

Is there any other methods to stream from my laptop to my dac and amp over wifi? What is chrome cast audio?

Cheers

 

[RohanBhatia]

Can wiim be controlled through laptop, that too window based? Can I control it both from laptop & android mobile?

There is no app for wiim dedicated to windows. The dedicated app is only for android and ios. For windows you can directly cast from the casting menu(in chrome) and select the wiim

Can I stream my local files on my laptop through streamer or I have to upload them to a network storage?

yes you can just setup plex on ur laptop. I use it to Stream my flac files over the inetrnet. If you dont want to set up plex the local files can be streamed via google cast.

Does it support apple music? Here apple music is the only available cost effective option for streaming high resolution.

Yes it has apple airplay so it can stream apple music right through your ios device.

 

[Passive_audio_enthusiast]

Thanks,

This I also had at the back of my mind too...not in the discrete way, you explained..but just that that my get spoiled due to long unused condition.
However right now amp & speakers are working ok..and I will be using them for sometime. Hope timbre gets further improved along with listening sessions/warm ups.

Cheers

If the caps are generated, no amount of warm up would improve the sound. However it is very possible for us to get used to the sound. Generally our ears are the ones that gets the burn in.

 

[sand64]

Thanks,

This I also had at the back of my mind too...not in the discrete way, you explained..but just that that my get spoiled due to long unused condition.
However right now amp & speakers are working ok..and I will be using them for sometime. Hope timbre gets further improved along with listening sessions/warm ups.

Cheers

Thanks dear P_A_E

I understand your point. But right now I will not be replacing them as the same will cost me a lot. My ears must have aged a lot, and that is also not replaceable.. -
But certainly I will try to extract the best possible out of my gear...

Cheers

 

[Passive_audio_enthusiast]

Thanks dear P_A_E

I understand your point. But right now I will not be replacing them as the same will cost me a lot. My ears must have aged a lot, and that is also not replaceable.. -
But certainly I will try to extract the best possible out of my gear...

Cheers

I think you can use a bit of eq to your liking than actually spending for a device which basically does nothing different than slight loudness variation than your old DAC.

 

[bhooshaniyer]

Hi friends,

Started my audiophilic journey in 2006 and had been an active member of this forum till 2010. Learned a lot from this forum. Purchased Yamaha V863 receiver and thereafter Marantz PM7001 amplifier. Was planning to add a CD player to Marantz, but my journey stopped due to family compulsions, job transfers, children's studies etc. and all my gears remained packed except occasional listening through headphones/laptop.

I have now retired from service and want to enjoy my music...mostly bollywood and rock/metal of 1970-2000 which I have collected in mp3 and flac files. I am also planning to rip my cds.

Have unpacked marantz. It has only RCA inputs...no optical or coaxial...no dac. Connected it through my laptop and a Ugreen Bluetooth receiver purchased from Amazon...but no, the sound was not impressive. In my opinion, Marantz 7001 should be a capable amplifier at 70 watt rms, but I am not happy. I need to improve the source..a DAC? Lot of digital transformations have taken place during this period so I need to upgrade myself on these aspects. Spent time on internet resources and ordered topping E30 II lite from Amazon on returnable basis, it has AKM dac chip. Set it to DAC mode but NO, only marginal improvement in SQ. Volume of amplifier increased and so the distortions at higher volume. So returned it.

Now here I require help of learned members of this forum. There are streamers and Bluetooth receivers with inbuilt DAC chips and there are desktop DACs. There are many options but audition is next to impossible here in Lucknow. Planning to first enjoy my library by adding a desktop DAC and then, later on, may add a streamer like Wiim mini. Or add wiim pro plus and use it as desktop DAC. Another option is Auris Blume pro as Bluetooth receiver with LDAC and APTx HD codecs & ESS chip, and it can also be used both ways as desktop DAC and bluetooth streamer.

Budget is always a constraint and I don't want to blind purchase. There is Ifi Zen V2 dac (Burr Brown chip) having good reviews and VFM, but with no other digital input except USB. Then there is SMSL SU-1 @ Rs.7k, but some say it is too bright sounding (shrilly). I prefer open soundstage with good transient/attack and tight bass. I also know that implementation of DAC chip is more important than DAC chip. My budget is 20K extendable to 30k (lower the better).

Looking forward for suggestions from learned members of this forum.

Thanks

Speakers? What’s the listening distance and room characteristics. You Shd not play MP3/BT in this setting up phase.

 

[MaSh]

Try to get a Wiim Pro Plus or Wiim Ultra. You do not need any other component. Either of these will server you very well as Streamer cum Dac. The Wiim mobile app is one of the best out there and you can do a lot of things within in, including room correction.

MaSh

 

[sand64]

Try to get a Wiim Pro Plus or Wiim Ultra. You do not need any other component. Either of these will server you very well as Streamer cum Dac. The Wiim mobile app is one of the best out there and you can do a lot of things within in, including room correction.

MaSh

Thanks MaSh
In case I procure Wiim from US or Canada, will it have the issue of 110 v power supply in their DC adopter ?

Thx n cheers

 

[MaSh]

Thanks MaSh
In case I procure Wiim from US or Canada, will it have the issue of 110 v power supply in their DC adopter ?

Thx n cheers

No it won't. Comes with a wall wart. You can even use with a power bank or allo Shanti

MaSh

 

[sand64]

Thanks everyone for their advice and valuable inputs. I have decided to buy wiim pro plus. I have asked my son in canada to buy it and I will be getting it in next 3-4 moths when he visit India. Its almost 30% cheaper there.

And where to find allo shanti/nirvana in india. I am not finding any link to buy it online or offline. Is it worth?

Thanks & cheers

 

[premoddev]

Buy Allo Shanti online in India | Fab.to.Lab

The transformer has a dual output (galvanically isolated) 5.2V 3A and 5.2V at 1.2A so you can power multiple devices (RPI 4, 3 + DAC, Katana, BOSS, or other) First a capacitance bank (massive) to reduce the 50/60Hz noise, then an active filter, followed b

www.fabtolab.com

Nirvana SMPS also available in the above site.

 

[bhooshaniyer]

O

Thanks everyone for their advice and valuable inputs. I have decided to buy wiim pro plus. I have asked my son in canada to buy it and I will be getting it in next 3-4 moths when he visit India. Its almost 30% cheaper there.

And where to find allo shanti/nirvana in india. I am not finding any link to buy it online or offline. Is it worth?

Thanks & cheers

I would recommend you to buy the wiim ultra instead.. it sounds better.

 

[sand64]

I would recommend you to buy the wiim ultra instead.. it sounds better.

Thank bhooshaniyer

Based on your recommendation, I checked up wiim ultra. However, it confused me. As far as sound quality is concerned, some say wiim ultra is better than pro plus, while many say ultra and pro plus are similar on SQ.

No doubt, ultra has many more input/output options and pre amp section... But it doesn't support airplay/apple music. In india, apple music is one cost effective option for high resolution music. Connectivity options are plus for ultra as I may try its pre amp by bypassing pre amp of my marantz amplifier but I have doubts it will sound better. USB input support of using pen drive is another plus but I am not sure if external hard disk can be used.

Owner of wiim ultra and pro plus may further throw some light on SQ performance.

One option is to add wiim pro as streamer and one external dac like Fiio K7 suggested @ Rohan bhatia (Fiio k9 is costing 50k which is beyond budget) or smsl su1. Only bummer in this for me is too many wall wart/power connections, one for amplifier, another for dac and one for streamer.

Request forum members to suggest..

Cheers

 

[bhooshaniyer]

Thank bhooshaniyer
...
<Snip>

Owner of wiim ultra and pro plus may further throw some light on SQ performance.

<Snip>.

Request forum members to suggest..

That would be me. Wilm ultra sounds better than all other wiims as a transport in my system with Gustard R26 as external dac on USB out. But go with whatever suits your budget and choice.

 

[sand64]

That would be me. Wilm ultra sounds better than all other wiims as a transport in my system with Gustard R26 as external dac on USB out. But go with whatever suits your budget and choice.

Ok Bhooshan,

So you are using wiim ultra as transport only...In such case it simply picking up the data over internet and sending to your Gustard Dac. Its great you are able to differentiate the sound quality between different streamers. As per my limited knowledge, it shouldn't.
What makes this difference in the chain? Yes, may be outputting through USB to your dac is the reason, as I remember, in a different forum, some one said that usb output performance of ultra is better.

Cheers

 

[bhooshaniyer]

Ok Bhooshan,

So you are using wiim ultra as transport only...In such case it simply picking up the data over internet and sending to your Gustard Dac. Its great you are able to differentiate the sound quality between different streamers. As per my limited knowledge, it shouldn't.
What makes this difference in the chain? Yes, may be outputting through USB to your dac is the reason, as I remember, in a different forum, some one said that usb output performance of ultra is better.

Cheers

Ok good luck and cheers. I am glad you have figured it out.