DAB AV Receiver for Mac Mini

[foistclub]

Hello All

Looking to install a Mac Mini with an DAB AV Receiver. I would prefer to get a small unit with built in CD player (but not necessary), Digital Audio inputs (for the Mac), iPod dock and DAB radio. Looking to buy small speakers too. I have some old Wharfdale ones for now.

I know these specs probably go against the grain of the forum but I don't have a lot of room but have inquisitive children. I have a Pioneer DVD player and Sony TV so I'd like a receiver that will integrate and play Wall-E with the minimum of fuss. Nice with music too for when me and the wife relax.

I can find small units like the Denon DM35 or Onkyo CS325 which seem pretty good but don't have digital inputs.
Or the Denon AVR-1909 or the Sony STR-DG820 but they don't have DAB.
On a tight budget of about £350 including speakers.

Cheers for any help

JOhn

 

[dante01]

A DAB tuner isn't a common feature with AV amps, especially not the budget amps you are looking at. If you want a budget AV amp and DAB then you're going to have to buy the DAB tuner as a separate component.

Both the The NAD Viso 2 and 5 have what you want, but cost a lot more than your budget allows for.

There's also the Denon AVR4308A and Arcam Solo Movie 5.1, both considerably more than the NAD Viso.

 

[dante01]

One option for an additional DAB tuner would be the Denon TU1800DAB DAB/FM/AM tuner. This alone will set you back somewhere in the region of £200 (£250 if you wanted a black one).

You mentioned the Sony STRDG820. This receiver is now discontinued and you'd be hard pushed to find a retailer with one in stock. There is a replacement model due to launch towards the back end of next month. The Sony STRDH800 is available to pre order from play.com for £280. The Denon AVR-1909 is also about to be discontinued and if you can find one, it will be priced in the region of £400.

This smashes your budget ceiling and there's still the speakers to buy!

 

[foistclub]

Thanks for the reply. I think I may wait a few months. Since analogue radio will be switched off soon then manufacturers must start to phase in DAB.

 

[MUGGY2]

This might be of interest to you. The cheaper 507 also seems to have the 'universal port'

The TX-SR577 features a proprietary universal port, located on the rear side of the unit, to which you can connect Onkyo’s DAB+ Radio Tuner or Dock for the iPod. The dock sends both video and audio signals through a single cable. Earlier versions of Onkyo’s Dock for the iPod can be connected via our Remote Interactive (RI) system.

Found the info here

http://www.avforums.com/forums/foru...o-product-launch-sound-speed.html#post9073114

 

[dante01]

This might be of interest to you. The cheaper 507 also seems to have the 'universal port'

The TX-SR577 features a proprietary universal port, located on the rear side of the unit, to which you can connect Onkyo's DAB+ Radio Tuner or Dock for the iPod. The dock sends both video and audio signals through a single cable. Earlier versions of Onkyo's Dock for the iPod can be connected via our Remote Interactive (RI) system.

Found the info here

http://www.avforums.com/forums/foru...o-product-launch-sound-speed.html#post9073114

That would actually be even more expensive than the option I already suggested. The 507 costs more than the STRDH800 and Onkyo don't manufacture a DAB+ tuner costing less than £200. I don't see what the advantage of using Onkyo's dock is either. You only need one cable anyway so why use the Onkyo dock cable when an optical TOSLINK cable will do the same job?

 

[MUGGY2]

That would actually be even more expensive than the option I already suggested. The 507 costs more than the STRDH800 and Onkyo don't manufacture a DAB+ tuner costing less than £200. I don't see what the advantage of using Onkyo's dock is either. You only need one cable anyway so why use the Onkyo dock cable when an optical TOSLINK cable will do the same job?

The way I read it Onkyo will produce a DAB+ tuner for the Universal Port which would be powered/connected by the one cable. Like the iPOD dock.UP-A1

Onkyo Europe - UP-A1

However I have just checked the Onk website and can't see any mention so maybe I got the wrong end of the stick.

 

[dante01]

The way I read it Onkyo will produce a DAB+ tuner for the Universal Port which would be powered/connected by the one cable. Like the iPOD dock.UP-A1

Onkyo Europe - UP-A1

However I have just checked the Onk website and can't see any mention so maybe I got the wrong end of the stick.

I believe these are all the DAB products Onkyo produce?
http://www.worlddab.org/products_manufacturers/receiver_manufacturers/onkyo?pdf=1

 

[dwhite]

Thanks for the reply. I think I may wait a few months. Since analogue radio will be switched off soon then manufacturers must start to phase in DAB.

I don't think there is any current plans to switch off analog radio transmission in the UK yet. The DAB proponents would like there to be a definite switch off date, but AFAIK there is no date or even plans to switch off analog transmission.

 

[b33k34]

In fact the long term future of DAB is more likely to be uncertain. The UK implementation uses an old audio codec that's not very efficient and with the number of stations squeezed in results in mediocre sound quality.

Radio listening could increasingly move to the web (IP delivery) as the data rate required is pretty low - I've heard of people listening to streaming internet radio on their iPhones. Have you looked at something like a Slim Devices Squeezebox?

Actually - if you've got a Mac Mini why not just listen to internet radio on that and get a set of active speakers - I happened to be looking at Connected Acoustic - Streaming Audio Systems earlier but there are many others.