RS250A as preampilifer - out to r-2r and back again

User Tips
#1

Greetings, first post! I am considering adding a RS250A as the digital front end on my rig. I currently run without an amplifier, handling volume control via the volume setting in my Cary 303/200 CD player.

I hope to use the RS250 to replace the CD player for volume control and to take my laptop out of the system with a dedicated streamer.

Not being ready to give up the r-2r DAC in the CD player, would it be possible to attach the CD player from the Co-ax or Optical digital output on the RS250A and then route the analog output of the CD player into the Analog inputs on the RS250a. In theory, this would let me to stream via the RS250A but use the DAC in the CD payer without having to rewire everything or add a switch to change between the DACs.

As a final note, could I also add a digital out - from the coax digital out on the CD player to the COAX digital in, that would let me use the DAC in the RS250A to play the stream off of a CD?

#3

@Scottie

The RS250A can be used as a digital front end with volume control, even without a separate amplifier.

However, using the RS250A’s digital output to feed a CD player, then sending the CD player’s analog output back into the RS250A, is not a supported or recommended configuration. The RS250A is not designed to manage a digital-to-analog “loop-back” signal path, and stable operation cannot be guaranteed in that setup.

If you want to keep using the R-2R DAC in your CD player, the correct method is to connect the CD player’s analog outputs directly to the RS250A’s analog inputs. In this case, CD playback uses the CD player’s DAC, while streaming uses the RS250A’s internal DAC, with volume controlled by the RS250A.

If you want to use the RS250A’s DAC to play CDs, you can connect the CD player’s coaxial digital output to the RS250A’s coaxial digital input. This is fully supported.

In summary:

  • Digital output from RS250A → CD player → analog back to RS250A is not recommended.
  • CD player analog out → RS250A analog in is the correct way to keep the CD player’s DAC.
  • CD player digital out → RS250A digital in allows CD playback using the RS250A DAC.
  • Switching between DACs must be done by input selection; automatic or internal looping is not possible.