Should I buy a DAC or a CD player?

[iaudio]

Bala, yes I have my laptop as my primary source. The PC I had is pretty much on its last breath.
If you have checked our Kannur HFV meet thread, we had tried cdp(marantz cd6002), keces dac etc, and the cdp did sound better. Hence my query. Else a DAC would have been the perfect answer for my source woes as I am so used to playing music off my laptop.

Titus

 

[thevortex]

Yes, iaudio I did read through that thread. A laptop has a few things going against it compared to desktops - I think there was a detailed discussion on this subject somewhere here - also it depends on the KECES model you got.

Am curious- is the Marantz CD 6002 only $350?

Pound for pound what a DAC allows you to in terms of expanding your system integration methods (replacing the DVD with a PC and then later with a streaming device like Squeezebox or something else) is really exciting for me. But then there are people who I know who really want to feel the CD covers and listen to whole albums all the time. Also the PC is a finicky device any which way you cut it. So, there will always be people who want to no-nonsense simplicity of a CD Player. Horses for courses, I guess.

A desktop with a soundcard and then a USB DAC would be an enviable setup as far as I am concerned. To answer the OP I answered the question putting myself in that position. DAC is the way I would go. In fact even before that, if he has a PC, I would think of putting in a sound card - something like the ASUS Xonar. That is less than $250 and superb value for money apart from making mincemeat of budget CD players.

 

[captrajesh]

I am actually eagerly expecting a DAC for myself. Will write in detail after I have got it and integrated it with my system.

This is news to me. I thought you guys were playing the FLAC files from your PC through a DAC during the last HFV meet. Probably that is why it was such an easy giveaway I guess.

A desktop with a soundcard and then a USB DAC would be an enviable setup as far as I am concerned.

Would love to hear such a setup.

In fact even before that, if he has a PC, I would think of putting in a sound card - something like the ASUS Xonar. That is less than $250 and superb value for money apart from making mincemeat of budget CD players.

No offenses meant; I do not agree to this. I think it was comprehensively disproved in the HFV meet.

 

[sonosphere]

Hi,
Here is my take on this topic...
1. Modular approach always offers more flexibility. So keep the CD-transport and DAC modules separate. (God forbid if the mechanicals of a CD player die, you can kiss the in-built DAC goodbye)
2. You can obviously attach the DAC to PC thru USB /optical /Co-ax (PC gives you infinite options in playable media fomats... mp3, flac etc.)
3. Let a cheap mass market DVDP serve as transport.

I think whether its case of new item or used item, in apple-to-apple comparison modular approach will work out cheaper and more flexible.

Regds,

 

[thevortex]

This is news to me. I thought you guys were playing the FLAC files from your PC through a DAC during the last HFV meet. Probably that is why it was such an easy giveaway I guess.

Captain - we did it both ways during the meet. Straight out of the PC via analog out as well as via the DAC over digital out.

Would love to hear such a setup.

Let me get that new DAC and set it up. Then we can have a session. You are welcome.

No offenses meant; I do not agree to this. I think it was comprehensively disproved in the HFV meet.

With all due respect, the conditions at the meet were not conducive for any comprehensive evaluation of equipment. But we did our best and I really learnt a lot. Prior to our meet, I actually had had MadbullRam's DACMagic for close to a month at my home with my equipment. And there are definite differences between the DAC and the soundcard. But the preference is definitely going to be personal. With tube equipment I would not prefer the DACMagic as it actually adds a lot of warmth as also slightly reducing the resolution on the bass frequencies. I can see people going for the DACMagic if they have solid state amplification. I think that may be a better pairing. During my time with the DAC and the soundcard, I found the sound card to be slightly more detailed and tighter as far as bass is concerned. It had less of an actually identifiable character to it and I actually preferred that.

But some day lets have a joint session and talk about this.

 

[iaudio]

thevortex, Marantz cd6003 is going for 12k in Singapore, 17k in Dubai, so it does fall into $350 bracket.
As you said, maybe our results could be due to the Keces dac when laptop was used as transport(both directly from cd or uncompressed wav from hdd, thru foobar with wasapi), but as far as mp3s were concerned the Keces did one hell of a job, bringing life to even 128kbps file! Again, with a pc there comes the power supply, noise etc, booting time, need for monitor etc.
I hope we have more head to head comparos of various dacs vs. cdps.
At the end of the day, though, this is always gonna be subjective.
Edit: you have Asus Xonar DX or STX?

 

[thevortex]

I have the Xonar D2X, iaudio. And yes, well, the 'S' word (subjective) is a given in any of our audio related discussions really

 

[dances_with_wolves]

hi friends,

Thanks for the discussion. I do plan to play music from a PC too sometime in the near future. However, a lot of my music will be from CD, so it is important for me to make sure my current player will sound good with a DAC.

Guess I would need a DAC that takes digital input from a CD player as well as via USB. Are there such options in the 300 USD segment?

Do the DACs in the discussion take digital input from a player as well as a PC?

cheers,
dww

 

[captrajesh]

With all due respect, the conditions at the meet were not conducive for any comprehensive evaluation of equipment. But we did our best and I really learnt a lot.

I fully agree with you on this. It is applicable to whatever we heard that day.

But some day lets have a joint session and talk about this.

That's a great idea. Hope to catch up after you get the DAC,

 

[iaudio]

dww, there are many dacs in your budget which can take digital input from cd/dvd player and usb input from pc.

 

[prasen_b]

My vote keeping in mind your current budget would be the DAC that thevortex mentioned. The audiosector NOS DAC. Its very highly regarded and the designer Peter Daniel is based in Canada. And you are right about the source making a hell lot of difference in a setup specially for digital media playback.
If you are willing to up your budget then try to find out some DIY DACs based on R2R chips like PCM1704, PCM63 etc.

 

[dances_with_wolves]

My vote keeping in mind your current budget would be the DAC that thevortex mentioned. The audiosector NOS DAC. Its very highly regarded and the designer Peter Daniel is based in Canada. And you are right about the source making a hell lot of difference in a setup specially for digital media playback.
If you are willing to up your budget then try to find out some DIY DACs based on R2R chips like PCM1704, PCM63 etc.

Thanks Prasen. I contacted Peter Daniel, and he was kind enough to send me some snaps along with the cost info. $425 with SPDIF input. For additional inputs, RCA - $10 and optical - $25.

What do you guys think?

Unfortunately, I will not be able to listen to the DAC, as he lives elsewhere.

 

[dances_with_wolves]

The case is $260 extra.