Continuing this from another thread...

All general audio posts go here.
User avatar
slinger
Posts: 9233
Joined: Wed Aug 22, 2012 4:30 pm
Location: The Garden of England
Has thanked: 4567 times
Been thanked: 3118 times
EUROPEAN_UNION

Continuing this from another thread...

Unread post by slinger »

jammy395 wrote:WTF....is all the fuss about DAC's for..............Why.........?Jammy. :?
Actually, that's a damn fine question. I'll admit to seriously considering an outboard DAC for my Marantz CD6003, but (and it's a BIG but) I'm not sure exactly why when I stand back and take a deep breath. Perceived wisdom (i.e. all those bright shiny reviews) say a decent outboard DAC will be an improvement on the the built-in DAC of a low to mid end CD player. My 6003 cost me £112.00 on eBay so it certainly falls within the blunt end of that low/mid price wedge, but it also still sounds pretty nice to me. This is probably the place where I reveal my system, and on any other forum look around at the huge clouds of dust left by the snobs leaving the thread in droves. I'm bi-amping an Arcam Alpha 8/8p combo into Epos ES11 speakers via QED Profile Silver Speaker Cable. Pretty low-end compared to some of the systems I've seen mentioned here, but we cut our cloth according to our means...which is another thread completely. So, before I get completely side-tracked by the fact that that it's almost 3:00 in the morning, and I'm now on the dregs of a nice bottle of port, I'll ask two questions if I may...

#1 - Do you think my system would benefit from an outboard DAC (I'm looking at a Bushmaster, and would use it for my DAB as well as my CDP?)

#2 - I was going to ask this one at a later date but I may as well combine it to save space and also to save rambling on for a second time - Do you think my money would be better spent (or not spent at all) on a set of LS3 speaker cables? Doc, it's your product, but I'd appreciate your view too as I Know I can rely on your placing common sense before the opportunity to sell me something I don't actually need.

p.s.
I do like the Arcam/Marantz combination. I also run an Arcam A75/Marantz CD5001 setup in my office, or as the missus still likes to call it, the spare bedroom. :mrgreen:
Amps - NVA P50, AP30, A40, Stanislav Palo Tube Headphone Amp BB 85
Speakers - Monitor Audio Silver RX2
Cables - NVA LS1+LS3, SSC, Gotham S/PDIF, IBRA Optical
Digital - NAD C516BEE, SONY ST-SDB900 DAB TUNER, TEAC UD-H01 DAC
Analogue - Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Esprit SB, Graham Slee Gram Amp 2 Phono
Cans - Grado SR80, ATH-M50X

Sovereign
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: Continuing this from another thread...

Unread post by Sovereign »

Nothing wrong with that set up at all!
I used to have a Marantz CD17 an Arcam 8R Pre and an Arcam 9 Power amp going into Naim Credo Speakers and it sounded great! I had a few grands worth of cables though, but that is a whole other storey.The only reason why I run an external DAC now is because I sold all my hifi a few years ago and moved to the States for a while, when I cam back, 5 years ago, I went down the laptop DAC route because it was cheaper and I wanted to throw a system together quickly, and I stayed on that path.
What I'm really saying is that you are wasting your time reading my post because I have never compared a stand alone CD player with the addition of an outboard DAC.
My system does sound good though :D

User avatar
guydarryl
Posts: 1153
Joined: Wed Jul 11, 2012 10:43 pm
Location: suffolk
Has thanked: 26 times
Been thanked: 18 times

Re: Continuing this from another thread...

Unread post by guydarryl »

Hi Slinger,

Not much use to you either, but I understand your question. If the signal from your player is just 0's and 1's and the converter is working correctly how can their be a difference?
Showing my ignorance? Is it the analogue signal after the conversion which is being altered?

Guy
LP12, Ittok, DV10X5, Phono2(twin supply), P50SA , Art Audio Quintet, LS5, SSC, Rega Ela mk1
Sony cdp xb930, Alessandro ms1

User avatar
Neilardo
Posts: 167
Joined: Tue Aug 28, 2012 8:13 pm
Location: York
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: Continuing this from another thread...

Unread post by Neilardo »

My tuppence worth, go for box no.2 (d'ye know what, I've just discovered my Mac keyboard doesn't have a hashtag symbol, piece o' junk.)
Sorry, go for the LS3. that was my first bit of NVA. I compared it against lots of different cables loaned from a local shop upto and including the ridiculously expensive and chunky Van den Hul the revelation. It was miles better than all but the vdh :shock: . I loved it so much I've since used the Docs free upgrade system to get some LS6 :doh: , and that's even better (although to my mind edging into the embarassingly expensive catergory :oops: )

PS I know nothing of external DACs
Technic SL-P1200ASC>>SSP>>P50sa>>SSP>>A80>>LS6>>Royd Prior>>> and on the whole very pleased about it.

Post Reply