Cdp refresh

All general audio posts go here.
User avatar
Latteman
Posts: 1220
Joined: Tue Aug 14, 2018 7:20 pm
Location: S. Yorkshire
Has thanked: 553 times
Been thanked: 297 times
Contact:
Great Britain

Cdp refresh

Unread post by Latteman »

Since I got my Nva amplification I have started using digital more & more. I have a meridian 206 player- optical coaxial and analogue outputs.
Via analogue the output voltage must be high as the pre doesn’t have to be cranked, I know this player has had a healthy following but not sure I’d say it was the last word in music- I’d describe it as clinical / clean.
I’m not unhappy with it but never really invested time or money on digital- I don’t have a huge cd collection but wondered what a dac would add or should I try ssc mk 2.
Is cd dying as a formatt, is it worth investing in.
Cheers
Analogue Source -
Denon DP47f- Ortofon mc20 supreme
Ifi Zen Phono
Doug Self balanced Pre amp
Akai 4000DS mk2 R2R
Digital Sources- IfI stream, Ifi Neo idsd Dac; Tidal / Radio Paradise
Amplification Nva 30vdc mono blocks
Speakers Lii Audio F-15 in Open Baffle; Ls6
Weiduka AC8.8- for digital sources
Mini BMU for analog sources

User avatar
karatestu
Posts: 5945
Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2017 4:40 pm
Location: North Yorkshire
Has thanked: 1865 times
Been thanked: 1378 times
Great Britain

Re: Cdp refresh

Unread post by karatestu »

I'm still keen on cd. I know there is a ram chip in them but anything that resembles a computer puts me right off.

Get the lid off that meridian and the soldering iron out. :guiness;
DIY FREE ZONE

Vinyl-ant
Posts: 765
Joined: Sat Jul 01, 2017 12:51 pm
Location: South yorkshire
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 363 times
Contact:
Great Britain

Re: Cdp refresh

Unread post by Vinyl-ant »

Try one of the old cheapo Philips machines with the 1541 in. That's probably what the meridian is based off, I found that I preferred the Philips machines when I had an mcd Pro a few years ago, the meridian was abit cold.
I use a cd371 which cost about 20 quid
Analogue: oracle delphi sme 309, jbe series 3 cx unipivot dv20x2l, roksan xerxes tabriz vm750, jvc ql-y5f rigb at440, jvc ql-y3f vm750, lenco 75, technics sl150

Phono stages: cole lcr, benedict audio hothead

Digital: cyrus cd7, wiim mini x2, topping e30, jds labs el dac 2+

Amplification: nelson pass b1, nelson pass f5

Speakers: 15" fane aperiodic wardrobes

Cans: myryad z40, hifiman sundara + deva, fostex t50rp, sennheiser momentum on ear +over ear, b&w p5 and p7

User avatar
Latteman
Posts: 1220
Joined: Tue Aug 14, 2018 7:20 pm
Location: S. Yorkshire
Has thanked: 553 times
Been thanked: 297 times
Contact:
Great Britain

Re: Cdp refresh

Unread post by Latteman »

Cold is a good description
Analogue Source -
Denon DP47f- Ortofon mc20 supreme
Ifi Zen Phono
Doug Self balanced Pre amp
Akai 4000DS mk2 R2R
Digital Sources- IfI stream, Ifi Neo idsd Dac; Tidal / Radio Paradise
Amplification Nva 30vdc mono blocks
Speakers Lii Audio F-15 in Open Baffle; Ls6
Weiduka AC8.8- for digital sources
Mini BMU for analog sources

User avatar
Fretless
Posts: 9290
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2014 12:15 pm
Location: Somewhere in Holland
Has thanked: 1487 times
Been thanked: 2280 times
Netherlands

Re: Cdp refresh

Unread post by Fretless »

Trying SSP interconnects might make the sound of the CDP less brittle and edgy.

There were 4 versions of the 206 which can be recognised by the serial number:

206 CD Player 4 versions
16 bit serial no 1****
Bitstream serial no 2*****
DAC7 serial no 3*****
Delta Sigma serial no 4*****


If you are looking for a warmer and detailed sound then you could look for a used Cambridge DacMagic Plus or Musical Fidelity M1DAC and keep the 206 as a transport.

Upstairs:
Vinyl
Pro-Ject 1.2 + Grado Sig Jr + Cambridge Alva Duo
DigiVolumio PC + Kiss DP-500 + Sabaj A20d
NVA: P50sa - Cube2 - SSP - LS6+ Sabaj A10a (x2)
Downstairs:
Vinyl
Logic DM101 + Syrinx LE1 + Grado Sig MCX
DigiDenafrips Ares II + Volumio PC + Cambridge CXC
NVA: P50 - BMU+ Aiyima A07 MAX (x2) + Arcam One
HP: HifiBerry Digi+ PRO + Sabaj A10d
Office:
Allo DigiOne SIG + SMSL M300se + Douk G4 (x2)
Mission 760 + Monolith THX AAA 887
Headphones: German Maestro & AudioQuest

User avatar
Latteman
Posts: 1220
Joined: Tue Aug 14, 2018 7:20 pm
Location: S. Yorkshire
Has thanked: 553 times
Been thanked: 297 times
Contact:
Great Britain

Re: Cdp refresh

Unread post by Latteman »

Thanks- I was looking at the musical fidelity dac, a friend has the Cambridge so I’ll ask to borrow it- cheers on the serial numbers- I’ll check
Analogue Source -
Denon DP47f- Ortofon mc20 supreme
Ifi Zen Phono
Doug Self balanced Pre amp
Akai 4000DS mk2 R2R
Digital Sources- IfI stream, Ifi Neo idsd Dac; Tidal / Radio Paradise
Amplification Nva 30vdc mono blocks
Speakers Lii Audio F-15 in Open Baffle; Ls6
Weiduka AC8.8- for digital sources
Mini BMU for analog sources

User avatar
Latteman
Posts: 1220
Joined: Tue Aug 14, 2018 7:20 pm
Location: S. Yorkshire
Has thanked: 553 times
Been thanked: 297 times
Contact:
Great Britain

Re: Cdp refresh

Unread post by Latteman »

Bitstream conversion
Analogue Source -
Denon DP47f- Ortofon mc20 supreme
Ifi Zen Phono
Doug Self balanced Pre amp
Akai 4000DS mk2 R2R
Digital Sources- IfI stream, Ifi Neo idsd Dac; Tidal / Radio Paradise
Amplification Nva 30vdc mono blocks
Speakers Lii Audio F-15 in Open Baffle; Ls6
Weiduka AC8.8- for digital sources
Mini BMU for analog sources

User avatar
Fretless
Posts: 9290
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2014 12:15 pm
Location: Somewhere in Holland
Has thanked: 1487 times
Been thanked: 2280 times
Netherlands

Re: Cdp refresh

Unread post by Fretless »

'Bitstream'- That would account for the 'dry' sound.

As a transport the 206 will still be very worthwhile.

Upstairs:
Vinyl
Pro-Ject 1.2 + Grado Sig Jr + Cambridge Alva Duo
DigiVolumio PC + Kiss DP-500 + Sabaj A20d
NVA: P50sa - Cube2 - SSP - LS6+ Sabaj A10a (x2)
Downstairs:
Vinyl
Logic DM101 + Syrinx LE1 + Grado Sig MCX
DigiDenafrips Ares II + Volumio PC + Cambridge CXC
NVA: P50 - BMU+ Aiyima A07 MAX (x2) + Arcam One
HP: HifiBerry Digi+ PRO + Sabaj A10d
Office:
Allo DigiOne SIG + SMSL M300se + Douk G4 (x2)
Mission 760 + Monolith THX AAA 887
Headphones: German Maestro & AudioQuest

User avatar
Latteman
Posts: 1220
Joined: Tue Aug 14, 2018 7:20 pm
Location: S. Yorkshire
Has thanked: 553 times
Been thanked: 297 times
Contact:
Great Britain

Re: Cdp refresh

Unread post by Latteman »

Fretless wrote: Thu Jan 31, 2019 10:11 am 'Bitstream'- That would account for the 'dry' sound.

As a transport the 206 will still be very worthwhile.
Thanks for the replies
Analogue Source -
Denon DP47f- Ortofon mc20 supreme
Ifi Zen Phono
Doug Self balanced Pre amp
Akai 4000DS mk2 R2R
Digital Sources- IfI stream, Ifi Neo idsd Dac; Tidal / Radio Paradise
Amplification Nva 30vdc mono blocks
Speakers Lii Audio F-15 in Open Baffle; Ls6
Weiduka AC8.8- for digital sources
Mini BMU for analog sources

User avatar
karatestu
Posts: 5945
Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2017 4:40 pm
Location: North Yorkshire
Has thanked: 1865 times
Been thanked: 1378 times
Great Britain

Re: Cdp refresh

Unread post by karatestu »

I would say that most of the sound of a cdp comes from the anologue output stage I.e after the dac chip. I bypassed the output stage in my cdp and was very pleasantly surprised at the outcome - still use it that way. My dac chip has enough grunt to drive the next stage but that may not be the case with the one in yours.

Seriously, getting rid of circuitry you don't need pays huge dividends musically (in my experience). Just look at the doc's philosophy of the best component being no component. It really is true in my opinion and if you like the nva way then you want the least number of filters in your equipment that you can "get away with". There are filters in what most people consider to be the signal path (isn't the signal everywhere ?) e.g low pass, high pass in amps and speakers and there are the ones in the power supply cleaning up the noise. All of them have an effect on what you hear out of the speakers. Listen to what the doc tells ya and you can't go wrong.

In the case of my cdp the anologue stage was a 7 pole bessel filter with 6 opamps, the last pair also being a buffer to the outside world and amplifying the signal by half a volt or so. The music was so artificial and contrived compared to how it sounds now without the output stage. Every step i have taken has been to reduce complexity. Changed out my active pre for a simple passive volume control - loved that one. Before converting to nva amplification boards i used Avondale boards. Experimented by firstly removing the input low pass filter - one less filter and what a result. Next removed the zobel network on the output - not as big an effect as the LPF but worth doing. Also removed the output inductor and parallel damping resistor - my amp now sounded much more like a nva i.e more music. Nothing blew up.

My dabblings with speakers was more of the same - get rid of the electrical filters that comprise a crossover, do the filtering mechanically and then sit back and be amazed.

My advice would be to go for something simple without all the bells and whistles that modern and high end stuff has (just marketing bollocks IMO). Try one of the £5 dac's from china and a linear psu (well documented on here) and so how you go.

ATB, Stu (and sorry for the essay which may have no interest to you at all :whistle: )
DIY FREE ZONE

Post Reply