Greg
2t5b
quite, assuming the CDp transport was fit for purpose, but "better" seems unlikely, so really are we just discussing the difference between DACs (and of course the issue of convenience)?
Will the rise of streaming put more tasty disc spinners onto the s/h mkt in 2011?
- Thread starter TheDecameron
- Start date
Yes, if the DAC is understood to include the analogue output stages, and not just the chip (modern converters themselves are very similar, I suspect).
However, on the read end there's also a possible improvement on the CD transport due to the error checking available when ripping. Ripping a CD to a hard drive allows you to check the rip against a database for errors (at least with some programs, like dBpoweramp). So in principle you have a tested, bit-perfect copy being read off of the hard drive, which is something you don't have with the CDP.
Finally, with a computer/DAC you can optionally choose to play around with the way your media player streams the data (kernel streaming and so on), or with the type of connection (synchronous or asynchronous), and so see which sounds better in a way that's not possible with most or all CDPs.
So convenience and flexibility aside, there are some theoretical reasons why a DAC set up could sound better (which is no guarantee it will, of course).
I suspect there will have to be a wave of new lower cost DACs and associated media reviews to create a significant uplift in 2nd hand CD player sales. At the moment, there's much talk of Lavry/Benchmark etc. and some speculation around the half-the-price Audiolab MDAC, Rega DAC, Arcam, etc. Only once mass sales of the £300-500 kick in will there be then an appreciable increase in the disk spinners on sale...
...presuming of course that the sound quality of these new DACs is sufficient to force people to part with their beloved kit.
...presuming of course that the sound quality of these new DACs is sufficient to force people to part with their beloved kit.
Nik
pfm Member
Good idea if you have more than one version.
Brian
Eating fat, staying slim
No, but I don't need my LP12/Ittok/MC30s at the same time to know that combo would sound better than the streaming solution AND the CDX/CDPS.
I've no idea really, I just think it's better, I certainly listen to music more so maybe it's a system thing as I've changed to a valve amp too. What I do know is my wife and kids also prefer it now so it's not just me.Greg said:
In respect to the suggestion the main difference is the Lavry DAC versus the DAC in the Naim CDX, well surely there's more to it than that? I mean, is this a comparison of the Lavry DAC versus the CDX DAC or is it versus the CDX DAC plus expensive power supply and why would that change the 0's and 1's?
Greg
2t5b
I'm thinking the valve amp may have something to do with your enjoyment, but equally I'm not dismissing your conclusion about the streaming vs the CDp. I was just trying to get a picture on your process really.
Regards comparing the Lavry DAC to the CDX, I can't see it can be the result of more/better 1s and 0s, so I can only assume the Lavry (in its entirety, and with its PSU) does a better job than the Naim with the trick PSU.
Certainly my CDp was pretty good in stock form, but it was transformed by the mods I had done. I can imagine a good pro DAC would nail it vs the stock CDp, but (assuming we're talking 16bit/44khz files) I really don't imagine a Lavry or Benchmark DAC would blow it out of the water in its mod'd state, in fact I don't reckon they will be as good, but I can feel I'm going to have to try an experiment to see for myself.
Nik
pfm Member
That's what the Sort options are for. Don't worry, any changes you make are reversible. Don't forget to select all the tracks for an artist or album before you do this or you'll just make work for yourself.