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RE: New to DACs here...for better sound, get better CD player, or get a DAC for current player?

Posted by Mike C (A) on October 8, 2016 at 16:33:03

In Reply to: New to DACs here...for better sound, get better CD player, or get a DAC for current player? posted by mtrot on October 4, 2016 at 10:03:17:

Hi,
As a confirmed 'bottlehead' I am sure you have heard the considerable benefits of a good valve system, and it's the valves, not the source, that gives the good sound you heard.

I hear many systems both valve and solid state, and I have owned or tried at home many CD players and some DACs. I have personal opinions, based on what I hear, that some folks may challenge and I don't want to start any flame wars but I'll give these opinions hoping it may help the OP.

The cheapest CD player I have tried in my system is the Tascam CD200, £200; the best I have tried (and now own)is the Gryphon Scorpio, £6000. The difference is appreciable but not *that* massive; and is far, far less than the typical difference between valve and solid state amplification. In fact I'd say that changing from a good Naim pre/power amp to my *worst* valve amp gave more benefit than the difference between the above CD players.
And my best amp setup (a very good preamp and a single ended triode amp) is considerably better again.

Just out of interest (I hope), in my quest to get digital sound to equal my fine analogue setup (Teres, Moerch DP8, Zyx 4D), I have tried several things. PC via USB to a nice Luxman DAC but I prefer CD on the Gryphon to even high res via the pc/Luxman. A Resolution Opus 21 wasn't bad but had a slight 'digital' edge; a Heed DT/DA transport/dac was very good and I use that in one system. But the differences between *any* of these are minor compared to the benefits of a good valve system.

Personally I get my best results from fairly sensitive speakers with a low power (3.5 watts) SET amp; don't dare mock the low power figure, valve power is totally different to SS.

So I'd suggest you start looking into a valve (tube, as you say) system for audio, and put your effort and money there, and keep your existing digital gear.

I am biased towards valves but not by prejudice; the SS Gryphon sounds better than my Astin Trew valve output player. If SS sounds better, I'll use it!

All this is personal opinions, many folks will disagree, that's fine by me so no flame wars please. :-)

Regards
Mike in the UK

All this is personal opinions

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