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Hey folks
I haven't been in hi-fi circles for a while and I know there is amazing modern gear out there, but have just stuck to portable/IEM hobby lately.
Mu current setup:
Bryston B60
Arcam CD72T
Kinima Hi G1
I was wondering what I may replace my CD Player with to go the dedicated DAC route (flac files)? Would the sound card output a digital signal to the DAC? I use an EMU 0404 as the sound card and output its audio via 1/4" to RCA aux input on the amp.
I'm already used to the CD Player being very good, but I know there have been many advances in DAC technology that may even squash the Delta-Sigma in my Arcam.
Is three something modern and worthy out there that would outperform my Arcam without question? Even at under $300? I've seen a lot of form factors so I'm curious. What are all the current best of / hyped components nowadays? I wanted to ask at AA because I knew I could talk to users who have already heard my CD Player.
Thanks!
Follow Ups:
Schiit Audio has a trial period on the Bifrost (two weeks if I remember correctly). Maybe try it for a bit and see what you think. Mine just made music fun to listen to! Make sure you let it break in for at least 50 hrs before making your decision. I am sure there are other DAC companies that will give you a trial period as well.
Then, within a week, I purchased a second Bifrost -- for my computer's speaker system! :)
I'm now the very happy user of two Bifrost DACs, and am happy to recommend them.
Hmm… nobody asked you about your music collection, what you listen to, etc. How your system wants to be set up depends on what you want it to do with it. My thinking is that you need both a decent CD player and a USB DAC to play, respectively, shinydiscs and computer files.
Computer audio is a good option to add to your system as music sales and distribution change to online models in the very near future. You can keep all your CDs there too- 3 years ago I ripped my entire CD library to lossless digital files on a big external HD (backed up 100%). "All" I had to do is rip a zillion CDs into digital files. Rip losslessly or better still as .WAV files; storage is very cheap.
You can find a very decent USB DACs for $300-400 which is probably a good investment. USB DACs are, in essence, external soundcards. Most audiophile applications do not use internal soundcards- you get better processing and easier upgradeability with a USB DAC. Setting up a computer to play music well is pretty critical- surf PC Audio asylum for ideas. Also check out computer audio at: computeraudiophile.com and for well-balanced, current information: thewelltemperedcomputer.com
It’s worked out well enough for us- we listen to 99% of digital music via PC (most of the CD’s are in a storage locker somewhere) and there is a very, very small quality difference between that and my disc player. I hear differences but can't say which is more "right." Computer audio is convenient and fun and sounds quite fine. YMMV, of course.
I don't think any quantum leaps in RBCD playback have come along in the past several years. So your “vintage” Arcam might be viewed as delivering about everything a CD has to give. It might carry you into the future, if it keeps running you might not need another. Kinda depends on how you look at things.
Read this super-detailed review of a supposed $30 'giant-killer' DAC: http://nwavguy.blogspot.com/2011/02/behringer-uca202-review.html
Worth a shot.
Thanks Mr Bear. Good blog :D
Probably my best bet, after reading, is getting a USB DAC (the asynchronous ones) and keeping the Arcam haha. At the least it would eliminate the PC noise audible in the 0404 and eliminate a lot of jitter. Something like the HRT Music Streamer II. I guess my purpose wasn't served, but much new music that I listen to is pumped through the PC to try/buy
The $400 arcam dac was well reviewed in the UK, and if you like the house sound it may be the way to go.
It will benefit from an upgraded power supply
I have not heard your player, but given that it was apparently ~$800 ~10 years ago, I expect this one would be much better at $450 if you want USB input ($350 w/out). I don't think that you can beat the sound of this for the money this year.
But it sounds like you need to see what digital outputs you have.
Hello Jarrett,
This may be a long shot, but check out Mercman's posts about the AudioQuest DragonFly in the Computer Audio forum. Cost is $250.
I had the E-Mu 0404 USB and the E-Mu software drove me nuts. It wasn't possible to mix different resolutions or sample rates in a playlist. I had to go into the E-Mu software to change it.
Speaking of the 0404...
Took me a few days to figure out its behaviour in Windows 7. If you leave PatchMix DSP at 48khz it will change its sample rate to 44.1khz for regular music automatically, but if you play a video file and forget to change it to 48khz, you'll get no audio. So it's always a manual new session at 48khz when I want to want to have my PC back to normal.
On the plus side, drivers are more than 100% reliable :P I'm using the last stable on the 0404 PCI
I'll check that one out. Thanks!
I personally don't think you will find a DAC in that price to beat the 72t. Arcam themselves have a budget DAC now, I can't remember exact retail but I'm sure it was over $300.00. Cambridge Audio has been in there around the same price.
If the budget could stretch Music Direct was running a deep discount on the PS Audio DAC that originally sold at $999.00.
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