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Digital Upgrade Options

69.120.54.122
Posted on January 9, 2021 at 06:44:35
GOS
Audiophile

Posts: 164
Location: Northern New Jersey
Joined: April 9, 2000
 Considering upgrading from Cambridge Audio 851C CDP. Looking for recommendations in $5000.00 range. Still have a large Redbook CD collection and also use laptop for digital music files. I would consider using 851C as transport with an outboard DAC. Digital inputs would be a plus but not necessary.

 

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RE: Digital Upgrade Options, posted on January 9, 2021 at 07:51:55
Mike K
Audiophile

Posts: 13975
Location: 97701
Joined: September 23, 1999
 For under $5k, your best choice for a cdp is probably the Bryston BCD3,
which has been well reviewed. I would certainly give it a listen before
buying anything.

If you are willing to use a separate DAC and transport, I'd certainly look
into the Schiit Yggdrasit and Gungnir MB, the Benchmark DAC3, the Border
Patrol DAC, and units from Mytek (dacs). For a transport, there are not
many dedicated transports available and I do not know how good they might
be. Supposedly Schiit is working on a dedicated cd transport, and I might
wait to see what if anything they bring to market before buying something.

Lack of skill dictates economy of style. - Joey Ramone

 

Marantz SA-KI Ruby..., posted on January 9, 2021 at 12:18:50
Ivan303
Audiophile

Posts: 48887
Location: Cadiere d'azur FRANCE - Santa Fe, NM
Joined: February 26, 2001

If you can live with single ended output.

$3999 and the last of the Ken Ishiwata signature gear as Marantz is now part of Polk Audio and sad;u he has passed away. :-(


First they came for the dumb-asses
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a dumb-ass

 

RE: Digital Upgrade Options, posted on January 9, 2021 at 21:45:47
Valva Actual
Audiophile

Posts: 183
Location: PNW, USA
Joined: December 19, 2009
 Your quest is similar to mine. Just a few posts below your post I inquired about a new cdp and got plenty of good suggestions. I have thought hard about a transport from Jay's Audio, and I still might get it, but I have also picked up an old Cary cdp in the interim because it could also read SACD and HDCD.

I don't think that I have finalized things, even though I also have a previously purchased Holo Audio May DAC sitting here. Which I bring up because it sounds like a DAC that would work very well with your 851C cdp.

 

RE: Digital Upgrade Options, posted on January 10, 2021 at 01:15:09
RGA
Reviewer

Posts: 15177
Location: Hong Kong
Joined: August 8, 2001
 I would, and am, planning eventually to upgrade to a higher level Audio Note DAC. They make 12 DACS that start at around $1500. I suspect the 2.1x or 2.1x Balanced could be had for a touch under $5k.

If it were just CD they make 6 CD players and 7 dedicated transports and a few newly designed belt-drive transports are on the way.

But the 2.1 has been selling for over 20 years so it may not appeal to the "I want the new kid on the block" types. But then - CDs aren't the new kid on the block either so...

 

RE: Digital Upgrade Options, posted on January 10, 2021 at 08:19:06
Mike K
Audiophile

Posts: 13975
Location: 97701
Joined: September 23, 1999
 I did not realize Audio Note was a player in this market. They certainly
do give you options, don't they ... the problem of course is how to choose.
And since you can't audition before buying ... but perhaps you can in the
UK.

Lack of skill dictates economy of style. - Joey Ramone

 

New CD / SACD Player from Mark Levinson, posted on January 10, 2021 at 12:25:04
cawson@onetel.com
Audiophile

Posts: 2382
Joined: September 27, 2004
 Within your budget I believe, the new ML 5101 may be worth looking into. Offers streaming too. I've not heard it as I'm not in the market for a CDP but it's one of the few new quality players released in recent years. I'm happy with my NAD M50.2 that plays or rips CDs, stores digital music files and includes a streamer - but no on-board DAC.

 

RE: Marantz SA-KI Ruby..., posted on January 10, 2021 at 14:08:15
johntoste
Audiophile

Posts: 459
Location: New England
Joined: March 20, 2004
 Yes. I love mine.

 

RE: Marantz SA-KI Ruby..., posted on January 10, 2021 at 18:13:36
Ozzie
Audiophile

Posts: 3817
Joined: August 1, 2002
 No argument here.

 

RE: Digital Upgrade Options, posted on January 11, 2021 at 20:55:38
RGA
Reviewer

Posts: 15177
Location: Hong Kong
Joined: August 8, 2001
 Audio Note has grown significantly over the years - they have dealers all over the world. They have 15 dealers in the US and 5 in Canada. (80+ worldwide)

North America makes up 5% of their business. So it's not on every corner by any means. Still, they have a respectable presence in the major US markets. California, Florida, New York etc

And they are pretty generous with their in-home free trials. But you'd have to ask the specific dealers I suppose.

 

RE: Digital Upgrade Options, posted on January 12, 2021 at 05:48:39
zacster
Audiophile

Posts: 2179
Location: NYC
Joined: November 22, 2003
 "But the 2.1 has been selling for over 20 years..."

Would you buy a 20 year old computer?

If you are going to buy a DAC I would suggest the latest and greatest. Buy the expensive model if you wish, but also try a cheap one, something that doesn't seem like it should work well and then compare. You may end up returning that $5k DAC and going with the $500 one as it sounds just as good or even better, or you may not even be able to distinguish between them.

I went to a DIY audio get-together at the warehouse of a used equipment reseller. There was vintage gear everywhere, stuff that we could only dream of owning back in the day. He demo'ed a number of his favorite items. But what did he use as a digital source? Roon, I believe running on a Mytek Brooklyn Bridge (we were in Brooklyn after all) Nothing vintage for digital. He handed an iPad to us as a controller. This was after playing my Amy Winehouse LP.

 

RE: Digital Upgrade Options, posted on January 12, 2021 at 16:51:20
flood2
Audiophile

Posts: 2558
Joined: January 11, 2011
 Given your usage requirements, it sounds like you are probably better off looking at a network capable DAC/pre to accompany your 851C which would then be relegated to transport duties. Personally I see little point in buying a dedicated CDP these days and your usage model also suggests that a standalone DAC with a usb input will meet your needs perfectly. There used to be a case for a dedicated tranport only device which had a low jitter output, but modern cdps like the 851C already have low jitter outputs and modern DACs have very good jitter rejection thus making a dedicated transport largely redundant.

Do you currently use your 851C as a preamp for a separate power amp or do you use an integrated amp? Newer DACs double up as a preamp to directly drive a power amp.

If you don't need BT streaming, then something like the RME ADI-2 DAC FS would give you a reference grade system. Keep in mind that this product is designed for neutrality and is intended for Mastering, but if that is your thing, you don't need to be spending anywhere close to the amount you have said you can go up to! I myself am looking at the RME ADI2 Pro FS which is an ADC/DAC combined but otherwise the same as the ADI-2 DAC.
Regards Anthony

"Beauty is Truth, Truth Beauty.." Keats

 

RE: Digital Upgrade Options, posted on January 13, 2021 at 13:51:32
xsb7244
Audiophile

Posts: 428
Location: Hawaii
Joined: May 17, 2011
 Schiit has been working on CD transport since May 2018. Wait for it, beta testing right now. Projected price is $1200. Better be good for that price. Spend the rest on a DAC. A lot of good DACs for $3800 or less.

 

RE: Digital Upgrade Options, posted on January 13, 2021 at 17:27:46
xsb7244
Audiophile

Posts: 428
Location: Hawaii
Joined: May 17, 2011
 To improve dac for $925 add Uptone Audio JS-2 linear power supply. Does JS-2 work and connect to all dacs?

 

RE: Digital Upgrade Options, posted on January 13, 2021 at 17:33:09
RGA
Reviewer

Posts: 15177
Location: Hong Kong
Joined: August 8, 2001
 DACs and computers aren't the same things. There is more to a DAC than a chip. I often hear the latest and greatest DACs.

There is a reason that Audio Note manages to keep selling their non-oversampling R2R no digital or analog filtering, non-error-correcting, nonjitter reducing DACs all these years. Usually selling to people who have tried their 5th ESS Sabre DAC and finally had enough.

So it's not really 20 years old when you sell them in 2021. There are sonic reasons they choose the chips and designs they do. Some people do AB direct listening comparisons and some people shop onliune for the DAC with most numbers.

 

RE: heard nothing but raves , posted on January 16, 2021 at 20:29:54
LtMandella
 for the CHORD dacs.

The top of their line HUGO is close or within your budget. Use your existing CDP for transport only presuming it has digital out.

 

Jay's Audio transport is now sold out. nt, posted on January 21, 2021 at 18:52:04
jusbe
Audiophile

Posts: 5950
Location: North Island
Joined: April 4, 2000
Big J

"... only a very few individuals understand as yet that personal salvation is a contradiction in terms."


 

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