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Using an external DAC with CD player - newbie question

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Posted on November 28, 2021 at 17:37:44
twentyflip20
Audiophile

Posts: 21
Joined: May 6, 2016
 I'm curious if anyone is using an NAD cd player as a transport? I have a 516BEE and was thinking about adding a Bifrost2.

Manual claims digital outputs are buffered (not sure what that means) to reduce jitter. Is jitter an issue when using a cd player instead of a dedicated transport? Or is it more related to cable quality and/or length to the external DAC?

Thanks - Mike

 

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RE: Using an external DAC with CD player - newbie question, posted on November 28, 2021 at 18:38:29
AbeCollins
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Posts: 46302
Location: USA
Joined: June 22, 2001
Contributor
  Since: February 2, 2002
 Jitter is something everyone worries about but the fact of the matter is manufacturers have had CDP and Transport jitter under control for decades.... to the point that unless something is amiss in your setup, you'll be hard pressed to hear the effects.

But if you are curious or concerned, the COAX interconnect will exhibit significantly less jitter than the OPTICAL interface. Just connect the external DAC to your CDP and see if makes a difference in sound quality. From a consumer perspective, it's not rocket science ;-)




 

RE: Using an external DAC with CD player - newbie question, posted on November 28, 2021 at 23:21:13
KanedaK
Audiophile

Posts: 2519
Location: Brussels
Joined: April 27, 2010
 I've been using an old Revox B226 CD player as drive for quite a while with a modern external DAC

Well, what can I say, I've purchased a iFi Audio SPDIF iPurifier 2 (such a long name to write!) because I was feeling something was "amiss" in the sound quality, and to my ears it makes a difference, everything seems cleaner and more precise.

It certainly is cheap, cheaper than to buy a dedicated CD drive!

 

RE: Using an external DAC with CD player, posted on November 29, 2021 at 06:56:17
tketcham
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Posts: 6701
Location: East of the 100th meridian USofA
Joined: March 21, 2005
Contributor
  Since: October 1, 2005
 Hi, Mike,

I've been using external DACs with my Rega Apollo CD player and with my Bluesound Node streamer and in both cases I found the external DAC to be an improvement from the internal DAC. The difference in sound quality isn't the hyperbole you'll often read about but it's noticeable after listening for some time.

I use a Bifrost 2 Multibit DAC with my streamer and enjoy it a lot. I use a Rega DAC with the CD player/transport. The Rega DAC has a somewhat mellow, very enjoyable, lifelike sound, which helps with some poorly done CD releases but I prefer the Bifrost 2 for its immediacy and detail when the music is done right. The link below is to The Absolute Sound review of the Bifrost 2, where Drew Kalbach preferred the Bifrost 2 over the internal DACs of the Cambridge Audio CXN v2 streamer and the Parasound HINT 6 preamp. I suspect that you'd also hear a difference with your NAD 518BEE.

There are many good DACs in that price range, what made you consider a Bifrost 2?

Tom

 

My experience, posted on November 29, 2021 at 07:11:59
Mike K
Audiophile

Posts: 13975
Location: 97701
Joined: September 23, 1999
 I used my Bryston BCD1 as a transport, feeding a PS Audio GCD. The Bryston
died and I replaced it with a Cambridge CXCV2 transport. The Cambridge
was a huge, non-subtle improvement.

Lack of skill dictates economy of style. - Joey Ramone

 

RE: Using an external DAC with CD player - newbie question, posted on November 29, 2021 at 14:39:48
Jack G
Audiophile

Posts: 9740
Joined: September 24, 1999
 Oh man, I really lusted for one of those Revox players when they first came out. But, that was a long time ago.
Jack

 

RE: Using an external DAC with CD player - newbie question, posted on November 29, 2021 at 21:06:45
Leo loves music
Audiophile

Posts: 20
Joined: October 14, 2021
 CD player as transport is usually better than DVD/SACD player as transport. A refurbished Cambridge CXC at $299 is a good choice. They have a store on ebay. Or you can look for an used earlier Sony CD player.

 

RE: Using an external DAC with CD player - newbie question, posted on November 29, 2021 at 23:00:06
KanedaK
Audiophile

Posts: 2519
Location: Brussels
Joined: April 27, 2010
 They are good looking machines, aren't they? :-)

 

RE: Using an external DAC with CD player - newbie question, posted on November 30, 2021 at 10:49:09
Todd Krieger
Audiophile

Posts: 37333
Location: SW United States
Joined: November 2, 2000
 "But if you are curious or concerned, the COAX interconnect will exhibit significantly less jitter than the OPTICAL interface."

I think this depends more on the output of the digital source and the cable..... Most poorer optical cables are a problem here..... The better ones (Lifatec for one) I personally believe are no worse than any coaxial or USB cable.

And optical cables isolate RFI upstream, reducing it to that of the DAC itself. (This is the primary reason why I use optical connections personally.)

 

JITTER performance --- COAX vs OPTICAL, posted on December 4, 2021 at 10:36:44
AbeCollins
Audiophile

Posts: 46302
Location: USA
Joined: June 22, 2001
Contributor
  Since: February 2, 2002
 Pick your poison. I pick modern Async and isolated USB ;-)

"The problem with TosLink is that it is S/PDIF, which inherently adds jitter. "

"The Coax is about 7 times better than the Toslink in jitter performance. But the values are very low, makes one wonder if the difference will be audible."



 

RE: Using an external DAC with CD player, posted on December 5, 2021 at 14:01:29
twentyflip20
Audiophile

Posts: 21
Joined: May 6, 2016
 I read good reviews about Schitt products and decided on the Bifrost - mostly due to the internal power supply (I don't like walwarts). It seemed flexible enough for what I want to do.

 

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