Buy new cd player or buy a DAC for transport

[bipper]

My cd player Sony ES model ($600) sounds good but after hearing a Musical Fidelity X-Ray and A3 I realize that I need an upgrade.Sony ES sound Quality--> Imagine putting a thin bedsheet in front of your speakers Musical Fidelity--> take the bedsheet off

I thought about spending $400-$500 for a a DAC for the Sony ES or just buying a Cambridge audio or Musical Fidelity CD player.

Please help me in choosing the right route.
thank you

[Mr Peabody]

There's no "right way" here. Which way depends on what would give you the most performance for the money you have to spend. The Sony probably has a decent transport section, if you can get the DAC you want for less than buying a single machine I'd say buy the DAC. Cambridge has recently put out a DAC that is priced reasonable that is supposed to be good, I have not heard one. There are Cambridge dealers online that will allow a return if not happy. My guess would be that MF would give a more warmer presentation.

If the DAC allows for more than one input you can also use it for other digital sources.

[Mr Peabody]

BTW, I have an Audio Note 1.1x tube DAC for sale. If you are interested just email me.

[Ajani]

My cd player Sony ES model ($600) sounds good but after hearing a Musical Fidelity X-Ray and A3 I realize that I need an upgrade.Sony ES sound Quality--> Imagine putting a thin bedsheet in front of your speakers Musical Fidelity--> take the bedsheet off

I thought about spending $400-$500 for a a DAC for the Sony ES or just buying a Cambridge audio or Musical Fidelity CD player.

Please help me in choosing the right route.
thank you

If you liked the sound of the Musical Fidelity then you have several options in that price range:

1) Buy the X-Ray V3 CD Player
2) Buy the X-DAC V3 (about $500 or less, used)
3) Buy the new V-DAC ($300 new)...

[bipper]

Thank you for the feedback, please note that the sony ES cd player is a 6 disc carosel so I dont know how good the "transport" is

Mr Peabody thank you for the offer but your product is $1500 new which is out of my price range.
thank you

[Mr Peabody]

True, a changer may not be the optimum transport. What is your budget?

[Mike Anderson]

Have you given any thought about ripping your CDs and using your computer instead of using a CD player and/or transport?

You can then spend the money you save on high-quality downstream components, like a nice DAC, or a Transporter or somesuch.

I can't remember the last time I turned on a CD player. I don't even have one hooked up.

[Ajani]

I can't remember the last time I turned on a CD player. I don't even have one hooked up.

Same here.... the best move I made in this HiFi game was to ditch my CD players and go the music server route... Nothing like the convenience of using my Squeezbox to select songs...plus when I'm ready to buy a DAC, I know the Squeezebox will make an excellent transport - unlike many entry level CD and DVD players...

[blackraven]

The only problem with using your computer is that you have to have your computer by your stereo which is not feasible for many people.

[Ajani]

The only problem with using your computer is that you have to have your computer by your stereo which is not feasible for many people.

That's only if you plan to connect your audio equipment directly to your computer (either via the analog ouputs or the USB/SPDIF Digital outputs of the computer)...

IMO, the best way to get music out of a computer is via a streaming device such as a Squeezbox Classic ($300) or even an Apple Airport Express ($75?)... both of which provide bit transparent output to your DAC ...

I don't think anyone should connect a computer directly to their stereo...

[Feanor]

The only problem with using your computer is that you have to have your computer by your stereo which is not feasible for many people.

You can buy an excellent computer today for scarcely more than the price of an entry-level component. Get youself a dedicated computer and place it close to your other components.

Look down toward the lower left: there's my dedicated machine on the bottom shelf with the monitor a couple of shelfs higher
...

[Brick Top]

I have been thinking of going the music server route...but there are so many options...and I'm a newb at this aspect. I'm not a newb at comps or Hi-fi...but marrying the two is new to me.

I have been looking at the duet as well as a few others. The idea of having an old comp near the sound system is intriguing as well. I think I could just use my plasma as the comp screen for navigating around.

I assume I would want a special program for indexing the tunes and possibly allowing for random play and or creating a play list.

I read somewhere that the PS3 will work as a wireless music server. That could kill a few birds with one stone. A game station, music server and a BD player all in one.

Suggestions????

Cheers,
BT

[Mike Anderson]

I have been looking at the duet as well as a few others. The idea of having an old comp near the sound system is intriguing as well.

I haven't tried using a PS3.

The Duet is a Slim Devices (now owned by Logitech) product. I have one of their other products (Squeezebox) and I swear by it. So do a lot of other customers; they're a bit of a cult following.

Again, you don't need to put a computer near your stereo rig.

Also, it comes with its own software (SqueezeCenter) that creates a database of your music, lets you search and create playlists, connects you to Internet radio, etc. You can download the software for free:

http://www.slimdevices.com/su_downloads.html

[Feanor]

I haven't tried using a PS3.

The Duet is a Slim Devices (now owned by Logitech) product. I have one of their other products (Squeezebox) and I swear by it. So do a lot of other customers; they're a bit of a cult following.

Again, you don't need to put a computer near your stereo rig.

Also, it comes with its own software (SqueezeCenter) that creates a database of your music, lets you search and create playlists, connects you to Internet radio, etc. You can download the software for free:

http://www.slimdevices.com/su_downloads.html

What I don't think I could live with with any of the Slimdevices is the lack of a real interface, by which I mean the likes of iTunes, Foobar2000 which I use, or various other players that give you full library and playlist displays, and even display album artwork.

Perhaps its the fact that I listen mainly to classical but really couldn't manage my listening with only a 2-3 lines of display or even the dozen or however many you get with the Duet.
...

[Mike Anderson]

The only problem with using your computer is that you have to have your computer by your stereo which is not feasible for many people.

Nope. You absolutely do NOT have to have your computer anywhere near your stereo.

The Squeezebox works over a wireless network. Or, you can string up to 100 ft or so of ethernet cable, if you don't have an in-wall wired network already.

[Ajani]

To hopefully help answer a few questions in this thread:

I've owned 2 computer based audio setups...

1) A Mac Mini connected directly to my Stereo Preamp, using a 52inch LCD Projection TV (as the monitor) and iTunes/apple front row to select songs... This was the best option in terms of a visual interface... So easy to select music... but the hangup was that all the computer sounds came through my stereo... so whenever someone came online (MSN Messenger) or the computer stopped to do 'processing', I'd hear the stupid sounds through my stereo...

2) An HP Notebook wirelessly streaming my music to a Squeezebox Classic, connected to my stereo... The major advantages of this system are a) my computer does not have to be in the same room as my stereo and b) My stereo is not my computer's soundcard, so I don't hear all the MSN Messenger sounds etc... just the music I want to play...

[Mike Anderson]

To hopefully help answer a few questions in this thread:

I've owned 2 computer based audio setups...

1) A Mac Mini connected directly to my Stereo Preamp, using a 52inch LCD Projection TV (as the monitor) and iTunes/apple front row to select songs... This was the best option in terms of a visual interface... So easy to select music... but the hangup was that all the computer sounds came through my stereo... so whenever someone came online (MSN Messenger) or the computer stopped to do 'processing', I'd hear the stupid sounds through my stereo...

2) An HP Notebook wirelessly streaming my music to a Squeezebox Classic, connected to my stereo... The major advantages of this system are a) my computer does not have to be in the same room as my stereo and b) My stereo is not my computer's soundcard, so I don't hear all the MSN Messenger sounds etc... just the music I want to play...

Note also that the second setup has a much, much greater potential for audiophile-quality sound.

You can take the digital signal out of the Squeezebox and run it into a high-end setup, like I do (DEQX pre-amp, crossover and room-correction). That will rival or surpass any CD/transport you could get at several times the price.

[noddin0ff]

To hopefully help answer a few questions in this thread:

I've owned 2 computer based audio setups...

1) A Mac Mini connected directly to my Stereo Preamp, using a 52inch LCD Projection TV (as the monitor) and iTunes/apple front row to select songs... This was the best option in terms of a visual interface... So easy to select music... but the hangup was that all the computer sounds came through my stereo... so whenever someone came online (MSN Messenger) or the computer stopped to do 'processing', I'd hear the stupid sounds through my stereo...

FYI, in the Sound preferences you can set it up so that system sounds play through the computer and your audio streams to your stereo. This works when you output via USB, it might not when you use the optical out. That's the way my laptop behaves anyway (OS X 10.4)

[Mr Peabody]

I was also going to suggest a "parental lock" to keep your kids out of your Gangsta Rap but it's probably the other way around, put a block to keep the kids music from playing when you are listening Listening to "shuffle" you are digging the Zepplin and the next song is Brittany Spears, oh, what a jolt that would be.