Buy new cd player or buy a DAC for transport

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

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.

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

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by 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

---

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)...

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

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

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.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mike Anderson

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...

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.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by 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.

---

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...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by 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.

---

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
...

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

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by 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.

---

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.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Brick Top

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

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mike Anderson

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.
...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Feanor

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.

---

You can use iTunes as your interface, as long as your music is in a compatible format.

But as long as you're using a computer, you don't have to settle for 2-3 lines of display no matter what interface you use. The SqueezeCenter interface gives you artwork and all tags.

The Squeezecenter interface is highly customizable. Here's what the default looks like:

Now Playing window:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3014/...9cc499ac_o.jpg

Info about songs in the menu:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3242/...2e477e93_o.jpg

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mike Anderson

The Squeezecenter interface is highly customizable. Here's what the default looks like:

Now Playing window:
...

---

Thanks, Mike,

That looks like a pretty decent inferface. But isn't that what you see at your computer which, in the context of this discussion, is some distance away your hifi system? What I'm talking about is having your computer right beside your system.

I'll admit that having a remote control would be nice, even with the compter near your system. Some players support hand remote units, as I understand. In my case I have the ultimate remote control: Windows Remote Connection.

It might boggle the minds of some people, but I've actually got two computers in my listening area:

1. The dedicated music/internet radio machine adjacent to my other components, and
2. A general purpose computer at my listening position that I use, for example, to write this response as I listen to CBC Classical internet radio.

Because my music computer has XP Professional, I'm able to set up a remote session on my g/p computer and fully control the former from the position of the latter. This is beauty at least from me. The two machines are to a switch by Cat5, and hence by Cat5 to a router, and hence the Internet.

Bill, I use two computers too. The music server is a desktop PC that sits far away from the stereo rig. I use a laptop at my listening position to interface with it.

However, I don't have to remote into the PC. Squeezecenter works over a network on a web browser like Firefox or Internet Explorer. You can access it from any computer within range just by typing the web address into your browser.

Or, you can use a remote control. The Squeezebox comes with a pretty basic remote that doesn't have a graphic display, or you can splurge for the iPod-like controller with a wheel and a screen that displays the artwork etc.:

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

Here's what the web interface looks like in Firefox:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3185/...af1d9139_o.jpg

Couldn't you just use a wireless mouse and keyboard to control the comp placed by the system?

I feel that using an old comp(I have a few laying around) would work pretty good...but I still would need to invest in a really good sound card like M-audio. Having a unit like a Squeezebox or Duet would still give me the ability to use the digital out for better sound quality.

Weighing all the different options makes my head hurt a bit. I think I need to lie down now.

Cheers,
BT

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Brick Top

Couldn't you just use a wireless mouse and keyboard to control the comp placed by the system?

---

I suppose, if the monitor was in your line of sight.

But I perpetually have a laptop in my lap anyway; when I'm listening to music I surf the web at the same time. I just keep a browser tab open for my music, and cue up new tunes or internet radio stations whenever the music runs out.

Just get a Squeezebox or Duet. I can practically guarantee you'll be thrilled with it.

Do you have a wireless setup?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Brick Top

Couldn't you just use a wireless mouse and keyboard to control the comp placed by the system?

I feel that using an old comp(I have a few laying around) would work pretty good...but I still would need to invest in a really good sound card like M-audio. Having a unit like a Squeezebox or Duet would still give me the ability to use the digital out for better sound quality.

Weighing all the different options makes my head hurt a bit. I think I need to lie down now.

Cheers,
BT

---

Yes, for sure you could use wireless k/b & m. I considered doing that myself but was left with the fact that I still couldn't see the monitor from my listening chair.

In my case, I put an M-Audio Revolution 7.1 sound card into my music machine; it feeds my DAC via S/PDIF. Check out my configuration below.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mike Anderson

Bill, I use two computers too. The music server is a desktop PC that sits far away from the stereo rig. I use a laptop at my listening position to interface with it.

However, I don't have to remote into the PC. Squeezecenter works over a network on a web browser like Firefox or Internet Explorer. You can access it from any computer within range just by typing the web address into your browser.
...
Here's what the web interface looks like in Firefox: ...

---

With SqueezeCenter can feed a regular sound card or do you have to use a SlimDevices device??

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mike Anderson

Bill, I use two computers too. The music server is a desktop PC that sits far away from the stereo rig. I use a laptop at my listening position to interface with it.

However, I don't have to remote into the PC. Squeezecenter works over a network on a web browser like Firefox or Internet Explorer. You can access it from any computer within range just by typing the web address into your browser.

---

My my music machine is bit of a pain to maintain as is any computer, plus it's noisier than I would like. My new general purpose machine no doubt has sufficient horsepower to support SqueezeCenter and the external drive with my music files. Looks like I could use just a Squeeze Receiver to replace my music computer total. It's claimed to deliver a bit perfect bit stream and low jitter and could even replace the older DAC I'm using.

This looks like a option I will explore further! :p

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Feanor

With SqueezeCenter can feed a regular sound card or do you have to use a SlimDevices device??

---

I'm pretty sure it works on anything, but I've never tried it. It's free to download, so why not try it.

Here's the webpage:

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

As interfaces go, it isn't as slick as iTunes. I'd stick with iTunes if I wasn't using a Squeezebox.

(And as I mentioned, you can use iTunes to drive the Squeezebox too, but most of my music is in FLAC and iTunes can't deal with FLAC, so i just use SqueezeCenter.)