Rather than answer "CDP vs DAC" with specific suggestions, I’ll give some general thoughts on the two categories.
first, you understand a CDP contains a DAC, right? So its rally just a packaging question - and comes down to what’s available int he market at various prices. Since few buy CDPs any more (the mass market has shifted to streaming entirely) DACs have more engineering behind them. Moreover, they have more "cachet" so more market emphasis. Score 1: DACs.
Second, a few years back as my transport died, i ripped a large portion of my CDs, FLAC and played them form my macbook pro bitperfect. Guess what? Better every time with the SAME DAC. I can speculate on why and believe much is lower jitter with a better re clocked USB vs SPDIF which often depends on clock from the transport. For the record i have a relatively high resolving system. I also, for various reasons, have 4 DACs to compare -- two that i have largely rebuilt so they barely reflect their original condition (most having to do with power and clock). All pretty darn analog-sounding minus the compression noise and groove wear (a problem with legacy records that i simply cant tolerate).
I’ll also caution you not to throw out the streaming option. Having 50,000 albums, all FLAC+ or HD, many remastered, is pretty darn nice. I switched over pretty fast - for depth of catalog, convenience, and yes, sound quality. I for the record use Tidal and am considering adding Qobuz.
Bottom line: i’ go DAC. As to which one, you have to listen. I too like some of the better R2R DACs but my #2 fav happens to have a 32 bit sigma-delta chip. The real sound is made outside the chip by power supplies, filters, clocks, and analog stages.
I’ll beak my rule and say, if i had a LOT of money i was willing to put into digital, I’d seriously look at the MSB R2R discrete DAC(s). Form a design perspective they appear to get everything right, except the price :-)
G
first, you understand a CDP contains a DAC, right? So its rally just a packaging question - and comes down to what’s available int he market at various prices. Since few buy CDPs any more (the mass market has shifted to streaming entirely) DACs have more engineering behind them. Moreover, they have more "cachet" so more market emphasis. Score 1: DACs.
Second, a few years back as my transport died, i ripped a large portion of my CDs, FLAC and played them form my macbook pro bitperfect. Guess what? Better every time with the SAME DAC. I can speculate on why and believe much is lower jitter with a better re clocked USB vs SPDIF which often depends on clock from the transport. For the record i have a relatively high resolving system. I also, for various reasons, have 4 DACs to compare -- two that i have largely rebuilt so they barely reflect their original condition (most having to do with power and clock). All pretty darn analog-sounding minus the compression noise and groove wear (a problem with legacy records that i simply cant tolerate).
I’ll also caution you not to throw out the streaming option. Having 50,000 albums, all FLAC+ or HD, many remastered, is pretty darn nice. I switched over pretty fast - for depth of catalog, convenience, and yes, sound quality. I for the record use Tidal and am considering adding Qobuz.
Bottom line: i’ go DAC. As to which one, you have to listen. I too like some of the better R2R DACs but my #2 fav happens to have a 32 bit sigma-delta chip. The real sound is made outside the chip by power supplies, filters, clocks, and analog stages.
I’ll beak my rule and say, if i had a LOT of money i was willing to put into digital, I’d seriously look at the MSB R2R discrete DAC(s). Form a design perspective they appear to get everything right, except the price :-)
G