Why not upgrade to one of Schiit's multibit DACs the fits your price range. One can always find a replacement for a CD player to be used as a transport when yours 'craps' out.
DAC recommendations for CDs in 2-channel system
Can anyone share suggestions for a DAC to go with the following setup:
Odyssey Audio Kismet monoblocks
Odyssey Audio Tempest pre-amp
Dual 1229 turntable with Shure V3
crappy CD player (used as a transport)
Schiit Modi Uber (current DAC, OK not great)
Klipsch Cornwall I speakers
I listen primarily to CDs and some vinyl at fairly low levels. The amps and preamp were recent major upgrades, so I'm thinking about getting a DAC that will hold its own with the new components.
I don't have a budget in mind, but prefer a high value for dollar. Thanks in advance!
Odyssey Audio Kismet monoblocks
Odyssey Audio Tempest pre-amp
Dual 1229 turntable with Shure V3
crappy CD player (used as a transport)
Schiit Modi Uber (current DAC, OK not great)
Klipsch Cornwall I speakers
I listen primarily to CDs and some vinyl at fairly low levels. The amps and preamp were recent major upgrades, so I'm thinking about getting a DAC that will hold its own with the new components.
I don't have a budget in mind, but prefer a high value for dollar. Thanks in advance!
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- 37 posts total
@mesch - that was my initial plan, to go for something like the Multibit Bifrost. Then I read reports of high distortion levels and started having doubts about build & sound quality of Schiit in general. Here's an example: https://audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/measurement-and-review-of-schiit-bifrost-mult... |
@mattmiller - I wondered about this. What about all the comments on Audiogon from folks saying "no" to Sabre DACs?
I thought about Sabre chips before I took the plunge but finaly got myself the Oppo Sonica DAC and have never looked back.I use it between my PC and amp and have found it to be highly detailled and very robust sounding when it has finally broken in as it takes a while. Just feed it a DAB radio signal for a couple of weeks then listen, I am sure it will impress. That said from a man who uses a Gryphon Mikado Signature as his CD player and digitally the Oppo holds up very well especially from Hi Rez files or streams. |
The nice thing about something like an Oppo 205 is that you get a better transport and don't have to deal with jitter reduction or digital interconnects and that potential added expense. Another bonus is that when funds allow you can have it modded by someone like Ric Schultz at Electronic Visionary Systems and bring performance to a much higher level for relatively little added investment. Yet another option... |
Your "crappy" CD transport will do fine, as long as you add a good reclocker and a good S/PDIF cable. Then the disk does not matter, the transport does not matter. Driving a new DAC with the stock transport will be disappointing IMO, no matter what you get, except maybe Benchmark DAC3. Too much jitter from the transport. Here is typical jitter from a transport, even a decent one: http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=154408.0 The other advantage of the Synchro-Mesh reclocker is it upsamples to 24/96, so a better sounding digital filter will be used in the new DAC. IT also provides galvanic isolation, so the transport to DAC ground-loop is eliminated, lowering the noise floor. Steve N. Empirical Audio |
- 37 posts total