PC-Audio vs. High-end CD Player-GAME OVER

Kana813 - I didn't say it was better, just different. The DAC-gives you more options and lower jitter. The DAC-1 USB gives you the better output op-amps. Some may like one better than the other.... I prefer both modded, not stock.

Steve N.

I tried this once before and it looks like the post feel victim to the mysterious Audiogon-moderator-random-post-delete.

I was musing about using a Crimson as a DAC/linestage combo. IOW, with the optional VC and no preamp.

My experience has led me to regard an active preamp as essential for the best sound - best body, especially (I've found you can get great dynamic without an active pre despite what some say).

However, this little beast, with its big power supply and transformer-coupled DHT output stage is basically a single-input tube pre along with the DAC - no?

So, is anybody doing that? Anybody that used to be sold on (active) preamps as necessary?

I'm using the Crimson with volume direct to amps. It sounds excellent. Gordon will tell you -at least he told me- that the built in volume control will sound better as it eliminates the linestage from the signal path. I didn't do any major comparing to confirm, but I am impressed with the sound. The volume control is implemented prior to the tube stage...for what it's worth. Gordon will have a Crimson with volume control @ CES if you can go.

To me, a transport (CDSD) sounded better than a hard drive using the same DAC (DCC2)... and oddly enough, I feel it's more convenient to just pop a CD in the transport vs. using a computer. Different strokes I guess.

At least to me the what sounds better and the whole discussion re the wavelength dac is a bit misplaced. First things first, I have two systems (in different rooms of course) one which CD/SACD based (Meitner) another with a music server...the wonderful Sooloos.

1. The real point of music servers, PC Audio etc is what Alphi and some others alluded to...the convenience. But not as Dennis the menace indicated in popping in a CD vs going thru menu but the access to all of one's music in a very organized, easy to find manner. I have about 3000 CDs. Just relying on The Meintner system....there is tendancy for me to even forget what I have. Using the Sooloos, I am re-discovering a lot of music, and falling in love all over again, and in the end that;s what its all about.

2. Re wavelength Dac etc....well then its matter how do we improve music server/PC based audio aound quality? The obvious answer is an external DAC of which Wavelength is but only one option. For PC based yes u need a USB connection or a USB to XXX conveter like what is provided by Haggerman (if I recall correctly) but some music servers also have other output options. The Sooloos for example has RCA unbalanced which expands the options.

3. Sooloos which is indeed expensive, it has capacity in terabytes which I needed, and I just love the interface.

4. Death of CDs: Hardly. Even if hard disk data based audio is the way to go, the orginal content has to come from somewhere. Downloads are too far and between, especially in terms lossless quality. So I will continue to buy CDs, ripp them into Sooloos.

5. Re hard disk vs CD sound comparisons....I have both but the room, rest of system are very different, with CD/SACD system much more of higher quality (rest of system that is). Frequently I find discovering music via Soooloos the investigating further in the Meitner based system. But the real point I think is if you have great external DAC and invest in the rest of the system, whatever sound quality shortcomings it may or may not have vs a hard disk based system will be far far outweighed by the interface, functionality etc of the latter, especially if you have fairly large music library.

6. To me the shift from CD to digital storage based systems is far greater leap in functionality, mobility, user interface ...everything than the previous shift from LP to CD. After all the latter improvement in convenience was something more along the lines of physical storage size, maintenance etc....