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New CDP or standalone DAC...?

Current source is the Oppo 103, bought three years ago. Would greatly appreciate any and all comments on buying a better-sounding CDP, or buying a better-sounding DAC and using the 103 as a transport.
Thanks in advance!

Tom
tomcarr
tomcarr OP
1,688 posts
 
PS-
What I'm looking for is...a little more air, bloom, texture, delicacy, realistic timbre and tone, imaging, soundstage dimensions, etc. Typical audiophile wish-list, LOL!

Tom
audioengr
3,282 posts
 

Then I would recommend to use the transport for movies and move to computer-based audio and get a good DAC for this.  Ethernet is the preferred interface now, not USB.  With Ethernet, you can use any old computer or laptop.  The Ethernet interface will deliver lower jitter than 99% of transports.  You will have to spend big bux on a transport to compete with it.

Ideally, you want Ethernet -> I2S bus -> D/A chip on the input of the DAC.

If you like another DAC that does not do this, then you can get an outboard Ethernet network renderer and drive the S/PDIF input on the DAC with it.  The Interchange that I offer does this.  It outputs several digital interfaces, including S/PDIF coax.  Similar to my older Off-Ramp, but with Ethernet instead of USB.

Steve N.

Empirical Audio

randy-11
1,913 posts
 
Phasure ?
Benchmark DAC3 ?
Dave ?
Yggy ?
2psyop's avatar
2psyop
1,863 posts
 
If you have a HDD and a computer with a disc drive you could rip your CDs to a lossless format file. Get a Bluesound Node 2 and with that device you can access all your ripped files and stream hi-rez files like a MQA. You would have a very large library of music to pick from. Another option is to buy a Bluesound Vault and rip your CDs to that internal HDD and still enjoy all the streaming. Each of these options can be done for less than $1000. The DACs in both units are very good and can be upgraded later by buying a better DAC in the future. That being said, I was very impressed by the Bluesound DAC, since I think it is trickled down technology from NAD.
Also all your music could be controlled by your smartphone or tablet.
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
New CDP or standalone DAC...?

Given same d/a converter in both and implemented the same way, then it’s best to go CDP, rather than separates.
  
As when you have separates both dac a transport have their own clocks and are not sync’ed to each other. Unless you have like a very expensive DCS system that runs the clock of the dac to the transport via a separate lead and the clock in the transport is not used. TentLabs used to have expensive kits’ to do this, but were complex to implement.

In a CDP there is usually one clock that dac and the transport both section run off, so they are always sync’ed to each other via the same clock, always a better option.

Cheers George
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