New CDP or standalone DAC...?

Hi Tom, a couple years later and I am still one decade beyond you in 'old school'.  :-)  Your looking at 60, I am turning 70 in June. We must embrace all ages and live them to the fullest.

I see you have replaced your amplification. I had a Vincent integrated. Wish I never sold it. I am sure that Sp-331/Freya combo is great. In the 80s into 90s I owned a original pair of the 2Cs as well. 

I remain a redbook CD kind of guy. Either as AIFF file via apple computer or disc playback. One day likely go to a dedicated server with internal DD to use with an external DAC. Looking into the purchase of a Audio Mirror DAC.  What is your latest thinking regarding digital playback?  

Hello mesch, nice to hear from you! Yes, I am loving the Vincent/Schiit combo. I'm staunchly (stubbornly?) redbook. Our computers are in other rooms, none in the listening room. Since I'm so happy with the Freya, I'm leaning towards getting one of their DACs and using the 103 as a transport. Thank you for responding, and you are definitely more up-to-date on current things digital than I am!

Tom

Tom,
I use an Adcom DVD-137 as a transport for music from CDs, SACDs, and DVDs(movies) my main system. My DAC is a Bryston BDA-1. I bought the Bryston for it had many coax digital inputs and knowing it did not have asychronous USB. I use a USB/SPDIF converter for computer audio. 

I do believe a dedicated cd player or transport into a DAC of preference is the best way to go for redbook. I am now interested in a tube R2R DACs, looking at the Audio Mirror. I sometimes find myself just wanting to spin a CD and not involving the computer. Thus I sometimes think about replacing the Adcom DVD player and purchasing  a dedicated CD transport for music and a more budget universal player for movies and the very few SACDs I own. 

If interest is in spinning CDs in a transport, there are many DACs of recent vintage but dated regarding USB that remain excellent for redbook and can be had for a fraction of their original price. I have searched out these. I own a PS audio digital link III in a second system.
Cheers,
Mike

Why didn’t you go for the 205?

For your budget I’d suggest a Tascam 200 as a CD transport with a Schiit Audio Gungnir Multibit DAC. Alternatively, you could go with a Cambridge CXC transport or Audiolab 6000 CDT transport.  I like the Tascam as it uses a Teac 5020 cd transport, a very good drive.

The Oppos don’t have dedicated 44.1 kHz clocks, and Redbook CD suffers as a result, in my opinion. Most modern DACs don’t decode HDCD, but I have read that they still sound very good when the 16 bit layer  is when decoded with a high-end DAC like the Gungnir.  Schiit Audio offers a 15 day trial.

That combo should give very high end Redbook playback. For SACD or others, you could retain the Oppo.  Otherwise, you could look for a CD player in the same price range, but I’m not sure anyone in that range would beat the combo I've suggested.