At what point is an external D/A converter warranted or beneficial

Well first of all your choice of wire is only making a bad situation worse. Since you have vinyl, if you want to hear what I’m talking about get yourself a few records on the AudioQuest label. Terry Evans Putting It Down, or Doug MacLeod You Can’t Take My Blues, or Mighty Sam McLain Sledgehammer Blues. These are all great blues, more importantly for this purpose they are all recorded exclusively with AudioQuest wire in the recording chain. Then you compare that with something like Janis Ian Breaking Silence, Doug MacLeod Exactly Like this or Dick Hyman From the Age of Swing or anything on Reference Recording label, or any of the three Linda Ronstadt Nelson Riddle albums or anything else for that matter mastered by the great Doug Sax at The Mastering Lab. Listen to those bearing in mind the recording chain. Its pretty clear the AudioQuest sound is lean, exaggerates leading edges at the expense of harmonic development, and is just generally less "there".

Just thought I would mention that because while yes digital is awful and its great you’ve figured that out, both your digital and your analog will be a whole lot more enjoyable as you migrate away from that sort of hifi artifact type sound.

So now with that out of the way, yes the D/A will be a waste of money. Which if we can be dead certain of one thing, its that that won’t stop everyone from recommending you do exactly that. So let me give you an alternative outside the box idea that will actually make a difference.

Lots of people notice when they copy digital onto tape and play it back it sounds better. So you could go that route and get R2R. Which will totally give you audiophile cred. Bonus points to the max. But honestly, just about any HiFi VHS deck with decent tape will get you there, and for a lot less money. I know. Its what I did way back when I could barely afford the CDs let alone the player but I had a VCR. It works because the way HiFi VHS records audio is so good.

Anyway unlike any possible DAC ideas this one might actually make your digital listenable.

Hi OP,
You are describing the sound of digital from yeah, about when the MC12 was created, especially with Redbook.


DACs over the last 10 years are far better and, especially, better with Redbook. Older DACs tended to only sound better as the sampling rate increased.


I'm not sure how well the MC12 does analog, but it should have an analog bypass or analog inputs which bypass all the processing done inside.


If you want to hear how good DACs are today, maybe try a Mytek with 30 day return policy? They have built in volume controls and can be attached directly to your amps.


If you have the chance to audition in person, try listening with headphones. I think you'll be amazed how some of the affordable DACs sound.

Agree with Elizabeth on if the OP hasn’t touched the AC, that might be a wise place to start. I was questioning if my CDP/DAC was becoming my weaker link as after the addition of a streamer I am listening to my system more than ever or at least to when I was a really young audiophile in the 80’s.

Recently I changed out my receptacles which I have dedicated circuits and my system really started to open up so I started playing with power conditioners and etc. which I purchased a couple with good results and that’s where that ended.

Next I started reading a lot on newer DAC’s and no doubt there’s better than what I have for reasonable money but recently visiting one of my local shops they offered I try at home a PS Audio P5 they took in on trade so I did. Well, to wrap this up I was floored how the P5 sounds or my system sounds and now and I’m in no rush to buy a DAC now.

I’ll probably drag a DAC home eventually but sure glad I did this purchase first. Preamp, CDP/DAC and Streamer only on the P5.