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SACD player/streamer with built-in Volume Control

I'm in the process of upgrading my stereo system and I'm wondering if there's such combo without too much sacrifice in terms of sound quality.    Obviously this is rather subjective so perhaps I'll start off with my system.  Previous system comprised:  Apogee Centurus driven by Aragon 2004 and Aragon 24KSP.   Front ends were Meridian 206 CD Player, Meridian 204 FM Tuner, and Linn Majik DS digital streamer.  

So far I've upgraded the speaker to Magnepan 3.7 and power amp to PassLabs X205.5.    I'll probably ditch the FM tuner so the logical next step would be the pre-amp and digital front end.  

IDEALLY I would like to replace the 206 CD Player, Majik DS streamer AND the 24KSP preamp with ONE unit while gaining SACD capability.  So far I've only found Cambridge Audio 851c and Meridian G91A (used) but they're not SACD.     Budgetwise 5k USD max. 
alecela
alecela OP
13 posts
 
@mahler123, Tx for that.    In that case, how' bout the combination of Oppo UDP205 as transport + perhaps a lesser model of Meridian 818v3?     Any other DAC, Digital Streamer + PreAmp combo I should think about at say USD$4k budget?   
jdbsi
38 posts
 
@alecela, Yes, this is exactly what I was thinking.  You could go with used 818v1 (one was for sale several months ago asking $2200) and get the Oppo and come well under budget.  

I saw an 818v3 lowest advertised price used was asking in the ballpark of $4750, so indeed V3 will be over budget.  Others are asking a lot more, but obviously not sure they are selling.  818V2 would also be good and pricing falls somewhere in-between.
alecela OP
13 posts
 
Quick question for owners of 818:

Can I use the analog output and the balanced output at the SAME time?   I'm asking as I intend to connect the balanced output to my power amp and the analog output to my sub.
mahler123
3,310 posts
 
I use the Oppo 205 as a transport into a Bryston DAC3.  The Oppo can be programmed to output the DSD from SACD over HDMI and the Bryston has 4 HDMI inputs.  I am very happy with the results and the Bryston can be had within your budget, but it doesn’t do MQA, if that is important to you
mahler123
3,310 posts
 
I also used my Oppo as a transport with a Mytek Manhatten, since traded away.  The Manhattan doesn’t do HDMI but does have both digital and analog volume control, and I believe the other Myteks do as well.  I used the Mytek as a preamp when my regular preamp was in the shop, but I was much happier when the latter returned to the system.  The Mytek does MQA and can have optional phono preamp modules added.
  Both the Mytek Brooklyn and the Bryston have “bridge” features that add streaming capability 
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