2. digital
  3. 155166-142269

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
 
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 
alecela OP
13 posts
 
Hello mahler123, do you mean Bryston BDA-3?   If so, based on what I've read so far on the net, it's a strict DAC and doesn't do pre-amp function?    If it's indeed Bryston DAC3, I can't seem to find any info from the net.  
mahler123
3,310 posts
 
Try the Bryston BDA-3.14 .  It is supposed to be some sort of merger of the DAC-3 and the BDP3.  The Audio Advisor site also claims that it has “Preamp Functionality “.  Looking at the supplied pictures, I don’t see where they are hiding the volume switch.  I also own the BDP3, btw
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