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I saved alot of money.

Many of you will probably disagree but I have to share. I recently started streaming from my cell phone to my system with Amazon HD and You Tube Music. 
Components are a new Hegel H390, Bryston A2 speakers, NAD C 546BEE CD player, and wait for it, a cheap Auris bluetooth thing.
Sounds great but I thought about getting an expensive streamer and/or a separate DAC.
After weeks of research I thought of doing a test. The CD player is hooked up via coaxial to the Hegel. The Auris is connected via optical. So both are using the Hegel's DAC.
I put a favorite CD into the NAD and hit pause, then pulled up the same on Amazon. Without moving from my listening position I switched between the two.
Very little difference if any between them.
I tried this with different CDs 3 different times over a week and had the same results.
My system may be cheap compared to what many of you have but my love for music is as strong or better than anyone out there.
At 66, retired, and on limited funds I'm sure glad I did this test. The results must be due to the Hegel's DAC.
Thoughts?


golden210
skypunk's avatar
skypunk
499 posts
 
If it makes you happy, do it twice, three times if non one is looking, four times on Sunday.

Listen to the music no mater what the format. 
Stop listening to your gear.
mahler123
3,441 posts
 
I am confused.  In your original post you stated that the CD player and the BT were connected to the Hegel DAC, and you were comparing the sound from those 2 inputs.  In your last post, you seem to indicate that you have connected the BT device digitally  to the DAC of the Hegel, and that you also have connected the analog output of the BT to your preamp ( I am not familiar with the Hegel 390; for this discussion I am assuming that it is an integrated amp with DAC included).  If you are comparing the analog vs the digital output of the BT, then presumably the digital output is being converted by the Hegel DAC, and the analog is being converted by the BT DAC and then being outputted to the preamp section of the Hegel.  I would not expect the latter situation to sound alike.
mahler123
3,441 posts
 
Oops....I mistook the post by @reubent  to be coming from the OP, @golden210...
russ69's avatar
russ69
3,552 posts
 
Satisfy yourself, that is what it’s about. You have a good system but the CD player is the weak link. So don’t take your test as the final answer. This is a hobby where we keep learning what works.
golden210 OP
32 posts
 
mahler123, to add to reubent's comment, when you connect the Auris Bluetooth via the digital output you are bypassing the Auris's internal DAC. So my Hegel's internal DAC is doing the work.
Thank you russ69 for you saying my NAD CD player is the weak link. I've had it for a couple of years. It was a huge improvement over my Technics carousel player that was under $200.00 20 years ago. I have never listened to a high end player. Since I'm only using the NAD as a transport would a much more expensive CD player give better results?
Thanks to all for your comments.
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