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Will computer to DAC replace transports and cdp's?

From my limited reading it seems that a cd burned to a hard drive will be a bit for bit copy because of the software programs used to rip music files. A transport has to get it right the first time and feed the info to a dac. Wavelength audio has some interesting articles about computer based systems and have made a strong statement that a transport will never be able to compete with a hard drive>dac combo.

Anybody care to share their thoughts?
kublakhan
ecka
41 posts
 
Alex, I have A-B'ed the CDSD to EMM DAC and my PC with a Lynx sound card which allows it to be slaved to the DAC clock. Whilst I did not expect it to be this way, I must say that in regards to the sound for CD material ie PCM 16/44.1 , the two systems were indistinguishable. My friends who have very trustworthy ears have confirmed my impressions.
clio09
3,360 posts
 
I wish you the best of luck Alex. I'm a humanitarian at heart and from what I understand you'll need it.
evita
112 posts
 
I wish you the best of luck Alex. I'm a humanitarian at heart and from what I understand you'll need it.
Very classy.
aplhifi
515 posts
 
Ecka, this is interesting. The CDSD is feeding DSD to the DAC and in the case with your computer card the PCM also gets converted to DSD when it hits the DAC. Since I have an idea what is going on in the CDSD, it is possible that your computer would sound almost the same.

Regards,
Alex
redkiwi
1,092 posts
 
Aplhifi, your beliefs don't gel with my experience. Sure, computer to DAC sound can sound poor, just as CDP's can. But equally I have been able to get computer stored audio to match or better good transports from Meridian, Teac, Audiolab and Theta. I am not saying that these are the best there is, but nor are they poor.

Far from being classy I thought that put-down was rude and somewhat childish. But perhaps I should put that down to cultural differences.

So that I can have more respect for you beliefs, can you explain the experiences you have had with computer to DAC sound that have led to those beliefs?
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