I'm confuse Do i need a dac for my cd player ?

A outboard digital analog converter (DAC) replaces the built-in DAC of your CD player. It's a way for you to get a different sound from your digital source. DAC's come in different price ranges and quality. I love the sound of tube electronics so I've added a tube DAC to my Sony DVD/SACD 9000ES player and have noticed a "warmer" and more detailed sound. Experiment with higher priced DAC's than your unit to see what the fuss is all about including tube DACs. Use a coax cable to connect the DAC and Arcam instead of a fiber optic interconnect if your Arcam can accommodate it. If you like the sound of your current CD player, don't sweat it.

Ok- So, if you are using a DAC in your system, does the quality of the CD player/transport make any difference? It seems the DAC is re-voiceing the music anyway.

Yes, the new dac will "revoice" you digital sound, BUT, the player/transport also has a distinct role to play in the final sound. I have heard quite distinct differences between player/transports feeding the same dac. Some do better than others, no hard and fast rules.

Photon46,

Interesting. So does the "law" of a higher quality/higher priced (assumption there) CD player mean that the higher the quality CD player run into the DAC the beter the sound comming out? OR are the rules broken to the extent that an older and cheeper CD unit run into a DAC may sound just as good as a high end Wadia, Creek, Marantz etc.?

Tickfight, No if your CD player is a Wadia or a Pioneer or a teac, using the same mechanism(transport) then you would be suprised how similar used as just your CD reader(transport) they can be... I have tested this, When you purchase some of the higher cost players you are paying for the metal work, fancy jacks, Displays, and even sometimes the IEC detachable plug, and yes your Wadia unit, or Krell whoever is simply a very modified Sony, Teac, Pioneer, or phillips transport. So your education should start with Who uses the best transport in stock models, like the VRS? teac, The pioneer stable platter, Sony whatever.

I have directly owned and compared a Wadia and pioneer using the same transport, and even Logic system(board with all the functions on it), and even the Same remote(just silk screened over with Wadia's logo, and guess what? They were EXTREMLY similar when used as a transport only, however the Wadia blew away the pioneer if using the internal DAC and better Chassis damping and power cord.

Also I owned a Sony top player with the transport they use in some Krell machines, and again Near identicle using the digital out.. So even if a cheap plastic player is using a hi quality transport it should be pretty good even in comparison to a couple thousand dollar more player using the same, unless it has Extensive power supply upgrades, and most in the 300-3000.00 range do not.

So put most your money into the Seperate DAC first, find what you like, then Experiment with a 200.00 transport and a 4000.00 transport and make your decision on how much is enough. But guarantee that a Transport will make some big difference with the DAC it is matched too, I found some transports sound a little soft or fuzzy, and some sound deeper with better detail and bass on the same DAC, so they will be effective to the end result, but find a good dac first I say, and transports in all these machines are made by Sony, Teac, phillips for the most part today anyway from my understanding.