PC-Audio vs. High-end CD Player-GAME OVER

A CD player is a transport that reads digital data from the disc (like a hard drive) and a DAC chip (with software/firmware) that converts the digital data to analog.

A PC audio system reads data from a hard drive (like a transport) and then feeds the digital data to a DAC.

Sounds similar? Fundamentally there is no real difference between the two implementations. In practice, timing and clocking may be implemented in a slightly different manner -slave and master clock and synchronization might be a factor.

Most likely the difference in presentation may be due to the DAC rather than where the data came from. The Cosecant DAC uses a tube output and therefore might be more "euphonic" than an SS design.

Did you try feeding the digital output from Levinson into the Cosecant DAC...this would likely highlight that it is the DAC output stage design that is most influencing what you prefer to hear.

Hi there, can you clarify some things as I am confused about your post. 1) What is a Crimson? 2) Am I reading this right to say you compared an Ipod into a Wavelenght DAC vs. an Ipod burned on a CD listening through a Levinson CDP? Would it make more sense to compare a stock (not burned, and not burned from an Ipod) redbook CD on a Levinson CDP to the full Ipod/DAC setup? Thanks

I have slowly been tring to get a computer based system up and running...the process has been adding one piece at a time. I have been ripping my CD's in lossless for some time now, and I recently added an external network hard drive...250GB...and now I am looking either at a good usb device that will change into a digital signal, or a good USB dac. I have also added a computer to my system, but the fan noise from that PC is just a little too loud for critical listening...although it has optical digital out...well I guess sometime I will get it right.

David,
How did you connect the Wavelength Audio Cosecant DAC to the iMac? Do the new iMac's have digital out? If so how is this done- Toslink, BNC or RCA (doubt it). Anyway a very interesting thread.

LM

Hi All,
Just to clarify. Wavelength Audio makes several different USB DACs, designed to take the feed from a hard drive via a USB cable. The Cosecant is the middle range DAC and the Crimson is higher up the food chain. We weren't using an Ipod. We were using an Imac computer running I-tunes as the archival/control software. Regular Redbook CD's were burned to the HD of the I mac computer via Apple Lossless, a rippping scheme designed to preserve all the information on the CD. The computer was acting as the transport for the DAC. The output of the DAC was then run into the preamp, exactly as you would a regular CD player.
As to the sound, if you think that it was euphonic, take it up with Gordan Rankin, the designer. I only know that I really liked it. I've had the SCD-1, the Accuphase DP-85, the EMM Labs DAC6/CDSD (not sig) and the Esoteric X-01 Limited, so i have a fair idea of what I like and dislike.

David