2. digital
  3. 183006-22888

transport/dac vs integrated player

I have almost always used an outboard dac,  primarily because it always sounded much better, presumably because the external dac was better than my cd players internal dac. I have always concentrated on the dac and not on the quality of the transport, and planned on trying better transports and also playing via computer with a usb to s/pdif bridge. The question I have is this: assuming the dac in an integrated player equals the sound quality of an external dac, does the fact that it is in the player itself  alleviate any issues with the connection from a transport to an external dac?   To put it another way, assuming all things being equal, am I better off seeking out a player rather than a separate transport /dac?  Thanks in advance. 

majorc
soix
9,599 posts
 

But the narrow question I have is for playing my cd collection: whether having an all in one player alleviates the concerns with the connection from the transport to the dac

Well, if you’re going the streaming route anyway you could consider getting a streamer like an Innuos Zen Mini or Zen that also has an onboard disc drive and internal storage so you can just load all your CDs directly into it and have access to all your music from your chair and no need for a separate transport.  Just another option to consider FWIW. 

majorc OP
78 posts
 

I will audition a streamer but for playing ripped CDs is there an advantage from playing from the internal storage of a Zen vs my PC's hard drive? I do not hear fans running when I am playing, but I have read that programs running in the background can create noise  that is introduced into the digital stream. All of my CDs are ripped to my PCs hard drive and I am playing with foobar.   

ghdprentice
7,057 posts
 

There is an advantage to using internal storage on a streamer vs external storage attached to a PC. You want a PC no where in the loop or near your audio system.

 

Most streamers still have internal storage for any ripped CDs or files you have purchased. A good streamer will have an internally stored CD sound exactly the same as a streamed album of the same mastering and file format. 

soix
9,599 posts
 

You want a PC no where in the loop or near your audio system.

@ghdprentice big +1 — a computer should be no part of your audio system.  It’s the nosiest source for music, and noise is the arch enemy of good-quality streaming, which is why standalone streamers exist in the first place.  Nobody who has a decent system, has any idea what they’re doing, and cares about sound uses a computer as a source.  Just go to an audio show — no one uses a computer as a source and all use streamers and/or vinyl.  That’s a big clue.  

majorc OP
78 posts
 

gotcha. I will audition a streamer, but just confirming that you still recommend this over a computer using a usb to s/pdif converter - I have read that these units remove the noise coming from the  computer.   

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