2. digital
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DAC as an upgrade

My CD player (Denon cdrw1500) has both coaxial and optical digital output jacks.

I'm wondering if there are any issues to be concerned about with using this with a separate DAC unit rather than the Denons built in DAC.

I'm thinking that this would be a practical first step to explore the advantages of different DAC technologies with my player for now and then even provide the option to add a separate transport if needed later.

I am not very familiar with digital connector technology commonly used in audio equipment these days, so I am mainly concerned to know what DAC digital interfaces are compatible with the the Denon outputs and the differences if relevant so as to identify a DAC that will work OK.

Thanks.

128x128mapman
tpsonic
1,092 posts
 
Either the co-ax or optical will interface with most DACs.I prefer the co-ax.There are specialty digital cables to experiment with,but in a pinch any standard RCA cable will work.
mapman's avatar
mapman OP
22,341 posts
 
Tpsonic,

Thanks.

Any DAC with a coaxial Digital input will work with any source with digital coax out then?

Any exceptions to look out for?
cerrot's avatar
cerrot
1,700 posts
 
As standard as RCA interconnects; the standard for digital signals (okay, one of them but always a safe bet) is the 75 ohm, spdif connector. (looks like an rca female, but there is only one, usually labeled "digital out"). Rule of thumb is that its a better sound than the optincal "toslink" (tolink looks like a small plastic box, sometimes has a plug in it and transmits light (looks red if you peak in the small box). You connect the dac with a 75 ohm digital cable, not a regular interconnect. The premise is than in your denon, the denon reads the CD (transport section) and than converts from digital to analogue (DAC section), which is outputted through the RCA outputs (left and right). The DAC bypasses the digital to analogue conversion in the Denon to an outboard (hopefully better) converter. It will all work. DACs go by costs and individual preference of sound, techology (upsampling) but most attributed to the quality/make of the chip used in the dac.
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