bel canto dac 3 cd 2 owners

I don't think it I'll hurt at all...

Good Luck with the upgrade if you should go that route. We're just looking out for your best interest regarding the above suggestions. You're right the DAC3 plays high resolution files, and it's very close to 24Bit/192kHz resolution.

I have a very large CD collection too, and I burned all of them using Apple Lossless Codecs into iTunes, on my MacPro desktop which is upstairs in my home office. So, it's actually not hooked up to my rig at all, nor is it on the same floor. I'm using a Logitech Transporter to stream the music to the Living Room Rig, using wired ethernet over powerline protocol in my house.

Even with redbook CD's it's great having a music streamer. I compared the Transporter to a $25,000 MBL Transport, and although the MBL barely won, it was closer than you would think. Compared to my trusty old Sony 9000ES transport there was no difference, as a matter of fact I actually prefer the sound out of the Transporter using the AES/EBU cable to the MBL DAC, because the Sony doesn't have the AES/EBU pro-link.

It goes without saying that most high-end transports can only store one disc at a time, and a music server can store an unlimited amount of CD's at your finger tips. If you have that many CD's then you will really appreciate loading an entire album from the remote control, I actually listen to much more music now compared to the old way of finding one CD at a time. Not to mention playlists, and favorites, and playing random genres of your entire CD Collection. I also have 2 squeezebox's throughout my house that can sync all of the same music in every room. The artwork shows up on the remote too.

I would not compromise the sound, ever..., however the sound is as perfect as redbook CD playbook could be, using the most expensive digital playback equipment on the Planet.

Rich

Chrissain:
The information that I was trying to convey to you is that there are, by far, more, effective ways to spend $2,000. I am familiar with the Bel Canto DAC 3 and CD 2 - great gear. In reality, those devices are already behind the proverbial curve compared to what has recently become available. For $2,000 plus your DAC, you can acquire the new Perfect Wave DAC from PS Audio - which is in a different league altogether. You don't have to use that DAC with a server, but it will be upgradable to operate as a server if you want to spend another $500 when the forthcoming Bridge device becomes available later this year. I can assure you that $2,000 spent on a power supply upgrade will not net you the advancement in performance that you can achieve by doing some more research. This is a forum designed to benefit its members. My post is meant to help you make a well-informed decision, not to deride your tactical plans or your gear.

thanks for the ideas, I do not think you were puting my gear or anything else for that matter. I would like to know why you think the ps audio dac is better, or league all together, the bel canto was the best measuring dac stereophile has ever tried. i know that measurments dont tell the whole story, but i have put the belcanto up against some very expesive competition , and prefered the belcanto. another thing about me, i like to keep gear for a while, I dont like constantly changing my system. my cd2 and dac 3 are less than two years old, which I consider new. thanks for the input, chris

one more thing, the only time that I have heard apple lossless, was through the wadia ipod dock into the dac three, in direct head to head comparisons the cd2 playing the same cuts that was burned to the I pod , the apple lossless lost badly, it was not even close , the old fashioned transport won hands down. thanks, chris

Hi Chris:

I have taken a interest in this thread and found like yourself a similar path had developed with me, so I took the opportunity to view all the recent correspondence.

I have always felt traditional Red CD could not be replaced by streaming until I experimented with the Squeeze box. I also tried the wadia 170i dock with a tri-vista 21 DAC and found the sound thin and differently not up to my Mark Levinson 37 transport output to my tri-vista 21.

However a Squeeze box 3 digital output to my tri-vista 21 with a upgraded P/S by Andrew Ross, the sound is very close and so close that I fell it does not justify me investing any more into Red book cd format. I tried many cd transports including Wadia.

I am in the process of upgrading my music server to a Logitech Transporter which I am support to receive today.

Whenever I want to spin a disc I will continue to enjoy my Vinyl set-up.

Good luck with your decision.

enjoy music!