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I need help - Better DAC or NEW CD player?

I am in the middle of purchasing some components for my new system, unfortunately, reading posts on a rainy night on Audigon only makes my "upgradeatitis" syndrom more acute.

The problem is that some time ago, I bought a squeezebox Duet, to use as transport for lossless files. The idea obviously was to get a good DAC to go along with it.

The one I was almost set on was the Dacmagic, which gets very good reviews here and almost everywhere you look. But, on the other hand, I am willing to spend a little more......Now, the thing is my current CD player is a Rotel RCD 1072, and was wondering whether this Dacmagic would give me any improvements if I use the rotel as a transport for it.

Or, I could get for example a Wyred DAC or a Benchmark DAC1 and use the Rotel for transport, but I dont know the limits of the Rotel as transport alone, I dont want to spend 600 more bucks on a better DAC to be fed with 2 "not so good" transports (the Duet and the Rotel).

So I am kinda stuck!! On the other hand I am contemplating getting the Dacmagic to use only for the Duet, and getting a new better CD player altogether, which puts me into another doubt, I dont know if the little money I can for the rotel + lets say 1000 more will really give me any improvements in the system if I purchase a whole new CD player since the Rotel is said to be very capable.

FWIW my amp will be a W4S STI500 and speakers are B&W 803D.

Let me know what you think about this and your suggestions on what you would do.... thanks in advance for all your help!
demianm
demianm OP
18 posts
 
Knownothing,

Which other CD player except the Raysonic would you recommend at this price point ($1000)?

Does anyone happen to know if it is possible to use the 840C with both outputs (unbalanced and balanced) wired to the amp? I would like to be able to stuff my tube buffer in between the amp and CD/DAC to be able to improve the sound of MP3 playback, but use the balanced output for regular CD playing.
Ag insider logo xs@2x
knownothing
1,571 posts
 
That has the capability to act as an external DAC for other sources if necessary, or just a good $1000 +/- CD player?
demianm OP
18 posts
 
For just as good, I´d rather get the 840C. I mean a really better one!
Ag insider logo xs@2x
knownothing
1,571 posts
 
??? A really better one? The 840C is better. Nothing for $1000 is better, or likely just as good.

The DACs I directed you to earlier are "really better" than the Rotel, but they cost $2K to $2.5K.

I can think of other CD players for about $1500 that are better than the Rotel - like the Naim CD5i or the Moon CD1, but in about the same league or perhaps not as sophisticated as the 840C.

"Really better" for $1000 is "really" tough.

Good luck
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,093 posts
 
You might get a different and perhaps "better" sound with different sounding DACs at that price but nothing clearly better in a player IMHO.

I have been very satisfied with both mhdt DACs I run ( SS constantine and tubed Paradisea). These can be had used for much less than a new 840c. They both work extremely well with the all the modest sources I drive them with ($400 Marantz DVD, $600 Denon recorder/player, Roku Soundbridge network players).

The differences in sound between SS and tube mhdt DACs are quite significant, as are the tube Paradisea with different tubes. Which one sounds best would largely be determined by personal taste, the rest of the system and to some extent possibly kinds of music listened to.
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