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Confused - what to buy DAC or CD player?

Folks,

I need people's opinions in figuring out my next component - CD player or DAC. Unfortunately, I won't be able to demo the cd players and DACs at one time to do head to head comparisons - so I'm requesting your input.

My current system:

Speakers: Soliloquy 5.0s
AMP: Sim Audio i-5080
Currently using a Toshiba SD 3109 DVD player for a source (but I don't like it).

I'm willing to spend up to $700.

The options I am considering are:
1) Rega Planet 2000 - around 650 used
2) Bel Canto DAC 1.1 - around 650 used
3) Channel Island VDA DAC and VAC P.S - 500 new

The music I listen to includes rock, electronic, classical, r&b, etc.

Please let me know if there are other cd players/DACs that I should consider and/or what you think my best option is and why.

Your help is appreciated.

Thanks
jonnyk
marakanetz's avatar
marakanetz
5,473 posts
 
4)used EAD T100/DSP7000 combo
5)used CAL DELTA/EAD DSP7000
6)Audio Analogue Paganini used

7) You will not like to use your Toshiba DVD player as a transport and still would need to buy a dedicated one for extra bucks.
garfish
1,840 posts
 
It's been my personal experience that the DAC is more important to music quality than the transport, so of the choices you list, I'd go for the Bel Canto DAC-- and maybe later pick up a better transport. Cheers. Craig
mdomnick
332 posts
 
JonnyK I am in the same boat...and have decided this is the best solution...I am going to buy a Jitter control device (looking between Monarchy Audio and Sonic Frontiers) to help control jitter and timing errors, then will purchase an external DA converter. This will pretty much allow you to use any cd player you'd like (I will replace my aging Marantz CC65 changer with another/newer changer).

This may exceed your budget (Monarchy jitter new=$300, and DA converter will be whatever you want to spend, plus $300 for cd changer) but should rival most any cd player.
zaikesman
3,017 posts
 
Just a note regarding Mdomnick's plan for jitterbox/DAC. I own and highly recommend the Monarchy DIP24/96, which sits in between my Theta Pearl and DSPro Basic IIIa. But effective as it is, it does not render meaningless the differences between transports. My Pearl still sounds clearly better than my previous players used as transports, even with the DIP's jitter-cleansing action. (And the whole digital mess sounds even better when fed balanced AC from my recently acquired API Powerwedge Ultra, vs. my older regular version of the same. As usual, everything matters.)
gunbei
2,327 posts
 
I like Craig's advice of getting the DAC first. I once owned the Bel Canto DAC 1.1 and enjoyed. I bought the DAC to use with my Musical Fidelity CD player, then eventually changed to a Theta Pearl transport. I know Bel Canto recommends using a DVD player as a transport, but many people who've owned this DAC had great results pairing it with a CD transport as I did. There are lot's of good DACs out there that can be had at reasonable used prices. Consider also DACs from Audio Note and the discontinued EVS Millenium DACs. Good luck!
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