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To upgrade cd player?? The slippery slope?

Hi, I got sucked in to this audio game quite by mistake while looking through the public library for info on setting up a car stereo. Sidetracked by "Good Sound" by Dearborn?.
Bought some components over E-bay, and had a pre-amp given to me, and my music listening is changed dramatically. I think the real culpret is the Magnum-dynalab ft-11 tuner. Whereas I used to listen mostly to tapes and a few cd's, now its all about the radio. My limited taste in music has been stretched. I'm listening to a jazz, blues, classical, rock-- virtually anything played on the 3 good non-comercial stations in my area. Even the musical interludes on "All Things Considered" on NPR is fun for the ears, wheras it used to just make me mad and impatient. I've had the system about a year, and I've started to collect a few more cds.

But to get to the point.

This is a budjet system to be sure, and some will want me to upgrade in more directions, but I'd like my cd's to sound at least as good as the radio, and that is not the case. At least, not as engaging and fun. To spend $800 on a Jolida jd100 (for instance) would be more than twice what I have invested in my costliest component.

So here is the list:

pre= dyna pas 3
amp= carver tfm-6cb (65w@8ohms, 100w@4ohms)
speakers= spica tc-50
tuner= magnum-dynalab ft-11
**cdp= onkyo integra dx-7500 (1989, 18-bit, 8xsample)
**tape= nakamichi cr2a
interconnects= kimber pbj w/radio-shack gold plate term.
sp cables= kimber 4tcx5'

** components left over from previous system

So ??? buy the Jolida? Or a used dac? Or live with what I have? Or other sugestions?

Thanks, Aloha

Miser lee
windsup03a8
steuspeed's avatar
steuspeed
501 posts
 
Great move on the Audio Note Dac! How would you discribe the improvement over the Onkyo DA?

I am sure the Dynaco is a big change from the Carver.

It's pretty tough to beat Kimber pbj for budget cables. I finally moved mine out for some TMC Yellow's on my pre-amp to Amp. They are made out of a copper tube, so they essentially need to be bent into shape. They gave me a blacker back ground so more detail can be heard everywhere. Bass weight and ease was also improved.
miser_lee
7 posts
 
Steu,

One of the first things I noticed with the AN-dac was a mental time warp. The music seemed to be slowed down, ( though of course it wasn't, same transport). The feeling I got was that my mind was slowing down to pick up on the additional music.

With the AN-dac, I can listen to cd's as long as I please, but with the Onkyo's da, 2 or 3 songs was enough.

I just tried the Onkyo's da again, and it sounds like it should sound good, but doesn't, if that makes sense.
Accuracy?, timing? The difference is huge but strangely subliminal at the same time.
sstark
63 posts
 
Your ears are telling you but you're not listening. The stupendous Magnum tuner and the uncompressed public radio stations mean you've heard the magic of analog. You need a cheap used turntable and a trip to your local Goodwiil store for the best sounding and least expensive media --75 cent LP's-classical, rock, blues, folk....
miser_lee
7 posts
 
sstark,

I agree that magnum-dynalab tuner and a good radio signal can be tough to beat.

As for vynal, its just not convenient at this time. But the stack of records is still in the parents attic. Someday maybe.

I grew up on analog, though not high end, and it always satisfied. However, I suspect that even on public radio, acryllic is spun more frequently than vynal . But I have wondered whether some of the "live" recorded broadcasts are saved in analog or digital format. Anyone know?

What I meant to say about the AN dac is that it has greatly increased the present listenability of cds.
pmi_guy
72 posts
 
Miser,
You have discovered the slippery slope. I started with a very-used Dynaco pre-amp, beat-up power amp, etc. My advice is to pick a certain "level" that you apsire to. Then buy components at that level. For instance, don't spend $1000 on a high-detail, spacious sounding cd player if the rest of your components will be at a "budget" level.

Once you pick a level, research the choices here on Audiogon. Buying used means you can re-sell at very little loss if you want something different. Good choices in the $250 - $350 range might be Rotel, Cambridge Audio or Cal Icon, all of which should sound as good as your FM tuner. For a little more, you might consider an Arcam Alpha 9 (which I have and like a lot). For a little more, the new Jolida would be a good choice. Don't buy the older Jolida. It has a reputation for reliability problems.

Enjoy!
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