noob DAC question

All cd players have a built in dac to generate an analog output. Some cd players allow you to bypass the dac and use the cd player as a transport to feed an outboard dac. If there is no dac involved you will not get any sound
Alan

By definition a CD Player always incorporates a DAC. If there is no DAC, then such a component would not be a CD Player, rather, it would be a CD Transport. In other words, CD Player = CD Transport + DAC. Given CD source material, one needs a DAC somewhere between the CD transport and the amplifier. The DAC you use could be the DAC in a CD player, or a standalone DAC, or a DAC incorporated in a preamplfier. So if you have a CD Player then you do not need a standalone DAC; however, it is not uncommon to use a standalone DAC even when a CD Player is available if one feels the DAC in the CD Player isn't good enough.

If you have a choice allways buy a seperate amplifier,I donot care for dac included in amp for it is limited ,buy the best Dac you can afford.the dac is what will dictate in part tonal balance, detail,it is First before going to a preamplifier ,receiver you Cannot make up for detail later,once it is lost it is gone. That is why I try to buy the best dac I can afford if building a digital
Library ,buy a Big external drive 2 terabyte is so great value.seperate power supply is better - plug in less noise.
Wav files are best totally uncompressed,flac is second. My uncle is a recording engineer with over 30 years in the field. The new DSD downloads
Are tops, if you are buying a new dac you are better off waiting to buy a new dac with DSD capabilities for it is becoming more popular by the week.
And sacd is a DSD recording.Apple format can be converted to wav or flac files,the most accurate program around $40is DB Poweramp which accurately rips cds to digital files, and will convert any file format
Essential for any quality playback.

You are probably looking at CD players with digital inputs. In this case their
DAC is used to play audio files from a computer source.

Got it. Thanks for opening my eyes. Hadn't even really thought about the possibility of replicating CD's on my HD in a way other than ripping at a max of 192Kbps through Media Player. But of course you can. Hell, that's really the ticket - a 1000 CD changer equivalent at your fingertips.

thanks again - now i have lots to think about lol.