The title is:"There's No Such Thing As Digital..."

You probably think about oversampling and that is different. Pretty much every CDP contains PLL. It can be used straight just to suppress jitter providing stable clock (by means of averaging) or can be used to create oversampling. Such oversampling is done by comparing in phase detector incoming stream to divided down frequency of higher frequency internal clock. Because this division is integer these oversampling DACs always operate on multiples of incoming frequency while upsampling DACs can work on pretty much any non-integer ratio. Usually PLL is inserted somewhere. Even asynchronous rate converter based DACs (upsampling DACs) like my Benchmark have some form of PLL to make signal stable enough for upsampling. Such PLL is fast responding and single stage while most of CDPs have dual stage PLL that operates at different time constants.

So it seems there's more than enough room on the head of this pin for everyone to dance on.

One can go on for great lengths citing this and that but in the end, using my own ears, I've yet to hear a PC system easily trounce a really good CDP. The caveat in my belief is that I've only heard these PC setups at audio shows and later on read how great they were but they didn't sound any better than a great CDP setup.

Yes, it was fun to observe and oh my, look at the convenience and look, there's my entire library on a screen for me to have access to, .....

All the best,
Nonoise

"I've yet to hear a PC system easily trounce a really good CDP."

Really good is really good no matter how you get there.

I've heard lots of really good players for reference and think my current PC music server based system is really good in comparison as well.

It's hard to say that any really good digital setup would trounce another one I think if both are played in the same system. Where significant differences are heard, I suspect personal preferences would be the main determining factor.

"You probably think about oversampling and that is different. Pretty much every CDP contains PLL."

This is why I don't use or recommend CD players anymore. There are a few that are computer-based that might be okay, depending on the clock quality etc.

"Even asynchronous rate converter based DACs (upsampling DACs) like my Benchmark have some form of PLL to make signal stable enough for upsampling."

I probably have 100 modded DAC1's out in the field. I know it well.

"Usually PLL is inserted somewhere."

Not in the best DACs. The jitter of a free-running clock will always beat a PLL.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

"I've yet to hear a PC system easily trounce a really good CDP."

If you buy the USB DAC du-jour, you will not get there either. It takes a bit of work, including selection of the best computer platform (not a "music server"), the best playback software and ripper and the lowest jitter USB converter or DAC with USB interface. All of these things are doable and there are plenty of recommendations out there.

It is not cheap though. In order to compete with for example the dCS Vivaldi, you have to spend at least $10K on the computer, USB interface, DAC, power supplies, cables and software.

The good news is that spending $5K on a CDP will not get you the SQ of spending the same $5K on computer and DAC IME.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio