Which is better: Transport+DAC or PC system+DAC

Hi Emigene,

You have a nice system. I would agree with you that the MSB Diamond DAC IV with the Galaxy Femto clock is better sonically than the the DCS Scarlatti digital stack as I have done the head to head comparison. As for the question of a transport versus some type of music server I would suggest the following. If you do go with the MSB Diamond DAC IV then I would recommend that you go with the top line MSB Signature transport and Signature transport power base. Doing this allows you take advantage of MSB's Pro I2s input between the transport and dac as well as the clock sync function between the DAC and transport. This will give you the best possible sound that MSB has to offer. MSB's USB input (if you use a server of some type) is very good but it won't match using their transport and taking advantage of the clock sync). And with the MSB transport you can play redbook CD's plus hi-rez PCM downloads (just burn them to a DVD as .WAV files).

Arnie

FWIW, Elberoth has done a shootout between S/PDIF converters using a dCS DAC and using the dCS transport as his reference (index score 100). He found all converters to underperform the transport, until the arrival of the berkely audio design (BADA) converter, which bested the dCS transport.

Then, in a different shootout he compared the BADA converter into an MSB dac with ist USB input and prefered the USB input (as well as the MSB DAC over the dCS). One could make the inference that the best digital money can buy is USB direct into the MSB Diamond + Femto. All very systems dependent of course and preferences may vary.

In any event, if the difference between a $2K USB converter, USB direct (a $1,6000 option) and a $20K tranport is splitting hairs, the preference for computer based is obviously. Throw in the convenience of having your collection at your fingertips on an iPad and it is a no brainer really.

Just one man's opinion..

Hi Personally, I am into SACD listening. Nearly 100% SACD. Anything else I listen to vinyl. I think SACD is where the dCS shines above all...

I'll get to listen to the dCS Vivaldi soon...by all accounts this is a big step up...

I have heard the MSB set up on 2 occasions...both with Rockport speakers...it is certainly a killer digital front end...one had a pre amp, the other the MSB DAC went straight the amps...

If SACD isn't what you're listening to..the choices do open up a lot...

My experience was with red-book, not sacd.
Since other formats came up, blu-ray is significantly better than the other digital formats I know assuming an originally hi def recording.
Unfortunately not much choice...

The PC and DAC.

I have been privy to extensive comparisons between the two and PC as source is IMHO, and the opinion of most of those involved in those comparisons as well, the PC is easily better.

A test track we used for that comparison was Dianna Krall - A Case Of You. Via the PC you could hear the foot pedals on the piano and the piano was clearly less distorted. The Transports we used was a Wadia, heavily upgraded Msarantz that was battery powered and used I2S, Stello I2S transport and some other stuff I can't recall.

I also need to point out while this was the view of the majority of people some thought the computer had a digital edge to it. I personally couldn't detect it.

Also check out:
http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f6-dac-digital-analog-conversion/state-art-cd-transports-vs-usb-spdif-converter-shootout-15193/

Thanks
Bill