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Can a PC match the quality of the best CD players?

Okay, if an audiophile CD player can run you anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000, how do you build a PC that is in the same league? With the audiophile CD players you have to figure that every part of them is maximized to be the best that it can be: Transport, circuit designs, DACs, power supply, signal path, power cable...

How can a PC compete when you're stuck buying consumer grade CD burners, power supplies, motherboards etc.? Even if they are the most expensive that you can find. Is there a way to build a PC that rivals a $5,000 CD player? Of course you can add an audiophile power cable to your PC, but I have to believe that it's just throwing good money after bad when you consider the rest of the non-audiophile components used (and non-audiophile components are the only ones available as far as I know).

Does anyone know the answer to this? I know that the better CD players use great DAC's, but I am not so concerned with that as I use an RME sound card which is indeed a beautiful sounding converter. But I can't help wondering about the rest of the machine... What separates this $1000 computer from a $5000 CD player???
studioray
audioengr
3,282 posts
 
"How can a PC compete when you're stuck buying consumer grade CD burners, power supplies, motherboards etc.? Even if they are the most expensive that you can find. Is there a way to build a PC that rivals a $5,000 CD player?"

Certainly, infact, it will beat your $5K transport. Read this article for more info:
http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue22/nugent.htm
eandylee
124 posts
 
the HUSH PC looks nice... sort of what I was looking for... but the price is little too steep for me...

I just picked up a refurbished Dell 5150 from dell.com for $500 and it is pretty quiet. Looks ok with the new silver case.

harrya
8 posts
 
Thought I would chime in on this one...

In most "cheaper" PCs on the market, there are three cables coming from a DVD/CD drive in a computer; "general data", a "left/right analog" and a "digital" cable.

Therefore it is my experience and understanding that if you play a CD directly from the drive the signal passes over the "digital" cable which is a VERY poor grade cable that connects directly to the sound card on the computer.

However, if you "rip" the CD to the computer's hard drive first and then play the file off of the hard drive, you should and do get a better sound as it does not transfer over the poor quality "digital" cable from the DVD/CD drive.

Anyway, give it a try. I have noticed far better sound from the hard drive compared to the DVD/CD drive directly.

On a side note, the fans in computers and such really do destroy the audio quality. I have upgraded my HTPC to a fanless system entirely and it sounds much better.
edesilva
768 posts
 
If you are looking for a fanless solution that is really dedicated, or near dedicated, for audio, look at the Serener ITX PCs. With the NEC spinpoint drive, its dead quiet (that doesn't give you a huge amount of storage, but its networked to a 1TB Buffalo terastation in a remote location. I'm using one and my only complaint is that the blue LED on the front is like a friggin' laser.

http://www.logicsupply.com/product_info.php/cPath/49/products_id/372
semi
649 posts
 
Coffee_nudge,

Doesn't your Wadia have digital input? If yes, you should feed your computer data to Wadia to see if Bel Canto is the limiting factor and feedback to us. I am very interested in computer based audio system and willing to spend money on a good DAC if the end result is worthwhile.
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