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Author Topic: The All Purpose Advice Thread  (Read 139949 times)

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shipsupt

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Re: The All Purpose Advice Thread
« Reply #740 on: November 11, 2014, 01:18:10 AM »
Quote from: Claritas on November 11, 2014, 12:07:36 AM
I've used CDPs and I've used DACs but not together. So can I use my Marantz CD6005 as a transport for a DAC? Presumably from one of the digital outs with a cable of some sort?

Will it sound (more or less) the same as just using the DAC?

Thanks.

Yessir.  Basically you're just using the CDP to get the "digits" into the DAC, same as your computer would do... so yeah, you should be "hearing" your DAC.

There are certainly some who will argue about the effects of the CDP in the chain etc... but from a basic principal stand point, you got it!
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Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man.

Darsus

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Re: The All Purpose Advice Thread
« Reply #741 on: November 11, 2014, 01:32:01 AM »
Quote from: Claritas on November 11, 2014, 12:07:36 AM
I've used CDPs and I've used DACs but not together. So can I use my Marantz CD6005 as a transport for a DAC? Presumably from one of the digital outs with a cable of some sort?

Will it sound (more or less) the same as just using the DAC?

Thanks.

Made similar thread, just about using a minidisc recorder. Will you connect it through SPDIF? I don't have it on my laptop, so I'd have to buy an adapter, but it would be still cheaper solution and probably better then most of the cheap DAC/Amps.
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Claritas

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Re: The All Purpose Advice Thread
« Reply #742 on: November 11, 2014, 01:38:22 AM »
Thanks guys. Should I use coax or optical? Which is better, or is there no general rule?

Incidentally, I won a Silverstar 75 cable in a raffle (looks like the one below). So maybe I should just use that. I'm guessing I just connect it coax to coax.

I don't know what I have in mind yet. Right now, I'm looking at the Metrum DACs amongst many others.
« Last Edit: November 11, 2014, 02:08:35 AM by Claritas »
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shipsupt

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Re: The All Purpose Advice Thread
« Reply #743 on: November 11, 2014, 02:14:09 AM »
That coax will work great for you, go for it.

Most folks would say coax>optical...

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Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man.

Anaxilus

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Re: The All Purpose Advice Thread
« Reply #744 on: November 11, 2014, 03:26:32 AM »
Quote from: shipsupt on November 11, 2014, 01:18:10 AM
Yessir.  Basically you're just using the CDP to get the "digits" into the DAC, same as your computer would do... so yeah, you should be "hearing" your DAC.

There are certainly some who will argue about the effects of the CDP in the chain etc... but from a basic principal stand point, you got it!


I'm one of those.  While I would say ship is right your DAC has it's own sound, I've tried more than 12 different transports of varying price points with my PWDmk1>2 and most of them produced their own signature within the DAC's own.  It also depends on which input/output on each device is used and how implemented.

It's not just bits are bits from a CDP to the DAC anymore than every DAC sounds the same cuz bits are bits.  The 'digital' signal from the CDP still gets sent through mostly analog pathways designed to mimic a digital signal to get to the DAC.  That said, your Bach will not turn into Black Sabbath.

If you use an Oppo planar, disregard, they'll all sound the same.
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Byrnie

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Re: The All Purpose Advice Thread
« Reply #745 on: November 11, 2014, 03:44:34 AM »
Quote from: shipsupt on November 11, 2014, 02:14:09 AM
That coax will work great for you, go for it.

Most folks would say coax>optical...


agreed!  If memory serves: Optical is faster but Coax has more bandwidth (please correct me if I'm mistaken)
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Re: The All Purpose Advice Thread
« Reply #746 on: November 11, 2014, 04:43:47 AM »
So I bought a gungnir on ebay.  it has USB, but I don't know if its gen 1 or 2.  If it turns out to be 1, is it a better idea to get a gen 2 board from Schiit, use optical out from my mac, or get something for around $100 that will do USB to BNC?  This is just until Yggdrasil sprouts.
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Claritas

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Re: The All Purpose Advice Thread
« Reply #747 on: November 11, 2014, 04:49:16 AM »
Quote from: Anaxilus on November 11, 2014, 03:26:32 AM
I'm one of those.  While I would say ship is right your DAC has it's own sound, I've tried more than 12 different transports of varying price points with my PWDmk1>2 and most of them produced their own signature within the DAC's own.  It also depends on which input/output on each device is used and how implemented.

It's seems you're saying that adding a DAC would kind of split the difference: the sound wouldn't be the sound of the CDP or the DAC but some combination of the two sounds.

That's OK with me, as a 50% improvement in the source for $750 is worth it. (Of course there's a small chance that the result could sound wonky, but I'm willing to risk it.)
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OJneg

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Re: The All Purpose Advice Thread
« Reply #748 on: November 11, 2014, 06:59:02 AM »
Quote from: Byrnie on November 11, 2014, 03:44:34 AM
Optical is faster but Coax has more bandwidth

This statement in itself doesn't make much sense. Mind posting a reference?
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OJneg

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Re: The All Purpose Advice Thread
« Reply #749 on: November 11, 2014, 07:18:33 AM »
Quote from: Claritas on November 11, 2014, 04:49:16 AM
It's seems you're saying that adding a DAC would kind of split the difference: the sound wouldn't be the sound of the CDP or the DAC but some combination of the two sounds.

That's OK with me, as a 50% improvement in the source for $750 is worth it. (Of course there's a small chance that the result could sound wonky, but I'm willing to risk it.)

You can get very good results by running SPDIF (balanced AES or unbalanced RCA) out of any decent quality CD player into a dedicated DAC. I would consider the Marantz players in that group of quality transports. Ultimately, from my experience, I would deem the transport's effect on SQ to be marginal compared to the differences that can be had between D/A stages.
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