Burr Brown DAC / DAC Magic / or new budget CD player

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I am currently running my CD player through an Onkyo TX-SR875 paired with Tannoy Sig Revol DC4Ts and until i can afford a higher-end CD & Amp combo (my heart is set on the Cyrus 8se and Cyrus 8vs2) that's the way things are going to stay.

I don't want to pick up a budget stereo amp (i'd rather put the money into my cyrus fund).

My CD player is an old Pioneer PD s505 which is renowned as a bloomin' good transport but the DAC is now woefully outdated.

Here's a quandary that i find myself in:

Do I invest in a best optical cable i can afford and allow the Onkyo's Burr Brown DAC to perform the processing from the PD s505,

or add a DAC magic to the PD s505,

or ditch the old girl and pick up a new budget CD player (Cambridge Azur 640c, Marantz C6002) and connect with good quality analogue audio interconnects?

Any suggestions or comments are greatly appreciated.

 

[Anonymous]

I'd leave things as they are. If the sound hasn't deteriorated, just wait and save. If you want to try the DAC in your amp, buy a cheap optical cable, since all optical cables, unless there's a manufacturing fault, are created equal.

 

[Anonymous]

I have a 875 which has really benefited from fitting a 500va BT mains conditioning unit to it.

So much that I believe to be on par now with a good quality stereo amp. For what you can pick them up for that's where I would spend my money 1st.

PS I have invited round next Sunday Jasefox who has a very good system himself to review mine and give an honest assessment.

 

[Anonymous]

trevor79:I have a 875 which has really benefited from fitting a 500va BT mains conditioning unit to it.

So much that I believe to be on par now with a good quality stereo amp. For what you can pick them up for that's where I would spend my money 1st.

PS I have invited round next Sunday Jasefox who has a very good system himself to review mine and give an honest assessment.

Trevor, does adding the main conditioning unit alone turn the receiver into a good quality stereo amp? I was under the impression you'd done considerably more than that to your system, and spent considerably more.

By the way, will you conduct the review in stereo only?

 

[stephennic]

Hi,

I think for the price the dacmagic would be a good buy - it certaintly would be better than the 640c v2 or 6002. It sound quality would be up around the 740c or 840c. I had a lend of an old dacmagic and it even improved my marantz cd63se and was far more natural sounding than the 640c v2.

All the best.

Cheers,

Steve.

 

[Anonymous]

Tarquinh:
trevor79:I have a 875 which has really benefited from fitting a 500va BT mains conditioning unit to it.

So much that I believe to be on par now with a good quality stereo amp. For what you can pick them up for that's where I would spend my money 1st.

PS I have invited round next Sunday Jasefox who has a very good system himself to review mine and give an honest assessment.

Trevor, does adding the main conditioning unit alone turn the receiver into a good quality stereo amp? I was under the impression you'd done considerably more than that to your system, and spent considerably more.

By the way, will you conduct the review in stereo only?

Yes I have done other things as well to my system, but with regards to the 875 whilst it is fed off a dedicated spur with a excellent 'True Earth' it is only put through one of the BT Units (with the plugs hard wired) off a kettle lead. Fitting a Russ Andrews Classic Mains lead made not one jot of difference, which just goes to show how good these BT units are!
I had intended to do further internal modes to the 875, but have shelved them as the interaction between the power supply side and the Pre Amp sections is virtually non existent.

I am quite happy for Jase to listen to the system on any setting he wants, we will be watching films as well. The 3 dimensionality is the same on them all on music. From the Front 3 speakers and Sub what really is effected is the spread of sound throughout the room that makes it not as localised to one listening area. The sub of course gives a deeper range.

 

[Gerrardasnails]

Black Crow King:
I am currently running my CD player through an Onkyo TX-SR875 paired with Tannoy Sig Revol DC4Ts and until i can afford a higher-end CD & Amp combo (my heart is set on the Cyrus 8se and Cyrus 8vs2) that's the way things are going to stay.

I don't want to pick up a budget stereo amp (i'd rather put the money into my cyrus fund).

My CD player is an old Pioneer PD s505 which is renowned as a bloomin' good transport but the DAC is now woefully outdated.

Here's a quandary that i find myself in:

Do I invest in a best optical cable i can afford and allow the Onkyo's Burr Brown DAC to perform the processing from the PD s505,

or add a DAC magic to the PD s505,

or ditch the old girl and pick up a new budget CD player (Cambridge Azur 640c, Marantz C6002) and connect with good quality analogue audio interconnects?

Any suggestions or comments are greatly appreciated.

As every regular will know, I love the DacMagic but I agree with Trevor on this one. Unless you are going to modify the 875 in some way a la Trev79, I don't think it's good enough to get the best out of the DM. I would therefore wait until you have more money or wait for the independent review of Trev's efforts from Jase!! Not saying you don't have a good ear Trev but it will be nice to hear from someone else about it as well.

 

[Anonymous]

Yes, and I will ensure Jase has no artificial enhancements whilst auditioning. (like hearing aids)

He is bringing *** Nobs AND Jaffa cakes and his (No Doubt) lovely partner along to soften me up. I am sure the ladies will get on, but they might want to go off and chat until we put a good film on.

We will see.

Gerrard, with the Burr Brown DAC's in the 875 they are as good as anything if given a clean feed. The BT unit does that for them.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the advice.

I think i'll be sticking with the PD s505 and using the 875's Burr Brown DAC.

However do you really believe that any optical cable is as good as the next? Surely better cables will reduce jitter, data loss and interference. Just because the data being transmitted is digital doesn't mean that it's immune to these things!?

On a side note i'm going to be replacing my power cables with Clearer Audio cables, do you think there is that much of a step up between the Clearer Audio copper-line alpha and the original more expensive Clearer Audio copper-line?