CD Player? Really?

[admin_exported]

Hi everyone!

I'm pretty new to all this Hi-Fi stuff and I've been wondering how much of a difference a CD player makes? I've got a Denon receiver (DRA-500AE) and a couple of Dali Ikon 6 in stereo, and everything sounds lovely from my iPhone dock, but I know people who say that a CD player makes a huuuge difference. Is that true?

 

[ear]

it all depends on the quality of the recording and the cd player used

 

[Anonymous]

Well, if the quality of the recording is as I'm used to, would it sound better with a CD player?

 

[matengawhat]

do you listen to cds or your iphone the most?

 

[idc]

It is not as simple as CDP vs dock. You can connect an iphone to a hifi by various means;

- a standard dock taking an analogue signal to the amp

- a digital dock such as the Onkyo which sends a digital signal to a DAC and then analogue to the amp

- dont use the iphone at all and connect the PC to the amp (either with an anlogue cable or digital to DAC and then to amp) and listen to itunes straight from the PC.

Then there is the matter of what bit rate your music files are at and if you use an ipod/phone, what its EQ is set at. All of the above can mean either your iphone sounds worse than a CDP, or better, depending also on the CDP and it qualities.

 

[matengawhat]

was going to take him down that route after he answered which he used most - also interesting to know if he has a dvd or blu ray player for spinning discs and if so how its connected to the amp ect as could use either and the dac in the processor and that would prob be as good as his iphone/computer and digital dock to same dac in processor

 

[Anonymous]

I use the ipod dock most and it's connected to the amp with an analogue signal.

The only thing I have which spins discs (apart from my PC obviously) is a PS3.

 

[matengawhat]

i suggest converting your music to at least lossless and buying a digital dock like the onkyo nd s1 instead of the cdp

or do you have a wireless home network to connect you pc to ps3 and use the digital out in that although will have to convert your music cat if stored in itunes as lossless as don't think the ps3 can use lossless

 

[idc]

Khaine775, have you a budget in mind? Matengawhats suggestion is about £180 once you have got cables.

 

[Anonymous]

I was actually thinking about a budget of about 200£.

 

[matengawhat]

forget that not sure that denon has any digital inputs - how old is it?

 

[Anonymous]

It's a few years. I'm quite sure it hasn't got any digital inputs.

But that Onkyo nd s1. Does it support iPhone as well? I've been looking at some docks recently, and only very few of them supports iPhone for some reason.

 

[matengawhat]

forget the onkyo then for that money as you would need to buy a dac as well - sorry was thinking a different amp model till googled it

i think we need to look at this differently - what do you want to achieve as best solution now could be a stand alone cdp or spending £200 on a dac magic and using the ps3 or a dvd player as a source or buying a new amp?

the sepakers are great a better source or amp would make them sing

 

[Anonymous]

I was hoping to find out whether or not a CD player could improve my sound quality when compared to my current dock which doesn't do much more than simply connect the iPhone with the amp.

I've been thinking about a new amp, but was hoping that a CD player could give a cheaper boost.

 

[matengawhat]

in that case a £200 cdp player will sound a lot better however if your saying all your music is on a computer and you use that the most do you still buy and plays cds or download music?

 

[Anonymous]

I buy most of my music digitally off iTunes or Amazon.

 

[matengawhat]

in that case a cdp is faulse economy for you - i would keep digital and buy a dac and use either the ps3 or computer as your source - do you have a wireless home network?

 

[matengawhat]

how techie are you? sorry not sure but to make it easier do you know what a dac is - wireless home network ect

 

[Anonymous]

I have a wireless network, yes

And I know what a dac is as well but not anymore than that.

I'm techie in certain areas, but I know quite a lot more about PCs than about hifi

 

[matengawhat]

cool sorry thought would ask - do you use your ps3 currently as a media streamer or just for games?

 

[Anonymous]

Just for games and watching blu-ray movies.

 

[matengawhat]

are you interested in streaming your music wirelessly? is your computer in same room as your hi fi?

 

[Anonymous]

If it's a good solution then I am.

 

[matengawhat]

i will let others comment on this but the best/cheapest solution i would say it to use the ps3 as a media player taking the optical out to a dac like the dac magic (there are other similar priced options vdac for example) and then straight in to your amp. If the computer is in the same room we can go direct from that if you wish

you would also need a lead to go from the ps3/computer to the dac and a pair of interconnects from the dac to the amp

if you want once the dac is bought you can then go down the squeezbox, air port express, apple tv route ect - lots of options open to you and that would give you the best sound for pound investment for your setup

 

[Anonymous]

Alright I'll look into it. Thanks a bunch for your advice!