CD players, Streamers and DACS

samudavid

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Hi again,

I'm trying to buy my first HIFI system. I'm pretty sure about the Marantz PM6005 ampifier that everyone seems to love, but I'm not as sure about the source. I only have money to buy one source, maybe in the future another one...

At first I was sure about buying CD 6005 which also seems to be really nice, but them I knew about the streamers or network players like Marantz NA7004 (now discontinued) or Pioneer N50. Right now, about 99% of my music library is only in digital format, in a hard disk. I also love the posibility of listening to Internet radio stations of the streamers.The question:

Should I buy the CD player (which has a USB input) or should I buy the streamer?

I'm loking for a good sound quality (within my budget) so for me the main reason to buy the CD is the sound quality of the DAC but I'm not sure if is actually better.

Piooner N50 has a great review on WhatHifi but Marantz is going to launch NA8005 in a few months and it sounds like a good choice.

In other terms, PM6005 has a built-in DAC. The shop assitant told me that the one in the CD is much better that the one in the CD player, but in the Marantz's datasheet both of them are the same model!!! the CS4398 from Cirrus Logic. I don't know if additional hardware makes better the circuitry of the CD player but it seems that there is the same that you'll find in the amplifier. So now, the question is

Why to invest a lot of money in a good CD player if any cheap source with digital output throught the amplifier's DAC should sound the same?

Thanks a lot in advance!

Best regards!
 

matt49

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If you've decided on the PM6005, then you could invest a small sum in a USB to SPDIF converter and run your PC/Mac/NAS straight into the amp. If that gives you the sound quality you want, then you've saved a wodge of cash.

If you don't like it, you're only out of pocket to the tune of beer money.

:cheers:

Matt
 

slice

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I tend to agree with this. The chip in the cd player is the same as the one in the amp. I believe. On another thread it has been mentioned that the amp and cd player are both rated highly in revieews in hifi choice this month- perhaps worth reading to check if they rate the built in dac in the amp as being good.

Another option would be to buy a rotel amp, they have a usb input.
 

lilneige

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I kind of feel that, NAD D7050 or Marantz M-CR610 might be very interesting options for the op. Both has about the same power output as PM6005 to drive the speakers, and already built-in streaming capability. If you already purchased PM6005 than I will choose a streamer, since we can always rip the CD into files.
 

samudavid

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Thanks a lot for the answers!

I didn't know about de CR610 and it looks very nice. The only question is if the sound quality is similar to the one with the PM 6005. I haven't found anything regarding the exact DAC chip that uses.

I've been researching in the forum and I reached the concluion that the differences between the DACs of the CD6005 and PM6005 are too small to be noticed. My dealer could let me try the devices at home so I'll make a test with CD6005 and a cheap old dvd player with digital output to compare the results.

Regards
 

9713iw

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Hi

Dont know if this is anyhelp but I got a Cambridge Audio DacMagic which I plugged inbetween my music dedicated laptop and into my cyrus amp and it works great. It costs £100 plus what ever you like for a lead from the DacMagic to your amp. You may be able to get that and a decent CD player and you will have the best of both worlds.

Iain
 

amcluesent

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>99% of my music library is only in digital format, in a hard disk<

I'd look at a 2nd hand Sonos ZP80, it's DAC is OK so you can try it or S/PDIF into the amp. Bear in mind the amp is a limiting factor at £299!
 

slice

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samudavid said:
Thanks a lot for the answers!

I didn't know about de CR610 and it looks very nice. The only question is if the sound quality is similar to the one with the PM 6005. I haven't found anything regarding the exact DAC chip that uses.

I've been researching in the forum and I reached the concluion that the differences between the DACs of the CD6005 and PM6005 are too small to be noticed. My dealer could let me try the devices at home so I'll make a test with CD6005 and a cheap old dvd player with digital output to compare the results.

Regards

I would be very interested to hear your opinion after doing this test. The recent HiFi Choice review suggested that the DAC chip and processing in the cd player and the amp were the same.
 

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