DACMagic vs Primare

[John Duncan]

Yeah if it doesn't Just Work© then it can turn into a bit of a long night...

 

[chebby]

Well this should be interesting.

I have tried my USB DAC in not only my own system but a friend's too. (iMac early 2007 Intel and Primare I30 with JM Focal Chorus 716s and Rega Apollo).

Despite only being a USB DAC, we have both heard enough in our respective systems to make our plans for the future without a CD player.

He is going to get the DacMagic and connect to the iMac with optical (and to the I30 with balanced XLRs) and then sell his Apollo and, (in the longer term) I am going to upgrade to something like the Benchmark DAC1 Pre with a modest power amp (Arcam, Rega, Rotel... not sure which yet) and a Denon FM/DAB tuner with optical output.

So John, whatcha gonna do if the iMac + DacMagic equals (or exceeds) the performance of your Primare CDP when using lossless files?

 

[John Duncan]

Then I'm going to get an iPod Touch for use as a remote and use the AE/DM combo instead of my CD player, which may be sold or may be left in situ in case my wife objects (she likes the CD In Drawer thing going on, and let's face it a) it didn't cost much and b) it looks cool).

 

[Ajani]

chebby:Well this should be interesting.

I have tried my USB DAC in not only my own system but a friend's too. (iMac early 2007 Intel and Primare I30 with JM Focal Chorus 726V's and Rega Apollo).

Despite only being a USB DAC, we have both heard enough in our respective systems to make our plans for the future without a CD player.

He is going to get the DacMagic and connect to the iMac with optical (and to the I30 with balanced XLRs) and then sell his Apollo and, (in the longer term) I am going to upgrade to something like the Benchmark DAC1 Pre with a modest power amp (Arcam, Rega, Rotel... not sure which yet) and a Denon FM/DAB tuner with optical output.

So John, whatcha gonna do if the iMac + DacMagic equals (or exceeds) the performance of your Primare CDP when using lossless files?

The Benchmark DAC1 Pre gets my vote of approval....

 

[Ajani]

JohnDuncan:Then I'm going to get an iPod Touch for use as a remote and use the AE/DM combo instead of my CD player, which may be sold or may be left in situ in case my wife objects (she likes the CD In Drawer thing going on, and let's face it a) it didn't cost much and b) it looks cool).

Sounds like you should have a nice music server up and running pretty soon... There's nothing quite like ditching CD for a music server... I made the switch a few years ago and haven't looked back...

 

[Gerrardasnails]

JohnDuncan:Then I'm going to get an iPod Touch for use as a remote and use the AE/DM combo instead of my CD player, which may be sold or may be left in situ in case my wife objects (she likes the CD In Drawer thing going on, and let's face it a) it didn't cost much and b) it looks cool).

I'm loving the fact that you might (will) keep the Primare as an ornament! Fair play JD.

 

[chebby]

Ajani:The Benchmark DAC1 Pre gets my vote of approval....

Yes, expensive, but it is a genuine (and good) pre-amp as well as being exemplary with USB. Plus it has an analogue (RCA phono) input for my turntable which is NOT being dropped!

(Oh yeah, it is a world class headphone amp too.)

 

[John Duncan]

Gerrardasnails:JohnDuncan:Then I'm going to get an iPod Touch for use as a remote and use the AE/DM combo instead of my CD player, which may be sold or may be left in situ in case my wife objects (she likes the CD In Drawer thing going on, and let's face it a) it didn't cost much and b) it looks cool).

I'm loving the fact that you might (will) keep the Primare as an ornament! Fair play JD.

Well it was 212 quid after all, and there may be an occasion when it would get used ad hoc.

 

[Ajani]

chebby:Ajani:The Benchmark DAC1 Pre gets my vote of approval....

Yes, expensive, but it is a genuine (and good) pre-amp as well as being exemplary with USB. Plus it has an analogue (RCA phono) input for my turntable which is NOT being dropped!

(Oh yeah, it is a world class headphone amp too.)

Yep... it's pretty much the Swiss Army Knife of audio...

 

[chebby]

As I said, the Benchmark is a long term plan. In the meantime the missus (doing her chrimble shopping today) has just registered on Russ Andrews to buy me a Firestone Audio 'Supplier' dedicated power supply for my USB DAC 🙂

Now, John. Where are you? You have had time for at least two cups of tea (and plenty of HobNobs) and a good listen by now.

 

[John Duncan]

Well I would've if I had been in the same geographical location as my stereo. Patience, man! Further bulletins as events warrant! Pictures at eleven!

 

[Charlie Jefferson]

Come on, John, pull your finger out and all that. Some of us have bathed babies, cooked food, run quarter marathons, uploaded the entire Pet Shop Boys back-cat (in lossless, of course), since your last missive.

You know where I stand on the AE/DAC versus CD player/DAC contest. Intrigued to know whether you're heading down the route of the former or not.

Two or three weeks on from finally getting it all up & running, I've got to say the AE/DAC takes some beating. Detail, depth, warmth(?) are all significantly up from CD/DAC replay. In most, but not quite all cases.

What's happening. . . ? Breath bated. . . hooks tentered etc.

 

[John Duncan]

See separate thread......

 

[JoelSim]

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh [said with hand tapping open mouth with head tilted ever so slightly backwards]

If you lot bought yourself a decent CD player then we wouldn't have to go through all this rigmarole, 4 top of the range Wolfsons in mine...

I'm not surprised the glamorous assistant is bored.

 

[John Duncan]

OK. What decent CD player should I get for 275 quid?

 

[JoelSim]

JohnDuncan:OK. What decent CD player should I get for 275 quid?

A dcs Scarlatti of course you moron