Hi-fi Upgrade

[da_grudge]

Hello all.

I have a sytem composed by Monitor Audio RS6, Arcam AVR-350, connected with Atlas Equator to my Oppo 981.

I would like to know what is best for the upgrading. Buying a new dedicated CD player, or instead keeping the oppo and buy a good DAC?

Thank you so much.

 

[da_grudge]

Hey guys, please give me some help here...

I really would like to hear your opinions...

Thank you.

 

[Sabby]

Your best bet would be to listen to the new CD players from Nad, Marantz and Cambridge Audio and compare that to a good dac such as the Cambridge Dacmagic connected to your Oppo.

 

[da_grudge]

Well. the thing is that I really canït try anything...thatïs why I was asking you guys, with your experience, what would suit better for my system...

Thank you

 

[Anonymous]

Get yourself a Musical Fidelity VDac (as long as you have an optical or electrical digital out on the Oppo). Very smooth, detailed and stunning for the cash. If it doesn't work out for you then you could sell it on fairly easily. Consider a Beresford too.

 

[da_grudge]

What about the Marantz CD Player CD63 MKII ?

Is it worth to buy it? Probably its a much better cd player than the oppo...even with it I will need a DAC.

What do you think?

Thank you so much for all your help

 

[JoelSim]

I think it depends on the amount of music you listen to. A good DAC is a bargain basement way of getting good CD sound but if you want something special then perhaps the CDP route, albeit at a bigger price than the DAC and what's been mentioned above.

 

[chebby]

Joel? Hello stranger.

 

[JoelSim]

chebby:
Joel? Hello stranger.

Been in France for 2 weeks

 

[chebby]

JoelSim:
Been in France for 2 weeks

Bonjour ‚tranger

 

[JoelSim]

chebby:JoelSim:
Been in France for 2 weeks

Bonjour ‚tranger

Un verre of your finest rouge please mon ami

 

[John Duncan]

JoelSim:chebby:JoelSim:
Been in France for 2 weeks

Bonjour ‚tranger

Un verre of your finest rouge please mon ami

No way - you'll have new loudspeakers before the night's out.

 

[John Duncan]

Sorry, da_grudge, we've gone a bit off-topic, haven't we. I wouldn't buy a DAC to improve the sound of a DVD player - I've found it's the transport (whether it be disc or stream) that plays the biggest part. Are you playing the Oppo through the DAC of the 350?

 

[da_grudge]

Hi John. Well I have been playing through 350 dac, but I donït like it very much. I still think the sound is a bit more detailed if I use the interconnects with the arcam direct...

Probably it wont be much difference form arcam dac vs using dac magic for example...so maibe the solution is to buy a new cd player...i donït know, just making some questions.

Thanks

 

[da_grudge]

some help please?

tx

 

[da_grudge]

Cïmon guys, help me here...

thanks

 

[da_grudge]

...

 

[Sabby]

It seems like you want someone else to make a choice for you. It doesn't quite work that way, because at the end of the day it is your ears that will determine what sounds good to you. Take for example the Nad C545EE which received a 5 star rating from WHF. If you read the users comments, some of them rate it as complete rubbish! Another example is the Cambridge 640 & 650 CD players. Some say they are far too bright, whilst to others it sounds clear and detailed. There is simply no one CD player or dac that sounds good to everybody and therefore becomes an automatic recommendation. You have to LISTEN to them yourself and make up your own mind. There simply is no other way.

 

[the record spot]

What kind of sound do you like? If you already have a good knowledge of that - smooth, fatigue-free, punchy, detailed and analytical or bright, etc., then this should give you some indication of what you can shortlist.

Are the other sound formats on the Oppo of interest to you? SACD for instance? That might drive your shortlist decision making too.

Budget?

As aforementioned in some cases and in absence of all other preferences:-

Musical Fidelity VDAC
NAD C545 BEE
Marantz SA7003 (CD/stereo SACD)
Marantz SA6003
Cambridge DACMagic 2
Onkyo C-S5VL (CD/stereo SACD)
Harman/Kardon HD990 (£500, but hefty discounts out there, balanced outputs, good spec)

 

[da_grudge]

hell. I listen to all kind of music, but a little bit more classical and jazz. BUt I also listen a lot to led zeppelin, pink floyd.

I just like the sound to be really detailed and with good balance, things I canït really find on my system.

I think itïs mainly because of oppo, but maybe Im wrong. Thatïs why I donït know if its better to buy a new cd player (like marantz cd63) or if the dac choice will be perfect for the system.

My budget wil be around 300-400 pounds.

Thnak you very much

 

[RCduck7]

Why not try a very good mains cable? If that is an option i had very good results with the Wireworld Aurora on my amp and DAC, only this one, not much with other brands (maybe, only a supra on my DAC).

I have compared the DAC in my Yamaha AV, Dacmagic and the Xindak DAC 8. Differences where only subtle with DAC's in my experience.

For me this particular mains cable was a very good upgrade, it's design acts as a passive filter to.

http://www.hometheatersound.com/equipment/wireworld_5_2.htm

 

[JoelSim]

In your position, and for a really detailed, musical sound I think you would need to get a new DAC like the DACMagic or Beresford and ideally a new 2 channel amp. Don't get me wrong the Arcam 350 is a musical AV amp, but they are still very different to a dedicated 2 channel amp. Go 2nd hand off Fleabay and if you don't like the 'improvement' then you can always sell on for a similar price.

 

[da_grudge]

So you recommend a new dac to use with oppo instead of buying a new cd player right? Because some people says that the arcam dac is pretty good and maybe there is not a big difference...

Assuming this, the biggest difference qould be on the cd player itself, correct?

Maybe Iïm wrong, please elucidate me..

Thank you

 

[da_grudge]

...

 

[Anonymous]

da_grudge:

hell. I listen to all kind of music, but a little bit more classical and jazz. BUt I also listen a lot to led zeppelin, pink floyd.

I just like the sound to be really detailed and with good balance, things I canït really find on my system.

You won't get really detailed with an ARCAM AV amp. Try a dedicated stereo amp (perhaps a second hand Cyrus 8vs2) to power your front speakers if you want really detailed.