How can I improve the sound of stereo music within a home cinema set up?

[admin_exported]

First of all let me just say that I am a total beginner with Hifi / home theater entertainment but I suppose we all started somewhere. Anyway,  I have a Denon AVR2808 + B&W 685s (FR/L) / B&W M1s (SL/R & C) + B&W AS1 SW set up in a small front room. While I am very pleased with my "home cinema sound", I can hear the need to improve the "sound of music" in stereo. Currently, I listen to music through my I-Pod (Apple I-Pod dock connected to AVR via QED performance Jack to RCA) or on CDs through my DVD player (Pioneer DV220V connected to AVR via QED performance coaxial only). After several blind tests using a a variety of formats on both the Pod & the DVD, the best sound by far is the original CD played through the DVD, but I know I can improve on that too.

So, the big question is how to improve my stereo listening without making holes in my pocket? (500 Euro budget) Here are some of the possibilities I have thought about:

1) Get a CD player. But which one, Marantz / Denon?? And would it be worth it considering that 80% of my music is in a variety of MP3 formats? Or a CD player with hard disk - e.g. Cambridge Audio 640H, but product seems to be discontinued.

2) Get a new I-POD dock i.e the Onkyo ND-S1 & digital connect to avr or Acram IRDock & Analogue connect to avr. But would these make a substantial difference in audio quality compared to the Apple dock? Would the quality of sound be better than my current DVD stereo output?

3) Get a DAC , Cambridge DAC Magic or Beresford ?? If I connect a DAC to the DVD would the sound quality improve? Can I connect the I-Pod to the DAC too? However, in at least the case for Cambridge, they state their DAC upgrades sound quality to 24bit/192Khz, well, Denon also state, in the spec for the AVR, that their internal DAC has the same sound quality - 24bit/192Khz - too (possibly via the AL24 processing & restorer modes). So am I wasting my time & money by going down this road?

4) Get a universal player i.e Denon DBP-1611-UD, plays everything and again has a 24bit/192khz DAC. But would the CD stereo sound quality be as good as a half decent CD player? Could I connect the POD?

Well those are my dilemmas & if anyone one out there can point me in the right direction, I'd really appreciate that. I have also looked at a Multimedia hard disk option + DAC, however, somehow this doesn't convince me. Getting audiophile sound from a HD?? I doubt it. Squeeze box / Sonos options I have ruled out, simply not compatible in my home set up. 

Cheers

 

[RossTT]

I would in you situation first look into the music format. MP3s are not a good start at all. You need to either use CDs or any of the lossless formats (I prefer flac). Get a DAC Magic (or better the Audiolab 8200CD/Q if you can) http://www.whathifi.com/Review/Audiolab-8200CD/ and your budget is maxed.

Later, you might add a decent stereo amplifier with AV pass through and the sound will improve even further. I would say you are on a very tight budget for a sizeable improvement. Also, don't trust too much the paper specs, you need to listen.

 

[simon3102000]

If i was you i would go for the dac, it will be a big improvement over your setup and you can plug your dvd and ipod into it but be warned as dacs dont decode 5.1 so if you use your dvd for movies in 5.1 then you would have to reconect to your av amp unless it has 2 outputs? In an ideal world the best way to get the best stereo sound is to get a dedicated stereo amp and cd player but that means more room and more money but youll be amazed at the difference.

 

[Anonymous]

Ross. yes, I agree that MP3 isn't great quality especially when listening to
it through a pair of decent speakers. Unfortunately, the I-POD came before my
current set up but even Apple lossless (320kbps/VBR) loses against original CDs
played through the DVD,at least on my system. As for FLAC, that will need some
further investigation. Anyway, thx for the recommendation on the CD but at 890?
I think I am likely to get kicked out of the house Hifi & all. How about the
Marantz 6003 or any other recommendations? As for the DAC, well that's a
cheaper option but is the stereo sound quality when hooked up to the DVD likely
to be better than an entry level CD like the Marantz 6003, CA CD30 or TOPAZ
CD10? As for hooking the I POD to the DAC unless I also add a digital dock I
can't see how I could. Then there's the point that you raised Simon about the
DAC not decoding 5.1 & having to connect/disconnect all the time. Not sure how
I might get around this. If the DVD is connected to the DAC but then also
connected to the AVR, say by HDMI (HDMI-out on DVD to HDMI-in on AVR), would that
work for the 5.1 sound? Sorry, absolute beginner here!!!

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