How good is the DAC in the Audiolab 8200ap?

[martins8585]

 

[martins8585]

Hi guys – I use an Audiolab 8200ap and I just wondered if anyone knows how the dac in this compares with the dac in either the Audiolab 8200cd or M-Dac?

I’m looking to use an ipod through this and wondering which would give me the best SQ vs value for money:

1. A dock ( Cambridge Audio ID100) straight into the digital coaxial input on the 8200ap

2. The Cambridge Audio ID100 and Cambridge Audio Dacmagic 100 into analogue inputs on the ap

3. A dock into either the 8200CD or M-Dac then analogue inputs on the ap

I’ve already got the CA dock so I guess I’m really asking whether adding the CA dac would be an improvement on the dac in the 8200ap and if there’d be a big difference if with the audiolab CD or DAC.

Any thoughts gratefully received.

 

[Frank Harvey]

I can't comment on the DAC in the CA, but the 8200AP is currently at the heart of my hi-fi/AV system, and it does a great job of movie and music soundtracks.

The M-DAC will be a simpler route, and may well sound slightly better, but the 8200AP also utilises bass management, which may be useful to those wishing to run smaller speakers with a sub, or indeed any speakers with a sub. I suppose the other added bonus is setting speaker distances and levels (even if only using two speakers). I sit a foot to the right of centre, and listen to a perfectly central image, mainly because of the ability to set the speaker distances from where I am sat. It is amazing the difference this can make.