Much needed system upgrade...CD source or Digital?

[admin_exported]

My current music system sits under the telly in the living room and made up of a Rotel Amp RA-01, Nad T550 DVD player and JPW Gold monitor speakers, so roughly one piece of equipment per decade! It doesn't sound too bad, probably because the DVD is actually a good CD source. I've decided to make the Rotel amp the basis for a new system to go upstairs in a room approx 10ftx10ft.

The last time I heard quality kit was an Arcam CD73T Diva linked to Rega 3 floorstanders through the same RA-01 amp, I've never heard Massive Attack sound so good, so this forms the standard to achieve.

My big conundrum is whether to buy a CD player or opt for a digital source. I'm sceptical that mp3 can yet produce a sound as good as CD, however I don’t want to buy into CD if that's not the future of music etc. Also, what bookshelf or stand mount speakers would be good companions? The music I listen to is mostly mainstream rock/indie and I'm partial to a bit of dance/ electronic. Budget is £800 max for source, speakers and any essential peripherals.

cheers

 

[idc]

Dont worry about MP3. It is the worst format available, particularly with the lowest bit rates. There are plenty of other formats available. With a digital system I presume you mean PC based? Does your budget assume you all ready have a PC? The advantages of PC based music are

- you can import your CD collection onto a hard drive in a lossless format that gives you the same as a CD. MP3 files can be down at bit rates of in the 100s. Lossless files from CDs can get to over 1000kbps and tend to be about 700kbps, way in excess of MP3. By importing CDs onto your PC you are incorporating CDs into the future of music, which I am sure is online.

- you get to add a DAC into the setup. PC to DAC to amp can make for very sweet music for way less than the equivalent sound from a very good CDP.

- you can access online music services such as Spotify (which has the full Massive Attack catalogue), LastFM, we7 and itunes, Amazon etc etc download stores. I have found so much music I had never experienced before because of this increased access.

 

[WinterRacer]

A CD source is digital, so I think you're asking whether to go for a traditional CD player or something like a Squeezebox, Linn DS, Apple Airport Express or Sonos?
In thory there's no reason why the likes of a Squeezebox can't sound just as good as any CD player yet they offer far greater flexibility, e.g., all your music easily accessible (without getting up!), playlists, internet radio and are furthermore, are not limited to the digital standards of a CD, i.e., 44.1Khz and 16 bits/sample. Hi-Res files from B&W, Linn, etc. are already available and sound great.

If you already have a PC and Wireless network the cheapest option is a Sqeezebox, I have the Squeezebox Duet and I'm really pleased with it feeding my Roksan Caspian Amps and Monitor Audio PL100 speakers.

Rob.

 

[WinterRacer]

I should add there's no reason to use mp3 files for streaming to a network music player, AFAIK, they all support one lossless format or another (I use FLAC). Also, personally, I can see no reason to buy a CD player, network music players are definitely the way to go!

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks. yes I have fairly new apple imac so will look into the options you recommend.