On a recent visit to my dealer to pick up a used Arcam CD192 I spotted a 1991/94 Theta Transport with accompanying processor.
( Theta Data Basic II Transport and DS Pro Progeny Processor/DAC ).
Ended up doing a shootout there and then between the Theta and the Arcam and within a few minutes It was obvious there was no competition.
I immediately dropped any notions of purchasing the Arcam and purchased the Theta instead.
Obviously the Theta kit is of a higher end compared to the Arcam but it's considerably older.
On paper the Arcam reads much better with its 24/192 upsampling
and its 4 Wolfson WM8740 DACs but the listening told a very very different story.
The Theta combo dished the music up in a manner that left the Arcam for dust.
Wonderful dynamics and great body to the sound. The Arcam sounding thin and rather impotent in comparison.
As far as I'm aware the CD192 is considered to be one of Arcam's finest CDP's, its onboard DAC performance being its feauture of note, and I was all set to buy it.
Basically I'm just very surprised at how good the Theta sounded in comparison.
Anyone got any opinions on this or any enlightenment on how an 18 Bit DAC from 1994 can sound so good?
( Theta Data Basic II Transport and DS Pro Progeny Processor/DAC ).
Ended up doing a shootout there and then between the Theta and the Arcam and within a few minutes It was obvious there was no competition.
I immediately dropped any notions of purchasing the Arcam and purchased the Theta instead.
Obviously the Theta kit is of a higher end compared to the Arcam but it's considerably older.
On paper the Arcam reads much better with its 24/192 upsampling
and its 4 Wolfson WM8740 DACs but the listening told a very very different story.
The Theta combo dished the music up in a manner that left the Arcam for dust.
Wonderful dynamics and great body to the sound. The Arcam sounding thin and rather impotent in comparison.
As far as I'm aware the CD192 is considered to be one of Arcam's finest CDP's, its onboard DAC performance being its feauture of note, and I was all set to buy it.
Basically I'm just very surprised at how good the Theta sounded in comparison.
Anyone got any opinions on this or any enlightenment on how an 18 Bit DAC from 1994 can sound so good?