PC or CD Player or DVD Player or Blu Ray Player?

[rdburman]

Hello Folks,

I am new here.

My system is a humble Onkyo A-9030 with a pair of PSB Alpha B1 bookshelfs. I spin vinyls most of the time on my Pioneer PL-11. Nothing extraordinary sound, but I like it.

Lately I am looking forward to revive my audio CDs and play them and stuck with a dilemma...

Should I play them on my computer? (I am already doing that -> Realtek audio codec -> Upgrade?)

Should I buy a dedicated CD player? (Costly)

Should I buy a DVD player? (Seems like an cheap alternative and not much in demand stores are offering substantial discounts)

Should I buy a Blu Ray player?(Within budget but use this ONLY to play audio CDs?)

Will there be a significant difference of sound?

Suggestions appreciated.

 

[the record spot]

I think it'd be tempted bythe Onkyo C7030 if it's audio CD playback only. £170 in Richer Sounds and apparently punches well above its weight.

 

[rdburman]

I forgot to mention, I am from India.

 

[MaxD]

You can improvd a lot your audio cd playback quality simply buying a usb DAC. Using the Dac you can play both your files and your cd using your pc and it is a terrific improvements compared to your Realtek audio board.

You connect your Dac to your amp using an analog line input of your amplifier and you choose your Dac as speKer driver in your favourite media player both if you play a cd or some digital audio file and you are done.

 

[rdburman]

Thanks for the replies.

MaxD...can you suggest a specific USB DAC? Within $250 ?

 

[basshound]

Thanks for the replies.

MaxD...can you suggest a specific USB DAC? Within $250 ?

http://www.audioquest.com/usb_digital_analog_converter/dragonfly-dac

 

[MaxD]

Thanks for the replies.

MaxD...can you suggest a specific USB DAC? Within $250 ?

http://www.audioquest.com/usb_digital_analog_converter/dragonfly-dac

If you want a solid and very complete desktop DAC (it means 1 USB, 2 Optical, 2 Coaxial inputs, analog RCA out and digital out too with even a remote control you should buy Arcam IrDac.

If you want something really inexpensive then very, very good you shold get the Dac I got in my sign, AudioQyest Dragonfly 1.2 version. It is a USB key you connect to a USB port of your PC. It just do have a mini jack line connection out you can use both to connect to a line in of your amplifier and also if you want to connect directly an headphone.

You will be very happy with both this products (also if you simply want to use it as a high quality solution for your pc internal CD transport), then the iRDac is much more versatile. Example: to an optical in, you can connect a modern TV set so you can get high quality audio from it via your hi-fi or you can connect to the coaxial port a very old cd player with a coax out and a poor internal Dac and a good transport. With a little machine like the iRDac you have pretty much no connection limits, high quality at a reasonable price.

 

[Overdose]

Hello Folks,

Lately I am looking forward to revive my audio CDs and play them and stuck with a dilemma...

Should I play them on my computer?

Suggestions appreciated.

Probably the most cost effective and beneficial, would be a Behringer UCA202. Simply connect this between your Pc via USB and throught twin phono cables to the amp. You can either rip the CDs to HDD and then play back with a media player, or play the CDs with the DVD drive.

If you feel the need for a disc player at all, then a multi format Blu-Ray player would be best, with networking capability.

 

[rdburman]

Thanks everyone for their comments. I have decided to buy the Dragonfly DAC. It is not available in India and I have to buy it online. I am getting the V 1.0 on Ebay from a Hong Kong Seller. Is it worth buying or should I buy the V 1.2 only?

 

[MaxD]

Thanks everyone for their comments. I have decided to buy the Dragonfly DAC. It is not available in India and I have to buy it online. I am getting the V 1.0 on Ebay from a Hong Kong Seller. Is it worth buying or should I buy the V 1.2 only?

I didn't try V. 1.0, the reviewers said 1.2 is a big improvement over 1.0. I can confirm 1.2 is top class DAC at his moderate price, so you should IMHO try to get 1.2 version.

Another desktop alternative similar to expensive and top IrDAC is Cambridge Audio Dac Magic 100. Actually it is under $ 200 and it as pretty much the same connections compared to IrDAC and quality is pretty good.

Dragonfly is a GREAT sounding DAC, then it is limited to USB. It is perfect for your use, tho.

 

[rdburman]

Ordered the Dragonfly from UK. Hope my sound improves a bit than the internal sound card sounds now.

Thank you all for all your imputs. Much appreciated!

 

[ReValveiT]

I wouldn't buy a Dragonfly from Hong Kong, there are a lot of fakes around, apparently.

 

[rdburman]

I ordered it from a reputed Audioquest UK dealer - Futureshop.

 

[Neptune_Twilight]

Have you considered ripping your CD's to a lossless format such as .flac? They will sound just as good as a CD but once ripped you wont have the bother of finding & using the CD's again - You might find yourself listening to CD's you rarely play. These days the cost of storage has dropped enormously, as an indication of how much room CD's ripped to .flac uses: 800 CD's ripped only takes up around 205 GIG.

 

[sublime]

I would buy a dedicated CD player. There is much more to a cd player than the disc mech and DAC as some here seem to suggest. Get the best you can and you will be rewarded.

 

[pauln]

I would buy a dedicated CD player. There is much more to a cd player than the disc mech and DAC as some here seem to suggest. Get the best you can and you will be rewarded.

For instance?

To the OP - IMHO just get a decent USB dac for your PC as you have done and continue as you are. Spend any spare cash from your budget on better speakers.