Rega DAC + Arcam CD73 ?? Can you tell a difference? Is there an audible difference in filters?

[admin_exported]

Hello all....

Here is my current setup:

Arcam CD73 - Rega DAC- Chord Prodac Coaxial- Arcam A28 - Chord Odyssey 2 Cable - Monitor Audio R700 MD ( early 90s design)- Partington Dreadnought Stands...

I have recently bought a Rega DAC to enhance my system... I however have an issue, that after hearing all the hype, I cannot tell a huge diffence in sound.... has the law of diminishing returns set in ? or is my CD73 fantastic as a standalone CDP...

Changing Rega filter settings, i also can't tell any difference between 1-5....

Would it be better Sell the Rega and sell the CD73 to buy a used latest CD37 ??

Feedback and opinons please.....

 

[paradiziac]

If that's what you hear, I don't think a CD37 would sound that much different (or better?) either.

Try to listen to one for several days and then switch to the other for the same amount of time and then switch back and see if you have a preference. Differences in DACs at similar price points can be very subtle, and may only be revealed over time rather than A/B switching.

Or take the CD and DAC and demo on a much more revealing system and see if there is any difference there.

 

[Anonymous]

If that's what you hear, I don't think a CD37 would sound that much different (or better?) either.

Try to listen to one for several days and then switch to the other for the same amount of time and then switch back and see if you have a preference. Differences in DACs at similar price points can be very subtle, and may only be revealed over time rather than A/B switching.

Or take the CD and DAC and demo on a much more revealing system and see if there is any difference there.

Hi, i am listening to Pat Metheny/Scofield, " I can see your house from here", Metheny "what's it all about" and Peter Gabriel "New Blood". All these albums are ambitious......

I have the DAC running continious for the past couple of days...

What's also interesting, theres no difference in "musical timbre" between the "clinical" Arcam CDP" and the often musical "Rega CDP".

After reading all the hype about the Rega DAC (on this forum), a standard 5+ year old Arcam CD73 is really fantastic product...

 

[John Duncan]

I wouldn't add a DAC to a half-decent CD player to be honest, they usually have quite good output stages as it is. I found bigger differences streaming via Airport Express (or similar).

As for switchable filters, I could not reliably tell the difference between the three on a DACMagic.

 

[crusaderlord]

I am not that surprised really - the Arcam CD73 is highly respected and a great CD player and i used to own one and was very happy with it.

The Rega DAC is equally a great piece of kit which i have heard too alongside my MF M1 DAC. If you need a DAC for other functions then its a great buy but if its just to try and uplift a CD73 i doubt its a light and day difference worth the outlay just for that, maybe its a tweak in the right direction but then CD players are built to sound good with transport and dac working together.

Onto the CD37 which i now own. Personally i think its much better than the CD73 and is a fantastic player but its in a different price league too. With a decent enough amp and speakers to let it shine its great and also will spin SACD which is a big plus. However i wouldnt buy one without a demo v your player, but i found it added much more depth and insight to the CD73.

The benefit of a stand alone DAC is that is allows other bits of kit to join the party, but if you are CD based then the CD37 may be worth a look, but its above the price of the Rega DAC.

 

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't add a DAC to a half-decent CD player to be honest, they usually have quite good output stages as it is. I found bigger differences streaming via Airport Express (or similar).

As for switchable filters, I could not reliably tell the difference between the three on a DACMagic.

What's suprising is that sound characteristics, with REGA DAC or without, are similar... (Rega Apollo and Rega Saturn are hyped as being musical... Whereas Arcam "are clinical"...)..

There is smidgen of more PRAT probably due to newer Wolfson's but for 500 GBP no revolution.. I was expecting more.... :wall:

 

[Anonymous]

I am not that surprised really - the Arcam CD73 is highly respected and a great CD player and i used to own one and was very happy with it.

The Rega DAC is equally a great piece of kit which i have heard too alongside my MF M1 DAC. If you need a DAC for other functions then its a great buy but if its just to try and uplift a CD73 i doubt its a light and day difference worth the outlay just for that, maybe its a tweak in the right direction but then CD players are built to sound good with transport and dac working together.

Onto the CD37 which i now own. Personally i think its much better than the CD73 and is a fantastic player but its in a different price league too. With a decent enough amp and speakers to let it shine its great and also will spin SACD which is a big plus. However i wouldnt buy one without a demo v your player, but i found it added much more depth and insight to the CD73.

The benefit of a stand alone DAC is that is allows other bits of kit to join the party, but if you are CD based then the CD37 may be worth a look, but its above the price of the Rega DAC.

I got the DAC to upgrade the CD73, because the missus would notice a different CDP!!

Going back to the CD37, if I sell on my REGA DAC, Chord Coaxial and Arcam CD73, + a couple hundred quid extra , i could have a used CD37! Here is the dilema..

 

[John Duncan]

What's suprising is that sound characteristics, with REGA DAC or without, are similar... (Rega Apollo and Rega Saturn are hyped as being musical... Whereas Arcam "are clinical"...)..

There is smidgen of more PRAT probably due to newer Wolfson's but for 500 GBP no revolution.. I was expecting more.... :wall:

I disagree, I've never found Arcam anythings 'clinical'. On the contrary, I've found they err *too* much the other way by being a bit...indistinct.

However, all is not lost. Plug your computer into the USB socket of the Rega and play it some Linn Radio, and then decide whether it was worth the 500 nicker...

 

[AndrewH13]

Was about to say the same as John above. Arcam has never struck me as clinical, more mellow and rounded. My Tag gear was often referred to as clinical, I preferred to see it as transparent

 

[AndrewH13]

I would add that I once bought the famed Arcam Black Box DAC to add to my Mission CD player. Didn't hear very much difference or improvement. I have now bought the Rega DAC and on the end of my Sonos, it has transformed it:bounce:

 

[Anonymous]

What's suprising is that sound characteristics, with REGA DAC or without, are similar... (Rega Apollo and Rega Saturn are hyped as being musical... Whereas Arcam "are clinical"...)..

There is smidgen of more PRAT probably due to newer Wolfson's but for 500 GBP no revolution.. I was expecting more.... :wall:

I disagree, I've never found Arcam anythings 'clinical'. On the contrary, I've found they err *too* much the other way by being a bit...indistinct.

However, all is not lost. Plug your computer into the USB socket of the Rega and play it some Linn Radio, and then decide whether it was worth the 500 nicker...

I already have a "audiofile" Sangean WFT-1 for listening to Linn Radio!! It cost me new only 80 Euros + some Lufthansa airmiles! Its really a belter for the price, I wonder if anyone at Linn has A/B tested it yet !?

 

[Anonymous]

What's suprising is that sound characteristics, with REGA DAC or without, are similar... (Rega Apollo and Rega Saturn are hyped as being musical... Whereas Arcam "are clinical"...)..

There is smidgen of more PRAT probably due to newer Wolfson's but for 500 GBP no revolution.. I was expecting more.... :wall:

I disagree, I've never found Arcam anythings 'clinical'. On the contrary, I've found they err *too* much the other way by being a bit...indistinct.

However, all is not lost. Plug your computer into the USB socket of the Rega and play it some Linn Radio, and then decide whether it was worth the 500 nicker...

Btw... I used the "optical output" from my Samsung satellite receiver to the Rega DAC... The sound was significantly worse... :-(

 

[Sizzers]

Now I know what an external DAC is/does but my personal experience of listening through one is absolutely zero, so I'm trying to get a handle on this.Now a general train of thought that I've noticed is to use any old transport (e.g. cheapo BDP), attach a high-end DAC and all of a sudden you've got a fabulous high-end source for your CD's. What I don't understand is why do people spend £500+ on a CDP, then a further £500 on a DAC! I've noticed at least a couple of sig's where someone has a Rega Apollo-R, for example, connected to a Rega DAC and with no mention of using the DAC for PC-based or other digital content, so my question/confusion is, is the Rega Apollo-R that bad you have to spend another £500 on an external DAC to improve it's SQ?!! Not a criticism, just confusion!!

Now I know what an external DAC is/does but my personal experience of listening through one is absolutely zero, so I'm trying to get a handle on this.

Now a general train of thought that I've noticed is to use any old transport (e.g. cheapo BDP), attach a high-end DAC and all of a sudden you've got a fabulous high-end source for your CD's. What I don't understand is why do some people spend £500+ on a CDP, then a further £500 on a DAC! I've noticed at least a couple of sig's where someone has a Rega Apollo-R, for example, connected to a Rega DAC, and with no mention of using the DAC for PC-based or other digital content, so my question/confusion is, is the Rega Apollo-R that bad you have to spend another £500 on an external DAC to improve it's SQ?!! Not a criticism, just confusion!!

 

[Anonymous]

Now I know what an external DAC is/does but my personal experience of listening through one is absolutely zero, so I'm trying to get a handle on this.Now a general train of thought that I've noticed is to use any old transport (e.g. cheapo BDP), attach a high-end DAC and all of a sudden you've got a fabulous high-end source for your CD's. What I don't understand is why do people spend £500+ on a CDP, then a further £500 on a DAC! I've noticed at least a couple of sig's where someone has a Rega Apollo-R, for example, connected to a Rega DAC and with no mention of using the DAC for PC-based or other digital content, so my question/confusion is, is the Rega Apollo-R that bad you have to spend another £500 on an external DAC to improve it's SQ?!! Not a criticism, just confusion!!

Now I know what an external DAC is/does but my personal experience of listening through one is absolutely zero, so I'm trying to get a handle on this.

Now a general train of thought that I've noticed is to use any old transport (e.g. cheapo BDP), attach a high-end DAC and all of a sudden you've got a fabulous high-end source for your CD's. What I don't understand is why do some people spend £500+ on a CDP, then a further £500 on a DAC! I've noticed at least a couple of sig's where someone has a Rega Apollo-R, for example, connected to a Rega DAC, and with no mention of using the DAC for PC-based or other digital content, so my question/confusion is, is the Rega Apollo-R that bad you have to spend another £500 on an external DAC to improve it's SQ?!! Not a criticism, just confusion!!

My CDP is a 6 year old machine... I only "upgraded" with an external REGA DAC, because I was told this would transform my overall sound...

 

[stephennic]

Hi,

I found the Arcam cd73 fine for classical and Jazz but when it came to rock or pop it lacked punch and drive and sparkle up top. I would of thought the rega dac would be superior sonically as the rega apollo is superior to the arcam. May it needs more burn in.

Cheers

Steve.