USB DAC vs CD

[tomayresss]

At the moment I'm using a cheap Matsui DVD Player as my CD player; however I've noticed there is an absolutely huge difference between playback using that, and from the Apple Lossless files through a 3.5mm-Phono stereo cable, into my hifi setup. The DVD player sounds so so so much bettter.

I'm wondering whether there'll be a massive improvement by playing the files through USB into a USB DAC. Will it compete with the detail and excitement you would get from a proper hi-fi CD player, nevertheless the makedo CD player i'm using?

I had originally planned to rip my CD collection to lossless files, but maybe the CD player is the way to go?

The playback from the laptop was very muddy, undetailed and just unclear.

Thanks,

Tom

 

[VoodooDoctor]

It's not surprising that it sounded rubbish if you were just using a cable from the headphone socket to the amp. I can vouch for using a USB DAC to amplifier being much much better.

 

[chebby]

Buy a DAC with optical and USB (MF V-Dac, Beresford, Dacmagic etc etc) and plug both computer (USB) and DVD player in as well. (Assuming the Matsui DVD player has an optical digital audio output as most do.)

Everything will sound much better then.

DVDs, CDs, iTunes, internet radio, Freeview radio (if the Matsui has a Freeview tuner built in), the lot.

 

[tomayresss]

Well I'm glad about that, thanks But I guess the question too is whether I rip my entire CD collection and do it that way, or is the CDP going to be superior in which case I might aswell use a CDP.

Edit: didn't see your reply chebby. Would you suggest listening to the music from CD when convenient - would it still be a superior sound?

 

[chebby]

tomayresss:
Well I'm glad about that, thanks But I guess the question too is whether I rip my entire CD collection and do it that way, or is the CDP going to be superior in which case I might aswell use a CDP.

Buy the DAC anyway and regardless of which sounds better then it's win win. Even if you decide lossless from the computer sounds better then you still get improved DVD sound from the Matsui.

(Or plug in your Freeview box or TV or Skybox or Virgin cable or PS3 or whatever else you have that has an optical/Toslink connection.)

 

[tomayresss]

OK so assuming I bought a DAC and let's say a CDP as well and stick that through the DAC...do you think i'm going to hear much difference between the sound from the CDP and the sound from the lossless files through USB?

 

[chebby]

tomayresss:OK so assuming I bought a DAC and let's say a CDP as well and stick that through the DAC...do you think i'm going to hear much difference between the sound from the CDP and the sound from the lossless files through USB?

From personal experience, yes and no. Depends entirely on the quality of the CD player and the DAC you choose to compare with each other.

My Naim CD5i player sounds distinctly better than my Beresford TC-7520 (playing lossless from iTunes) but my previous CD player (Arcam Solo-Mini) sounded worse.

If I went out and spent £1000+ on a Benchmark DAC then it may sound better than my Naim. But I cannot be bothered (nor can I afford) to find out.

 

[tomayresss]

Thanks chebby that's a great help (Y)

Chances are I will end up buying both...DAC wise leaning towards the Beresford because of the headphone amp.

The problem with choosing the CD player is I'm not entirely sure of the original retail value of my current components (as I bought them second hand) and so I'm not entirely sure how much to spend on a CD player.

 

[Anonymous]

At the recent KL International AV Show, I heard two systems that used the usb dac (one used firewire), but they were high-end gear. they sounded great. another system used the naim hard disk player. chk post on www.hi-fi-avenue.blogspot.com. tx

 

[tomayresss]

Just a question about wirless streaming.

If I were to get an Airport Express, and stream my lossless audio files to that, and then connect from it's 3.5mm optical connection to the DAC...would there be a big difference in the quality compared to connecting the laptop directly to the DAC via USB.

I'm taking it connecting the Airport Express to an external DAC isn't bypassing its internal DAC?

 

[professorhat]

I have my Apple Mac connected directly into my DacMagic via digital optical and I also have an optical connection going from an Airport Express into the same DacMagic. Switching between the two inputs shows they are virtually indistinguishable from each other so I'd imagine the same is true between connecting via USB and the Airport Express' optical connection.

When you use the optical connection from the AE, it will be bypassing its internal DAC since the signal is still being output as a digital signal.

 

[tomayresss]

That's a great help!

Forgive me being stupid about the DAC >.<

Just another question about DACs - do people connect their good CDPs through DACs such as the Beresford/DacMagic, or is the DAC in the CDP better and they just connect it straight to their amp?

 

[professorhat]

No worries!

On the CD player, I think it's really going to depend on the CD player you have and the DAC you have, as well as individual circumstances. Personally, I use the CD player's DAC because (a) it sounds great already and (b) my DacMagic is in my office with my Apple Mac whereas my CD player is in the living room hooked into my home cinema system.

 

[parkera]

Leema's new Elements DAC was demonstrated at the Bristol show 2012 with its sibling class D amp... running off a laptop and also taking the digital feed from an Onkyo 110 iPod doc.. as soon as I heard it I ordered two of these DACs. One for my son's high end headphones listening off his laptop and one for my Leema rig. Pyxis/Altair IVs and Xanders.. just for two channel from PS3 iPod AND Leema CD (I have an Onkyo Doc) and Sat TV. PS The Elements DAC is more advanced than any other DAC Leema include in all of their equipment. Being dedicated it should be - but it does go to show how good it is. Well done Lee and Mall. Note: With this DAC NEW life can be breathed into heavy duty analogue two channel amps with no digital inputs - it may sound obvious but this 'bridge' is well worth crossing to bring joy to many. Ditto old CD players with good transports (EG TEACVRDS T1) and old school DACS. Happy Days