what is best source internal or Cambridge Audio DAC ?

[this_is_vince]

Hi Everyone !

I guess i am at the right place to have one of my biggest hifi question answered or at least discussed.

I am currently listening to a wide variety of music in all style including jazz and classical amongs alternative / indie music. To play it i am using the following equipments :

amp : Creek Evo 50A

Dac : Cambridge Audio Dacmagic

Sources :

- streaming device : Sonos connect

- CD : NAD c521i

- Analog : Pro-ject debut carbon

Speakers : JBL L40 (quite vintage, from my parents, but sound's still great !)

The questions i have :

is this better to plus the optical out of the NAD cd player to my DAC or directly connect RCA to the amplifier. In other words what DAC is the best ? embeded NAD one or my Cambridge audio ? I've made some test but, to be honnest, it's quite hard to figure it out.

Second one

In order to beginn with hi-res audio files (DSD or studio master like 96Khz), which my sonos is not capable of, i would like to buy either a pioneer N50a or a Blue Sound Node 2 and again are these equiped with a better DAC than my cambride one ?

many thanks in advance for your advices !!

Vincent

 

[Andrewjvt]

Hi Everyone !

?

I guess i am at the right place to have one of my biggest hifi question answered or at least discussed.

I am currently listening to a wide variety of music in all style including jazz and classical amongs alternative / indie music. To play it i am using the following equipments :

amp : Creek Evo 50A

Dac : Cambridge Audio Dacmagic

Sources :

- streaming device : Sonos connect

- CD : NAD c521i

- Analog : Pro-ject debut carbon

Speakers : JBL L40 (quite vintage, from my parents, but sound's still great !)

?

The questions i have :

is this better to plus the optical out of the NAD cd player to my DAC or directly connect RCA to the amplifier. In other words what DAC is the best ? embeded NAD one or my Cambridge audio ? I've made some test but, to be honnest, it's quite hard to figure it out.

Second one?

In order to beginn with hi-res audio files (DSD or studio master like 96Khz), which my sonos is not capable of, i would like to buy either a pioneer N50a or a Blue Sound Node 2 and again are these equiped with a better DAC than my cambride one ?

?

many thanks in advance for your advices !!

?

Vincent

Id compare the 2 and see which one sounds the best in your space to your ears. There is no right or wrong answer as its you thats listening. Nad make decent cd players and the dac magic is also good so just compare for your self. Im not supprised you cant hear much difference, most can not.

If i were you id rip all my cds onto hd and play through the dac magic.

 

[Rethep]

What you could hear, is a different character from both DAC's, not especially better sound. And then again i think the difference will be very small.

 

[this_is_vince]

Hi Andrew,

Thanks for your advice. You're right it's really something about personnal taste. I've made several listening tests with direct output to amplifier and through the DAC magic. The difference is really tiny. but i went for the choice you mentionned. RIP CD's and through Cambridge DAC.

merry x-mas !

 

[Thompsonuxb]

Those speakers were they exclusive to Tandy's back in the day.

My cousin use to have a pair with a very similar design with a Realistc amp.....

Anyhoo if you cannot hear differences between your DACS I'd say don't worry about it.

You could get a more modern sound from newer speaker designs with small drive units but the depth of bass those speakers can deliver will be lost.

That said yours is a good case to try better speaker cables - I bet you're still using bell wire.

'Hi-rez' is much used these days as a selling tool. If you are happy with the sound don't worry about such things.

That said an upgrade of the front end - a better player may help get a little more detail. You can compare DACS if you feel the need.