Media Upsampling or DAC? Cambridge Stream Magic 6 or Oppo BDP-105 DAC?

msg

I realize we're talking about two different technologies here, but I am curious about high quality DAC as it compares to upsampling for use with streaming media with regard to fidelity in general, and, possibly, enrichment of a sort.

I understand that it would be ideal to have all digital music in lossless format for pass to analog conversion through a capable DAC, but for my particular use, this is not always possible or even desirable. A lot of my music has been ripped over the years for use with multiple devices and listening environments, mostly for computer listening and portability (smaller, compressed bitrates), at least at first. Now I am finding that I want to use this same library in my home audio systems, and combined with a few other factors I need to look into, it seems to be coming up lacking fidelity, the first factor being compression, I imagine. I don't see myself re-ripping my entire library to lossless, so I'm researching the DAC/Upsampling routes.

Two of the DAC and Upsampling devices I've come across in recent research are the Oppo BDP-105 and the Cambridge Stream Magic 6.

Does DAC from the likes of the Oppo 105 provide any fidelity fill effect?

Has anyone had any experience with the Cambridge Stream Magic 6?

tonyb

msg wrote: »

Does DAC from the likes of the Oppo 105 provide any fidelity fill effect?

Has anyone had any experience with the Cambridge Stream Magic 6?

Whats a fidelity fill effect ? Basically, there is no way to restore information with any device that isn't already recorded on a digital file. Can't retrieve something that isn't there. You'll find the better your system gets, the worse those MP3 files will sound or other less than stellar recordings. A dac may or may not help in these cases but it can handle various file formats if you have music across different formats. Different dacs do things in different ways, some better ....some not so much.

No experience with the Stream magic 6.

msg

yeah, I don't know, "fidelity fill" is just something I came up with to try to describe what I've experienced with a feature on an Alpine vehicle receiver with their Media Expander function. it seems to be some sort of boosting feature that fattens up music that sounds otherwise empty and tinny. understood that you can't create something that isn't there, but there's obviously some sort of market for this, so exploring it as an option/alternative in cases where uncompressed formats are not [easily/readily] available.

I would intend to use this also with streaming media services like Pandora and Spotify.

tonyb

Today, in most receivers that's called enhanced sound modes. You'll see different modes for Jazz, classical, rock, stadium, concert hall, etc. All apply a different enhancement similar to what your describing. Most don't use it however as it simply sounds funky for music playback. I can see the attraction for lessor quality files though.

Most would prefer to up their game into lossless files and improve their systems to a point of not having to use those funky sound effects.

msg

yeah, I see those ones you're talking about - concert hall and all that stuff that sounds cavernous. agreed, they sound weird and I don't use them.
I think the thing I'm talking about may be more akin to something like Pioneer's Sound Retriever function?

I'll do some more digging and post back if I find anything useful wrt DAC/Upsampling