DAC & CDP Testing

kevhed72

I have long suspected my DAC and CDP may not be the best match for my system.
CDP is a Cambridge 640 v2 and the DAC is a Music Hall 25.3 which has one tube in it.
I am running 703s with a seperate sub, and many of my CDs just dont seem to have the 3D imaging thing happening compared to HD radio or my old school tuner. Furthermore, I was switching back and forth between the Cambridge internal DAC and the Music Hall....and frankly there is no clear cut "better" sound....only nuanced differences.
So I throw out to the forum...what gear goes, what stays....due I have a ton of music on CD.

erniejade

what tube are you running in the 25.3?
It is a hard call since you have a lot on cd. Maybe just sell both and get Marantz SA8005 and call it a day.

tonyb

What cables is being used between it all ?

CDP and a dac ? Gotta have a budget in mind or it's going to be all over the place.

steveinaz

The CA should make a fine transport. I would upgrade your DAC. Running a sub a little too hot can sometimes collapse your soundstage due to too much muddiness. How did you calibrate the sub? Have you tried lowering the subs output a notch or 2?

kevhed72

tonyb wrote: »

What cables is being used between it all ?

CDP and a dac ? Gotta have a budget in mind or it's going to be all over the place.

tonyb wrote: »

What cables is being used between it all ?

CDP and a dac ? Gotta have a budget in mind or it's going to be all over the place.

digital coax is an AQ vdm 3
from the DAC to integrated I have tried AQ Diamondbacks and King Cobras.
As far a budget goes, I would be willing to get something that plays standard CDs and SACDs for say....a grand new or used?
OR sell my current DAC for a new one...for 500ish.

marvda1

speaker placement could also be an issue.

kevhed72

My buddy did drop off a Rotel 1072 cdp yesterday to get a better idea of whats what....plan to give it a workout this weekend

tonyb

Since you like the more fleshy tone of your tuner, I'm thinking the Cary Xciter dac or the Teac dacs. More of an analog sound with some great soundstaging.

The Marantz SACD players are pretty darn good for the price. Gonna be hard to beat for a SACD player under a g note....imho anyway.

The Diamondbacks and King Cobra's aren't helping any either for soundstaging and fleshed out tone. Throw some MIT's shotguns in there, and be prepared to go looking for your left nut.....if the cat hasn't grabbed it from under the couch. Not to worry though, he'll cough it up later.

steveinaz

Agree, the diamondback and King cobra sound quite "dry" and 2-dimensional to me. I much preferred sidewinder/copperhead--though supposedly "lower end."

kevhed72

Thus far, the Rotel 1072 sounds better all around compared to my current gear. Thanks for the info. on the cables....honestly it would have been the last place I would have looked, or listened. Tony, which TEAC DAC would you start with....there seems to be many models...I dont need anything with a pre amp in it.

voltz

TEAC has some rebates going on so goto their main site and check if you do get one of theirs DAC's

http://audio.teac.com/news/display/965/

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_063UD301/TEAC-UD-301-Black.html?tp=59340

kevhed72

voltz wrote: »

TEAC has some rebates going on so goto their main site and check if you do get one of theirs DAC's

http://audio.teac.com/news/display/965/

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_063UD301/TEAC-UD-301-Black.html?tp=59340

This may be the ticket......thanks
http://www.amazon.com/Teac-Monaural-Converter-Streaming-UD-501-B/dp/B00BC1ULTQ

voltz

I almost bought the Teac 501, but Ibought the Marantz SA8005 SACD instead and use it for my DAC and started buying some SACD's. now looking back and after what other have said I wish I'd just bought the TEAC and went to using a player for Hi-rez audio files and ....

cause I found several songs that really rock on my system but they are all on different CD's, but if I had a file player setup using the TEAC I could make some kick $$$ playlist! ...Now I still can do this with my Marantz using my PC or Laptop and Jriver Media to play them but...

steveinaz

kevhed72 wrote: »

Thus far, the Rotel 1072 sounds better all around compared to my current gear. Thanks for the info. on the cables....honestly it would have been the last place I would have looked, or listened. Tony, which TEAC DAC would you start with....there seems to be many models...I dont need anything with a pre amp in it.

Your gonna have to step up your DAC game pretty high to out do that Rotel, IMO.

tonyb

steveinaz wrote: »

kevhed72 wrote: »

Thus far, the Rotel 1072 sounds better all around compared to my current gear. Thanks for the info. on the cables....honestly it would have been the last place I would have looked, or listened. Tony, which TEAC DAC would you start with....there seems to be many models...I dont need anything with a pre amp in it.

Your gonna have to step up your DAC game pretty high to out do that Rotel, IMO.

I dunno Steve, I've seen Benchmark dac1's going for 6 bones.....imho, that's a step up.

I'd look for a spinner with a digital input that way you have your computer music covered also. You could also step up to a used OPPO 105, and cover all bases plus video and 4k if you ever go there.

kevhed72

DSkip wrote: »

That Rotel is a very highly rated cdp.

It really puts the Cambridge to shame....if I could scoop one up in good condition for a fair price, I'd snag it in a heartbeat. To my ears, it does my 703s more justice than my buddys Martin Logans.

voltz

I forgot at the start you did mention you had tons of CD's, so you may want to add a spinner like Tony said. unless you rip everything with your PC, and got that route. but I like having both options.