Cambridge 851D Digital to Analog Converter / Pre Amplifier or hold out

[Deleted User]
[Deleted User] Posts: 10,716
in Electronics
been (0)ing this for some time but I've been able to talk myself out
of it. ;) I'm just now happy with my sound and have been using
the DAC on my Yammy CD-S2100 for a DAC...
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Comments

  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,965
    If your happy with the sound, why change it ? I personally wouldn't use a dac as a pre even if that option came with it.
    HT SYSTEM-
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    Cables-
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  • mikeyb128
    mikeyb128 Posts: 2,885
    Have to agree with Tony. I used my DAC as a pre for a long time, and it did sound very good to my ears. I always figured less in the signal chain the better. Anyway, curiosity got the best of me and I picked up a tubed pre. The pre blew the doors off my DAC as a pre in sound quality. That was with stock current production tubes. Just a note I use a 2000$ DAC, and stays as just that, it's nice to know I have a back up pre if anything happens.
    2 channel:
    Bryston 4B3, Bryston BDA3, Cary SLP05, Shanling CDT1000SE with parts conneXion level 2 mods, Nottingham analogue ace space 294, soundsmith Carmen MKii, Zu DL103 MKii, Ortofon MC 20 MKii, Dynavector XX2 MKii, Rogue Audio Ares, Core power technologies balanced power conditioner, Akiko Corelli power conditioner with Akiko Audio HQ power cable, Nordost heimdall 2, Frey 2, interconnects, speaker and power cables, Focal Electra 1028 BE 2, Auralic Aries Femto, Black diamond racing cones, ingress audio level 1 roller blocks, JL Audio E110 with Auralic subdude, Primacoustics room treatments.
    Theater:
    Focal Aria 926,905,CC900, SVS PB ultra x2. Pioneer Elite SC85, Oppo BDP93, Panamax M5400PM, Minix neox6, Nordost Blue heaven LS power cables.

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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 10,716
    Thanks! Whew. I needed someone to talk sense into me. :#
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  • kevhed72
    kevhed72 Posts: 5,055
    I alawys how well those Yammy CD players sounded....
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  • ukcolin99
    ukcolin99 Posts: 286
    I like my 851D. The price has dropped again, $799 everywhere, good reviews, I'm running my 851D into my P5 sounds good. The D has very good technical review (measurements) in Stereophile especially as a DAC, noting the P5 is not recommended as a good DAC in different Stereophile review. Figure I'm getting best of both worlds.
    I'm patiently waiting for the 851N price to drop, it is identical to 851D plus streaming & internet radio.
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,165
    Separate dac and pre will in almost all cases yield better fidelity. I'd opt for two separate units.

    H9
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • BlueBirdMusic
    BlueBirdMusic Posts: 2,281
    mikeyb128 wrote: »
    Have to agree with Tony. I used my DAC as a pre for a long time, and it did sound very good to my ears. I always figured less in the signal chain the better. Anyway, curiosity got the best of me and I picked up a tubed pre. The pre blew the doors off my DAC as a pre in sound quality. That was with stock current production tubes. Just a note I use a 2000$ DAC, and stays as just that, it's nice to know I have a back up pre if anything happens.

    mikeyb128, what tubed pre are you using? I am looking for one to use with my just acquired PS Audio Nuwave DSD DAC.
    "Sometimes you have to look to the past to understand where you are going in the future"

    Anger is just anger. It isn’t good. It isn’t bad. It just is. What you do with it is what matters.
    You can use it to build or to destroy. You just have to make the choice.     Jim Butcher




    Harry / Marietta GA
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  • cvernon36
    cvernon36 Posts: 33
    Honestly the built in dac on the Yamaha will not keep up. I personally own a rxa3030 and once I got this exact unit a black azur851d it made a huge difference in performance. I find the Yamaha lacks power but has incredible detail and quality whereas Cambridge audio is slightly the opposite still have quality but more power over quality of sound. I liked the combination. But I use it strick as a DAC and not a preamp. I bought the azur851e for my preamp.
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