New CDP or DAC? Advice?

heiney9

Sorry...yes they are direct replacements. Just have to make sure to get the wiring correct, see several previous threads.

H9

halo

H9 - I asked Ken Swauger about replacing the tweets on a 10B & he said:

"The real differences have to do with the tweeter dropping resistor, which is controlling the level of the tweeter. In the 10A it is a 2.5 Ohm resistor and in the 10B it is a 2.0 Ohm resistor. Not allot of difference but it would make the Peerless tweeter sound a little brighter if used with the 10B crossover. I don't believe it would be tremendously different, but it would be a smidge brighter. To be honest with you, I would use the 10B crossover with one of our newer tweeters, the RD0194-1 and place a .01 uFd Polystyrene or Mylar capacitor in parallel with both 12uFd capacitors. These are small value bypass capacitors that would allow the upper frequencies to be a little bit smoother.
Ken"

Unfortunately I don't know how to do what he suggested or where to get the parts. I don't know if the X-over is that much different on the RTA11t compared to a Monitor 10B either.

heiney9

peersool wrote:

H9 - I asked Ken Swauger about replacing the tweets on a 10B & he said:

"The real differences have to do with the tweeter dropping resistor, which is controlling the level of the tweeter. In the 10A it is a 2.5 Ohm resistor and in the 10B it is a 2.0 Ohm resistor. Not allot of difference but it would make the Peerless tweeter sound a little brighter if used with the 10B crossover. I don't believe it would be tremendously different, but it would be a smidge brighter. To be honest with you, I would use the 10B crossover with one of our newer tweeters, the RD0194-1 and place a .01 uFd Polystyrene or Mylar capacitor in parallel with both 12uFd capacitors. These are small value bypass capacitors that would allow the upper frequencies to be a little bit smoother.
Ken"

Unfortunately I don't know how to do what he suggested or where to get the parts. I don't know if the X-over is that much different on the RTA11t compared to a Monitor 10B either.

I must have missed something . I thought you originally asked about tweet replacements for the RTA-11t's you were considering. Those (RDO-....) replacements are direct drop-in's. If you're dealing with the Peerless that's a different animal. The peerless should stay where it is unless it not working or your parting it out. I don't think it common to use the Peerless in place of the "RDO" tweet which is the current replacement of the sl2000, 2500. I'm not sure the Peerless is forward compatible. I'm sure its been done, but not sure how that would turn out.

Got your PM, response to come.

H9

halo

No you didn't miss anything. Originally I asked Ken about replacing the tweeters on a pair of 10B's (sl2500 silver coil) with the peerless's out my 10A's (long story made short). Then he suggested replacing the sl2500's with the RD0194-1 instead and then performing the "upgrade" to the 10B's x-over mentioned in the earlier post. I'm wondering if I'd have to perform the "upgrade" to the RTA11t's x-over if I installed a set of RD0194-1's. If I am - I don't know how to do it or where to get the parts. Did that help clear thing up or just make you more confused?

heiney9

peersool wrote:

No you didn't miss anything. Originally I asked Ken about replacing the tweeters on a pair of 10B's (sl2500 silver coil) with the peerless's out my 10A's (long story made short). Then he suggested replacing the sl2500's with the RD0194-1 instead and then performing the "upgrade" to the 10B's x-over mentioned in the earlier post. I'm wondering if I'd have to perform the "upgrade" to the RTA11t's x-over if I installed a set of RD0194-1's. If I am - I don't know how to do it or where to get the parts. Did that help clear thing up or just make you more confused?

Got it . I'm sure it wouldn't hurt to upgrade the x-over in the RTA-11's, but if your not familiar with soldering/reading parts descriptions I doubt it would be worth the hassel. OTH, if you like that kind of stuff and are good at it you can get the parts at Parts Express pretty cheaply. I'm not sure if new x-overs are still avail from Polk so you wouldn't want to mess up the ones you have. The RDO's will sound great w/o the x-over upgrade. I'm sure there are differences between the 10's and 11's x-over networks. Ken would know for sure how much and if the same mod could be done using the same value parts.

http://www.partexpress.com/

SCompRacer

peersool and I are close in proximity. We will set a date for me to get on over there and try my DAC in his system and see what happens. I'd like to have a better digital coax cable than what I have now when we try it. Mine is due around Oct 5th or so.

heiney9

SCompRacer wrote:

peersool and I are close in proximity. We will set a date for me to get on over there and try my DAC in his system and see what happens. I'd like to have a better digital coax cable than what I have now when we try it. Mine is due around Oct 5th or so.

Yeah..we've been discussing a small meet-n-greet for those of us in proximity. Don't know what'll happen but maybe something can be worked out. He's more than welcome to come listen to my 11's if that will help him I have a DAC as well, 2 of them actually.

H9

Normanality

SCompRacer wrote:

peersool and I are close in proximity. We will set a date for me to get on over there and try my DAC in his system and see what happens. I'd like to have a better digital coax cable than what I have now when we try it. Mine is due around Oct 5th or so.

I just stopped by and borrowed SComp's Parasound DAC 2000 ULTRA and
connected it to my Marantz DV6500. I don't have a digital cable but used
a .5m Lapis X3. The DAC made a significant improvement to the detail,
separation of the soundfield. I'm sold! He's going to have a difficult time
getting it back now!

halo

ha ha

SCompRacer

Normanality wrote:

He's going to have a difficult time
getting it back now!

A feller could lose lots of gear that way.......no way your gonna experience that Rotel now.

heiney9

Normanality wrote:

I just stopped by and borrowed SComp's Parasound DAC 2000 ULTRA and
connected it to my Marantz DV6500. I don't have a digital cable but used
a .5m Lapis X3. The DAC made a significant improvement to the detail,
separation of the soundfield. I'm sold! He's going to have a difficult time
getting it back now!

Keep it I think he said it was a gift. DAC's can really make a difference.

H9

heiney9

Norman, did it get rid of any of those hard to solve problems you were experiencing withe your Lsi 15's. I bet it helped....maybe?

H9

SCompRacer

heiney9 wrote:

Keep it I think he said it was a gift.

H9

Gi..giii...giii...gift? :eek: Darn, your generous with my stuff.

My used .5 meter Kimber D60 digital cable gets shipped today. If I ever get the DAC back, I'll retest it.

Normanality

heiney9 wrote:

Norman, did it get rid of any of those hard to solve problems you were experiencing withe your Lsi 15's. I bet it helped....maybe?

H9

Actually, it did help balance out the soundstage a bit. The mid-bass 'over presence' was tamer. I was impressed. I still need the acoustic panels I ordered to clean up the mud at the bottom.
My DV6500 doesn't like to play SACD using the coax digital output :rolleyes: but all other types work.

Normanality

heiney9 wrote:

Keep it I think he said it was a gift. DAC's can really make a difference.

H9

Gee thanks!

Normanality

I was able to (using an extra set of connectors) do a live A-B listening with and without the DAC.

It's pretty remarkable. I thought the sound quality coming from the 24bit DAC on the Marantz was good. It's reserved and lackluster compared to the Parasound DAC. Using my preamp remote, I could stay seated and switch back and forth listening to all types of music.

Now I have to get one.

Thanks SComp :mad: :rolleyes:

SCompRacer

Normanality wrote:

Thanks SComp :mad: :rolleyes:

Wait, the Kimber Kable D60 is due here Saturday, so why not take it too.

Oh, BTW......... to the gift thing

Normanality

SCompRacer wrote:

Wait, the Kimber Kable D60 is due here Saturday, so why not take it too.

Oh, BTW.........

ROFL! Hey now, behave yourself young fella.
Remember, that DAC is still in my possession

SCompRacer

Normanality wrote:

ROFL! Hey now, behave yourself young fella.
Remember, that DAC is still in my possession

Oh, yeah, edited for content. And who you callin young.

heiney9

Normanality wrote:

I was able to (using an extra set of connectors) do a live A-B listening with and without the DAC.

It's pretty remarkable. I thought the sound quality coming from the 24bit DAC on the Marantz was good. It's reserved and lackluster compared to the Parasound DAC. Using my preamp remote, I could stay seated and switch back and forth listening to all types of music.

Now I have to get one.

Thanks SComp :mad: :rolleyes:

It's great....and sucks at the same time. Let some more cash go......fly away . Seriously, it's nice to be able to hear the unit on your system before you buy.

Hey Norman I see you live in/near Hillside. Do they still have those record/cd shows at the Hillside Holiday Inn? I used to go about 3-4 times a year, haven't been to one in over 2 years. Just wondered if they still held them there?

H9

W WALDECKER

pearsall001 wrote:

If the units come with a 30 day trial period I say go for it. I recently demoed a Benchmark DAC & a CIAudio DAC unit. Needless to say both units were returned. For the life of me & my wife we couldn't hear any difference that would warrant keeping either DAC. Then again that's our ears, you might hear something completely different. Half the fun is trying different stuff. But I can honestly say that one item we did try (also a 30 day trial) that made an immediate difference was a MARIGO 3-D SIGNATURE STABLIZER MAT from Music Direct. The difference was like night & day, the music really sounded clearer, more dynamic, more punch in the bass. For my wife to notice the difference & even comment on how much better it sounded is really saying something about a product. Technically I don't know what this thing does but boy does it work. Well so much for my $0.2
Happy hunting!

i have been using a Herbies audio labs grunge buster cd mat for over a month and i wont play a cd without it. the mat by damping the disc and also making it easier for the laser to maintain focus improves the sound of every disc in my collection.it is easily the best $25.00 i have ever spent on an audio tweak....thanks....WCW III

halo

Well, I'm glad evrybody's having fun My Kenwood was "acting up" today - it did it once before about a year ago and this thing is already 10 years old - so I may have to purchase a new CDP soon anyway. If the external DAC Rich has makes a difference I'd like to go with a Sony SCDCE595 SACD. If not I'll go with the Azur. I'm actually leaning towards the Azur - I've had bad luck with almost anything Sony I've ever purchased & I don't know of anyone else that makes a "cheap" SACD player - but who knows?

Big W - How do you use the thing? Where does it go? I didn't see an explanation when I went to Music Direct's site.

halo

SCompRacer wrote:

And who you callin young.

Your not THAT old - geez man

Fallen Kell

heiney9 wrote:

Obviously you've never heard a good one .

I was about to say the same thing. A good DAC will make a big difference in sound compaired to ok DAC's. Yes, you might not have heard the difference in what you already had with the external DAC you tried, but that could simply mean that 1) you have high end gear already which has fairly decent DAC's or 2) the DAC you tried really wan't that great or 3) might need your ears checked.

There is a night and day difference between the DAC's in my pre-processor and the ones in my DVD player. Hands down, the DVD player has better DAC's (it is a Denon 3910). My pre-processor was just a temporary job (since the one I wanted kept being delayed and delayed), and I havn't bothered to get a replacement. So it is a HK DPR-1001 that I picked up refurbished direct from HK for $200 (not a bad deal). Anyway, the DAC's in the HK are not even in the same class as the Burr-Brown DAC's in the Denon. And there are other DAC's that will even put those Burr-Brown's into their place as well.

shack

Ya know....I've heard some REALLY GOOD external DACs vs some VERY GOOD CDPs. Marginally better? Maybe. A lot? No way. I'll spend my money elsewhere.

halo

Well, on that note, (and with the assistance of someone who knows what they are doing) I was thinking about "rebuilding" or "modding" the crossovers. I mean if I'm going to be in there anyway why not just do the whole thing. When the SDA crowd does theirs they say it makes a big difference (I'm not comparing RTA11t's to anything SDA here). I've always heard GIGO around here and I'd imagine that all new high quality parts replacing 20 year old inexpensive (even at that time - to cut down on manufacturing $$$) caps & resistors, etc. would be a good thing. Someone correct me if I'm wrong because as I stated I don't know how to do this or where to get the parts. I know there are different brands of caps, etc. but I haven't got a clue where to go or what I'd (specific values) need.

SCompRacer

I'd start out by asking Polk for a schematic on your RTA's. Make up a parts list and order them from a place like Parts Connexion. I used Solen caps and Mills resistors. There are other higher quality caps Jesse (F1) has mentioned but they cost more.

SCompRacer

peersool wrote:

Your not THAT old - geez man

It's the mileage....

halo

SCompRacer was over today and I'd say that the DAC made a noticeable difference. The highs and mids were more pronounced/defined/detailed. It may have tightened up the bass a little - it was kind of hard to tell.

He also brought a Carver TFM45 & we swapped out my Rotel. I was also impressed by the Carver. Definately more bass than the Rotel. Otherwise it seemed too similar to notice a difference.

So, my decision is to go with a new CDP. Only because the $$$ of his DAC is more than the cost of a new Azur 540C. I also figure that I can do an A vs. B comparison with my current CDP (before it craps out). I'll be able to see if it produces the same effect as the DAC - If not I'll return it and save a little more dough for a new (cheaper) CDP + DAC.

I want to say THANK YOU to SCompRacer for helping me out with this. It was nice to meet you IRL & it was REALLY nice of you to lug all that stuff over to my house just to help me make an informed decision. Thanks go out to everybody else for their input. This place is awsome.

Normanality

peersool wrote:

SCompRacer was over today and I'd say that the DAC made a noticeable difference. The highs and mids were more pronounced/defined/detailed. It may have tightened up the bass a little - it was kind of hard to tell.

He also brought a Carver TFM45 & we swapped out my Rotel. I was also impressed by the Carver. Definately more bass than the Rotel. Otherwise it seemed too similar to notice a difference.

So, my decision is to go with a new CDP. Only because the $$$ of his DAC is more than the cost of a new Azur 540C. I also figure that I can do an A vs. B comparison with my current CDP (before it craps out). I'll be able to see if it produces the same effect as the DAC - If not I'll return it and save a little more dough for a new (cheaper) CDP + DAC.

I want to say THANK YOU to SCompRacer for helping me out with this. It was nice to meet you IRL & it was REALLY nice of you to lug all that stuff over to my house just to help me make an informed decision. Thanks go out to everybody else for their input. This place is awsome.

Aint it fun playing with other people's stuff?
Everytime we get together, it costs one (or both) of us $$$