Does an external DAC level the transport field...?

steveinaz

Let me make sure I'm understanding you correctly, you are hearing a difference between the DV-6500/DAC combo and the Parasound transport/DAC combo?

madmax

You shouldn't have to listen so closely to hear such differences. If the difference isn't noticeable then you will be happy with either. Keep in mind though that the way the different players and dacs match up with each other and to your preamp can make all the difference in the world so I wouldn't make any long term conclusions either way.
madmax

steveinaz

Well, I'm strugglin brotha, and thats with a $129 entry level panasonic against my CEC CD-3300 (a very good transport) both running into my Benchmark DAC1. If I'm lyin I'm dyin, but still don't notice any difference between the 2 when used as transports. Maybe thats really a GOOD thing..hmmm....

BUT, this is only day 2 of my week long listening experiment.

madmax

Just for fun you could feed your amps directly with each combination and see if you can tell a difference. Or maybe swap around other components. I've had multiple cases where two components sounded the same with one preamp but totally different with a different one.
madmax

BobMcG

I used to do immediate A/B switching back and forth between a (ten years ago) $30 Toslink connection and a $49 true 75ohm Conare digital coax cable and could easily hear a difference between them. One by one I auditioned the two against each other to four other people (without them knowing which cable was the A cable or B cable) and they all agreed. The "A" cable sounded brighter than the "B" cable. Too bright. Read: bright = distortion. At any rate the coax was the prefered cable in this case and I've stuck with coax ever since.

I later read that the Toslink cables were prone to introducing jitter to the signal and that is a probable cause for the bright characteristic of that cable.

Normanality

steveinaz wrote:

Let me make sure I'm understanding you correctly, you are hearing a difference between the DV-6500/DAC combo and the Parasound transport/DAC combo?

LOL I thought it would sound confusing.

No, actually I was comparing the DV6500 as both a transport into the
Parasound DAC via the digital cable and then the analog output of the DV6500
directly into another port on the preamp. This way I was comparing one
DAC against the other. The Parasound was far superior in all aspects.

At this point, I separated the Marantz from the external DAC because it doesn't play SACD via the digital output, only hybrid SACD that can be changed to 2 channel only. I picked up a Parasound transport to use with the external DAC for my cd playing.

pearsall001

I went thru the same thing you just did. I bought the Benchmark DAC to use w/ my HK DVD22 DVD/CD player. After reading all the glowing reviews of the DAC I thought it would elevate my HK to a new level of sound quality. Was I ever wrong!! I kept it for almost the alloted 30 day trial period. For the life of me I couldn't hear any difference in the sound that would make me consider it a good upgrade for $900 bucks. I didn't want to have to nit pick & try to tell myself that I heard a difference, for me the difference in the sound quality should have been very noticable which it wasn't. Needless to say it went back. I got a no hassle refund.

RuSsMaN

steveinaz wrote:

Does an external DAC level the transport field...?

No..

SCompRacer

pearsall001 wrote:

For the life of me I couldn't hear any difference in the sound....

I had a similar experience with a Parasound 2000 Ultra DAC. I didn't get the bang out of it like I did with my Ah! CDP, but my friend Normanality did so he bought it from me.

It sure is nice having a bud to swap gear with. It doesn't always save you money, but it can make your purchases more accurate.

steveinaz

Update:

After doing more listening last night, I finally latched onto some differences. I noticed that the CEC has a bit deeper/wider soundstage and anchors vocals in the center as it should. The Panasonic is more 2-dimensional with vocals not centered as they should be; vocals sort of "float" around. The midrange is cleaner and a touch more "present" with the CEC as well.

Conclusion: I'll probably stick to a seperate CD transport; but I've got to tell you--it's subtle and recording dependant--nothing like I expected. Makes me wonder how a well built, coax digital out DVD would perform...