The SCD-777 has a reasonably good DAC. To beat it significantly you will need a really fine DAC and Digital Cable. My preference would be a used Muse Model two ninety six (you can find these for around $1400) - I have one and it is amazing only dCS and maybe Audio Aero Capitole (both bi bucks) beat it INMHO. There are other options though: the EVS Millenium II DAC is $1050 new and very impressive. The P-3A is also very good especially if you get the Modwright level 2 mods and the powersupply upgrade (but at that price you could get a used Muse 296 it seems to me). At any rate for under $1500 you can definately take your redbook playbacy up several notches.
Best Budget SCD-777ES DAC?
Hello,
having read many of the posts in this category, I can see there are many recommendations for DAC's and also - and unrelated - many quibbles about how well the SCD-777 really plays normal CD's. A stereophile reviewer highly regarded a combo with the CAL Alpha tube DAC. There must be many others. Has anyone experimented? What works great, and what might be cheap?! Is it worth it? ( --My frame of reference for background/why I am asking -- I can tell you that I traded a Meridian 508.20 for the 777, and the Meridian to me sounded better. But just slightly; very slightly in fact. If a recommended DAC made up the difference between the two in sound, but cost a thousand bucks, it would not be worth it to me. Is there some "fantastic" upgrade out there?)
Thanks!
Jimmy2615
having read many of the posts in this category, I can see there are many recommendations for DAC's and also - and unrelated - many quibbles about how well the SCD-777 really plays normal CD's. A stereophile reviewer highly regarded a combo with the CAL Alpha tube DAC. There must be many others. Has anyone experimented? What works great, and what might be cheap?! Is it worth it? ( --My frame of reference for background/why I am asking -- I can tell you that I traded a Meridian 508.20 for the 777, and the Meridian to me sounded better. But just slightly; very slightly in fact. If a recommended DAC made up the difference between the two in sound, but cost a thousand bucks, it would not be worth it to me. Is there some "fantastic" upgrade out there?)
Thanks!
Jimmy2615