Do I need a DAC?

Your cd player already has a built in dac so the answer would be no.

You don't "Need" one, but do you want one? if you do, then keep in mind that you already have a pretty high end CD Player as it is, along w/a superb Pre Amp...I guess what I'm trying to say is, Make sure you "UPGRADE" and not downgrade. And that will equal to a high end Tube DAC.....You got the extra $$ laying around for that?

My BAT VK-5SE CD player trounces my custom modded Perpetual Technologies DAC and my Oppo 83 SE with the vaunted Sabre 32 DACS built-in. Unless you want/need the convenience of a computer source, no you do not "need" a DAC.

You have an excellent player and pre. I doubt that a separate DAC will add anything unless you spend megabucks to upgrade!

Interesting thread and responses. Ok, this member has a super high end player in BAT (tubes?? SS?? hybrid??) But do you need a DAC if you have a Rega Apollo which is very good or something similar?? Can a DAC like the Peachtree DAC*IT ($449) make any improvement in the playback sound???

I don't really want to spend more than that, because I don't need all the features of a more expensive DAC. I really have no interest in computer sourced audio, but would like to extend the performance of the Rega without necessarily degrading its sound quality. I guess it is question as to which DAC is better...the one in the Rega or the Peachtree?? Thanks

Thanks for the advice,

OK, the reason that I'd personally choose a DAC over a CD player is that my favorite radio stations are across the pond and I'm discovering that while local radio stations are compressing their signals, European radio stations are moving towards higher resolution audio streaming. The BBC Radio3 (without compression) streams at 320kbps via iTunes and the change from their former 128kbps is noticeable. The DAC bypasses the sound card in my Mac Mini and the internal clock inside my DAC is reason enough to justify its cost. My DAC being new as it is also hosts frequencies that go up to as high as 192 kHz. So if all of this for mentioned rhetoric is of no concern, than I can't see owning a DAC at all, much less an expensive one.