FOR CEC Owners

I'm mating a CEC TL 1X with an upgraded Sonic Frontiers SFD-1 MKII DAC, and love the analog-like sound. Previously I was using a Sonic Frontiers SFT-1 or an Audio Alchemy DDS Pro transport, and briefly an Accuphase DP-75 as transport. Nothing gave me the gorgeous liquid midrange of the TL 1X. But you may well be right about their being superior primarily in transport technology. From my own listening, I can't offer an opinion. Maybe someone else can.

Interesting question, I would say that CEC makes great transports especially (TL 1X), (TL 0), & mating them to a tube dac such as the above post, a Kora Hermes, Audio Logic 2400, Audio Note 3.1 or maybe even a Cal Alpha, (which I own), would be my choices when I decide between the trans/dac, or all in one player (Capitole, Mephisto). Good luck.

I bought my TL-1X after I had already bought my Chord DAC64. I didn't even know about a CEC dac until recently.

I've found the Chord to be a perfect companion for the CEC. Obviously there are more opinions about this than there are combinations of transport/dac, all of which are influenced by musical taste, associated equipment,listening room characteristics, etc.
jp

I have got a good offer for an integrated CEC TL51Z MKII and it has its own converter on board. CD reproduction is very good and compared to the top transport CEC it shows less quality in the low range but a more airy midrange that I like to my taste.

I am not in the market for a converter and the idea is to use it as a transport combined with my Theta Chroma or with a Swissonic that I already own.

To my listening taste the TL51Z MKII as a integrated player provide excellent sound but not the ultimate frontier in natureness sound.
I plugged to it the swissonic and at the first superficial test the swissonic seems to outperform the CEC integrated DAC. Such a case will be pity because I should keep the swissonic and not take the chance to sell it.
That's why I was interetsted to know if the majority of users believe CEC is a transport company only or can keep up on converters. As an alternative how many of you verified that CEC dac ar not the ultimate performance compared to other well named converters.
Tks if you would comment

I am alos intersted in this very same topic. I just got a CEC TL2X and was thinking about their DX51 DAC, but can find almost no reviews on it or the other CEC DACs ANYWHERE!

Platsolos, first try to be 100% sure that the DX 51 DAC is the same that goes into the TL51ZMKII that I have.
The shop guy said yes, but when looking at the price it seems not (a DX 51 is much more expensive of how it is valued inside the TL 51ZMKII)

Maybe they are making a special price package like sometimes happen and naturally they save on the enclosure cost.

If we can determine this I can be of help as I can compare it for you with other converters that I can listen in comparison.

I have owned an Audio Logic 34 (upgraded to 2400) DAC for about a year now. A few months ago I thought I would want to move to a one-unit player that could also play SACDs. I bought a Sony XA777 and was pretty disappointed in it as a redbook player. Mated to the AL DAC improved the sound greatly but even the tube dac couldn't take the harshness and "digitides" out of the Sony. I decided to forgo SACD and focus on the best possible redbook sound. I bought a used CEC TL-1 and find this to be a wonderful match with the AL DAC. Sounds almost analog and competes with SACD. Perhaps not quite as detailed but much more musical.

I would second the advice to mate CEC with an outboard tube dac. You can find used AL 34 for around $1200-1500 and AL 2400 for around $2000. Good luck!

CEC DA5 DAC and TL-5 Transport | REVIEW - Part-Time Audiophile (parttimeaudiophile.com)