I have the bel canto DAC3 and I cannot tell the difference between sources except for the usb and toslink connections, which I don't use anyway. AES/EBU, coax and SPDIF all sound the same to me. I cannot tell the difference using my high end CD player using balanced inputs vs. my squeezebox running flac files using a basic digital coax cable--and that is switching immediately from one source to the other using the DAC3 to switch sources. The DAC3's asynchronous upsampler makes it all sound great, and comes highly recommended. The bonus is you can also run the DAC3 as a preamp using the digital volume control, but I find I like a preamp (I run a Pass XP10) for dynamics and an even better soundstage.
I need help - Better DAC or NEW CD player?
I am in the middle of purchasing some components for my new system, unfortunately, reading posts on a rainy night on Audigon only makes my "upgradeatitis" syndrom more acute.
The problem is that some time ago, I bought a squeezebox Duet, to use as transport for lossless files. The idea obviously was to get a good DAC to go along with it.
The one I was almost set on was the Dacmagic, which gets very good reviews here and almost everywhere you look. But, on the other hand, I am willing to spend a little more......Now, the thing is my current CD player is a Rotel RCD 1072, and was wondering whether this Dacmagic would give me any improvements if I use the rotel as a transport for it.
Or, I could get for example a Wyred DAC or a Benchmark DAC1 and use the Rotel for transport, but I dont know the limits of the Rotel as transport alone, I dont want to spend 600 more bucks on a better DAC to be fed with 2 "not so good" transports (the Duet and the Rotel).
So I am kinda stuck!! On the other hand I am contemplating getting the Dacmagic to use only for the Duet, and getting a new better CD player altogether, which puts me into another doubt, I dont know if the little money I can for the rotel + lets say 1000 more will really give me any improvements in the system if I purchase a whole new CD player since the Rotel is said to be very capable.
FWIW my amp will be a W4S STI500 and speakers are B&W 803D.
Let me know what you think about this and your suggestions on what you would do.... thanks in advance for all your help!
The problem is that some time ago, I bought a squeezebox Duet, to use as transport for lossless files. The idea obviously was to get a good DAC to go along with it.
The one I was almost set on was the Dacmagic, which gets very good reviews here and almost everywhere you look. But, on the other hand, I am willing to spend a little more......Now, the thing is my current CD player is a Rotel RCD 1072, and was wondering whether this Dacmagic would give me any improvements if I use the rotel as a transport for it.
Or, I could get for example a Wyred DAC or a Benchmark DAC1 and use the Rotel for transport, but I dont know the limits of the Rotel as transport alone, I dont want to spend 600 more bucks on a better DAC to be fed with 2 "not so good" transports (the Duet and the Rotel).
So I am kinda stuck!! On the other hand I am contemplating getting the Dacmagic to use only for the Duet, and getting a new better CD player altogether, which puts me into another doubt, I dont know if the little money I can for the rotel + lets say 1000 more will really give me any improvements in the system if I purchase a whole new CD player since the Rotel is said to be very capable.
FWIW my amp will be a W4S STI500 and speakers are B&W 803D.
Let me know what you think about this and your suggestions on what you would do.... thanks in advance for all your help!