Wright, One clue to the answer to your question is the number of these pieces that cannot find a home. The X-10 is a crutch fix for an I-C problem. I doubt that an A-3.5 will sound better using an outboard MF dac. Every step in the MF line is audible, go as far as your wallet will allow. The 3.5 is super at the price point, the A5 as well at its price. The KW is just plain super. Z.
Musical Fidelity. Tube/Dac question
Apparently, the A3.5 CD player can benefit greatly from the addition of the X-Dac and X-10 Tube Buffer.
I know this is true of the X-Ray CD player because I've personally heard the very real benefits of the X-Dac and X-10 with the X-Ray.*
So, seeing as the X-10 uses the same tubes as the A5 CD player and a better DAC than the A3.5, my question is... does the A3.5 + X-10 + X-DAC add up to virtually identical performance as the A5?
I ask because I think it would be nice to have the flexibility of the individual elements, all else being equal. For example, the outboard DAC could be used with a DVD player also, rather than limited to the A5.
* Place the X-10 between source and pre-amp if you have pre and power amps. I found that placing the X-10 between pre and power gave muddy results with sounds such as plucked strings. But between source and pre, everything was wonderful and smooth with no ill-effects at all. A great little device.
I know this is true of the X-Ray CD player because I've personally heard the very real benefits of the X-Dac and X-10 with the X-Ray.*
So, seeing as the X-10 uses the same tubes as the A5 CD player and a better DAC than the A3.5, my question is... does the A3.5 + X-10 + X-DAC add up to virtually identical performance as the A5?
I ask because I think it would be nice to have the flexibility of the individual elements, all else being equal. For example, the outboard DAC could be used with a DVD player also, rather than limited to the A5.
* Place the X-10 between source and pre-amp if you have pre and power amps. I found that placing the X-10 between pre and power gave muddy results with sounds such as plucked strings. But between source and pre, everything was wonderful and smooth with no ill-effects at all. A great little device.