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Emotiva ERC-3 or Music Hall C-DAC15.3 / connections?

Hi,
first time post. Not an 'audiophile' per say, just a guy who appreciates good sound.

I'm looking at buying a new CD player and the Emotiva ERC-3 is on my short list. I've read good reviews and the 5 year warranty is a big plus.
I'll be hooking it up to an Anthem MRX 710 AVR. The Anthem doesn't have balanced inputs and from what I've read the ERC-3 sounds best using balanced connections.  So, would there be any advantage in using an XLR to RCA cable? Or am I going to get the same sound using RCA-RCA?

The Music Hall C-DAC15.3 player is also under consideration.  My speakers are Paradigm Studio 100's v2 
With the Anthem , which would be a better bet, the Emotiva or Music Hall?

Thanks!
kfoxian
auxinput
2,920 posts
 

I took a quick look at your Anthem MRX 710 AVR.  If you are wanting an analog CD player, make sure to set the "Process Analog Audio Input" to NO and "Anthem Room Correction" to NO.  This will disable any digital processing and do a pure analog "pass through" in your Anthem.

If you want to use Anthem Room Correction and/or a subwoofer with your CD player, you might be better off getting a CD transport such as the Cambridge CXC and connect it to a COAX digital input on the Anthem.  If you like the DACs in your Anthem, this might be a better way to "play" your CDs.

kfoxian OP
6 posts
 
@auxinput
the Music Hall has separate DAC chips, clocks, etc because it's a combination 3-INPUT DAC and a CD player
http://musichallaudio.com/c-dac15-3/

Knowing there's a another circuit board UNDER the disc drive, you still think the interior is sparse?
auxinput
2,920 posts
 

Yes, the Music Hall is still very sparse.  You need to take that single circuit board and chop it in half.  The left side is the power supply, DAC and I/V stage for the digital inputs.  The right side is the power supply, DAC and I/V stage for the CD drive.  The hidden board under the drive is just the digital controller for the CD drive itself.

In the Emotiva ERC-3 picture, the power supply comprises the large circuit board on the left side of the player.  The top right contains the DAC and I/V stage.  The top middle contains the output buffer stages.  The emotive is hiding it's CD driver controller board.  Also, the Emotiva has metal shielding between power supply / drive / DAC modules.

This may push your budget, but you could look at Marantz offerings.  There are a couple items for sale on audiogon.  A Marantz SA8005 and a UD7007.  Both have discrete output stages (no op amps), and will probably sound much better than the Emotiva or Music Hall.  The SA8005 also has digital inputs and can act as a DAC.

bret_dixon
9 posts
 
I have the ERC 2 and changed the Opamps to Burson V5's. With some burn in these pieces take the player to a whole different level in my opinion. They come with a eight pin adapter so rolling other Opamps is just a drop in. Looking to try the Sparkos at some point.
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