Wanted a high quality CDP, also to be an external DAC

[trubluluc]

Guys-

I'm looking for suggestions as far as a high quality CD player that could also serve as an external DAC to my Sony 400 CD changer.
So I'm assuming it would need a Digital input.

Suggestions?

thanks,

-Luc

[RuSsMaN]

Not many CDP's with a Digital input. Lots of good transports, depending on your pricepoint. AMC / Cambridge, California Audio Labs, Marantz, CEC (belt drive if you can find it), and Music Hall - to name a few.

DAC's? Endless possibilities. The Scott Nixon Tube DAC and the Ak! Dac are giant killers.

Cheers,
Russ

[Emlyn]

May want to check out a used Musical Fidelity CD Pre 24, which seem to be going for around $1100 these days. It's a combination CD player/analog preamp/digital switcher/DAC with a couple of digital inputs usable for input from Sony CD mega-changers.

Review

[trubluluc]

I have found a couple of these for about $500. And they have the digital imput.
I'd prefer the player route to a stand alone DAC, as I still like having a single player to demo discs, before committing to put them in the CD changer.


Thanks for the suggestions Russ and Emlyn,

-Luc

[halo]

The Scott Nixon Tube DAC and the Ak! Dac are giant killers.

Cheers,
Russ

What's the Ak! worth (paying for that is) Russ?

[tryrrthg]

What's the Ak! worth (paying for that is) Russ?

http://www.ack-industries.com/dAck!.html

an FYI, The Ack! Industries dAck! runs on a battery pack so you would have to deal with that.

[halo]

http://www.ack-industries.com/dAck!.html

an FYI, The Ack! Industries dAck! runs on a battery pack so you would have to deal with that.

Yikes! Thanks for the info!

[trubluluc]

....

[trubluluc]

....I looked at the Musical Fidelity CD Pre 2, and it is an awesom unit.
A couple of things are steering me away from it.

1. Not many to be had and they are about $1100.
2. Don't need most of the advantages it offers.
3. I know it's stupid, but I #*!ing hate silver componentry.
I have all black gear, speaker fronts, cable, rack.

So I'm thinking I will most likely go with the California Audio CL-15 for $500.

Is there any reason I should not go with this unit?

-Luc

[heiney9]

One of the nicer, actually excellent sounding, cdp's with an additional digital input is the Adcom GCD-750. It uses the same configuration/output as the stand alone GDA-700 Dac. It's a hell of a nice sounding unit. Class B (I think) Stereophile player. They can be had fairly cheap these days about $1300 new and between $500-700 on Audiogon. When my cdp craps out this is the unit I will repalce it with. The display can be a bit hard to read unless you are staring at it on the same level and can't it be seen from a distance. The remote is basic, but it's one solid cdp that is very open and detailed.

FWIW

H9

[heiney9]

....I looked at the Musical Fidelity CD Pre 2, and it is an awesom unit.
A couple of things are steering me away from it.

1. Not many to be had and they are about $1100.
2. Don't need most of the advantages it offers.
3. I know it's stupid, but I #*!ing hate silver componentry.
I have all black gear, speaker fronts, cable, rack.

So I'm thinking I will most likely go with the California Audio CL-15 for $500.

Is there any reason I should not go with this unit?

-Luc

Aren't Cal's known to have some breakdown issues occasionally. Can they still be repaired easily. I may be mistaken

[heiney9]

Here's a quick and dirty link to a review on the GCD-750

http://www.adcom.com/itemreviews.htm

Here's one FS on Audiogon...no affil..

http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls....lay&1132365673

Funny there are usually atleast 3-4 forsale.

Hope this hepls you make a decision

H9

[trubluluc]

Heiney9-

Just read the review and see that it does have the digital input.

Thanks Man for the suggestion !

Does the Adcom have a digital imput, so I can use it as a DAC to my CD changer?


-Luc

One of the nicer, actually excellent sounding, cdp's with an additional digital input is the Adcom GCD-750. It uses the same configuration/output as the stand alone GDA-700 Dac. It's a hell of a nice sounding unit. Class B (I think) Stereophile player. They can be had fairly cheap these days about $1300 new and between $500-700 on Audiogon. When my cdp craps out this is the unit I will repalce it with. The display can be a bit hard to read unless you are staring at it on the same level and can't it be seen from a distance. The remote is basic, but it's one solid cdp that is very open and detailed.

FWIW

H9

[heiney9]

Heiney-

Does the Adcom have a digital imput, so I can use it as a DAC to my CD changer?

-Luc

YES....that's one of the great things about it besides the sound quality. If you have a chance click on the link in previous thread to get an idea of what the unit sounds like (accoring to a reviewer) My brother had one for a while so I have auditioned the unit and it really is a great sounding unit. Much better sounding than the price would indicate and at $550 used its a steal, IMO

H9

[trubluluc]

Can anyone else substantiate this?
I really don't know anything about them, but if they have issues I'd like to know before I buy one.

-Luc

Aren't Cal's known to have some breakdown issues occasionally. Can they still be repaired easily. I may be mistaken

[SCompRacer]

3. I know it's stupid, but I #*!ing hate silver componentry.

It's not stupid. Your just fussy and particular is all. I know cause I don't care for the silver stuff either. :D

[danger boy]

CAL (California Audio Labs) is out of business.. so getting parts and repairs may be difficult. I have a CAL Alpha Tube DAC. while i like it... it really has no moving parts.. so i'm not real worried about repair problems in the future. CAL in a lot of cases overbuilt their products to last.. but they are still electronics.. and electronics at some point will eventually fail or need repairs.

Give it a try.. you can always turn around and resell it for what you paid for it..

[halo]

It's not stupid. Your just fussy and particular is all. I know cause I don't care for the silver stuff either. :D

+ 1 - I don't care for the silver either.

[trubluluc]

I didn't know they were out of business. I thought they were bought by Go Video and turned into Sensory Science or something like that.
If they are out of business, that's not good.

-Luc

CAL (California Audio Labs) is out of business.. so getting parts and repairs may be difficult. I have a CAL Alpha Tube DAC. while i like it... it really has no moving parts.. so i'm not real worried about repair problems in the future. CAL in a lot of cases overbuilt their products to last.. but they are still electronics.. and electronics at some point will eventually fail or need repairs.

Give it a try.. you can always turn around and resell it for what you paid for it..