Cambridge 840c or Pioneer PD-65/Benchmark DAC 1


This is to simplify a question forum I started earlier. I am considering trying to update my Pioneer Elite PD-65 player for some improvement. I am considering between selling it and buying a Cambridge 840c or keeping it as a transport and buying a Benchmark DAC-1 as the D/A converter. What would you do?
fruff1976

Showing 4 responses by beerad

I use the 840c and its external dac with my sonos system. I have been very pleased with the overall sound. I have changed everything in my system in the past year except the 840c and do not anticpate replacing. It also can be used with a DVD player t.v. etc.. as well. letting you take a "16-bit/44.1kHz CD data to 24-bit/384kHz data, through the use of a 32-bit Analog Devices Black Fin DSP (digital signal processor). This in turn feeds two 24-bit/384kHz DACs from the same company in dual differential formation."
They must have made a major flaw in design. It still sounds really good to my ears.
Cambridge has a link to a paper that discusses the merits of upsampling to 384kHz and why they choose to go that route rather than 192kHz.
http://www.cambridgeaudio.com/assets/documents/840Cwhitepaperwebedit.pdf I have heard great things about your Benchmark and am sure it provides a very nice sound. Hopefully, I can demo one in the future to hear what all the great reviews are talking about. Enjoy your system.
Kijanki, I was not refering to a design flaw in benchmarks product, but rather Cambridge. Yes, the 840C does have two inputs that allows you to take advantage of the DACs. The digital to analog conversion of my Sonos signal is all ran through my 840c. They have option for toslink or digital coaxial. Thanks