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Changing Digital Technology

I have a bit of a dilemma. I could spend $1,700 - $2,700 to upgrade my BAT VK-D5SE CD player or move toward digital technologies to accommodate SACD’s and other forms of evolving digital music. An upgrade would limit me to CD’s only. From reading the Audiogon forums, it appears there is, and will be, a whole lot more out there than CD’s. One of the threads suggested focusing on DAC technology that will accommodate various kinds of streaming digital via USB, coax, etc. If I did not obtain a SACD/CD player with that capability, I assume I would be running my BAT through it? I do have all of my CD’s on my Mac Book Pro as Apple lossless. I do not relish the idea of spending a lot of money on players that might be obsolete in five years.

I am into analog and have BAT tube monoblocks and preamp with a pair of Wilson Sophia’s. I love the tube sound and will be relying on my preamp to accommodate digital technologies.

I would appreciate advice on how to address the new technologies and possible equipment options. I think the future for digital is brigh. How does a person plan for the changes?
bgmyers
7 responses Add your response
4hannons's avatar
4hannons
187 posts
 
What Steve said.
mrvco
52 posts
 
I'd sell the BAT and with the proceeds, buy a nice DAC, an Oppo BDP-95 and a Mac Mini.
bgmyers OP
28 posts
 
Elizabeth ... please contact me bmyers@carolina.rr.com
audioengr
3,282 posts
 
CD, SACD and DVD-A are all dying, so the smart move is to use what you have, the Macbook Pro and get a DAC and good USB interface or DAC with a good USB interface built-in. Notice that I didn't say a "good" DAC. The more important thing is the USB interface. This is where is makes most sense to put your money.

Both DAC configurations can be stellar, and even outperform your DC transport. However, you need to be ripping with XLD, not iTunes and to AIFF format, not ALAC. Playback should be a combination of iTunes and Amarra or Pure Music. You will find once you do these things that the SQ is improved dramatically.

There are also some things that you can do to improve the Macbook Pro:

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=105944.0

http://www.empiricalaudio.com/computer-audio/recommended-systems

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
edorr
714 posts
 
What DAC are you playing your files stored on the Mac into? In my estimation (and experience) once you have your collection ripped to computer and a convenient way to manage your music collection from an iDevice AND soundquality is at par with what you are getting from CD, you will never go back to CD again. For this reason alone I would never upgrade my CD player. A more promising avenue would be to get a very good USB DAC, which would make the CD player obsolute. Most of these DAC will also have a good S/PDIF input so you could demote your CD player to transport and get much better performance from traditional CD as well.
mlsstl
1,436 posts
 
Just curious, is there something unsatisfactory about your BAT CD player?

That's a lot of money to spend on modding, especially since non-factory changes often don't help resell value and may even scare off some buyers. Your particular model is already over 10 years old.

If you just want to test the waters for digital playback from computer storage, there are a number of ways to do that for a lot less than your proposed mod budget. A Squeezebox Touch is $300, there are USB DACs in that price range that many find quite good, or even upgraded sound cards for an existing PC.

Rather than pour a bunch of money into an old unit or buying an expensive version of a technology you don't have any experience with, just experiment for a while and that will tell you a lot about which direction is best for you.

Then, when you find out what appeals to you, you'll find your upgrade efforts a lot more satisfying.
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