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Confused - what to buy DAC or CD player?

Folks,

I need people's opinions in figuring out my next component - CD player or DAC. Unfortunately, I won't be able to demo the cd players and DACs at one time to do head to head comparisons - so I'm requesting your input.

My current system:

Speakers: Soliloquy 5.0s
AMP: Sim Audio i-5080
Currently using a Toshiba SD 3109 DVD player for a source (but I don't like it).

I'm willing to spend up to $700.

The options I am considering are:
1) Rega Planet 2000 - around 650 used
2) Bel Canto DAC 1.1 - around 650 used
3) Channel Island VDA DAC and VAC P.S - 500 new

The music I listen to includes rock, electronic, classical, r&b, etc.

Please let me know if there are other cd players/DACs that I should consider and/or what you think my best option is and why.

Your help is appreciated.

Thanks
jonnyk

Showing 2 responses by mdomnick

mdomnick
332 posts
 
JonnyK I am in the same boat...and have decided this is the best solution...I am going to buy a Jitter control device (looking between Monarchy Audio and Sonic Frontiers) to help control jitter and timing errors, then will purchase an external DA converter. This will pretty much allow you to use any cd player you'd like (I will replace my aging Marantz CC65 changer with another/newer changer).

This may exceed your budget (Monarchy jitter new=$300, and DA converter will be whatever you want to spend, plus $300 for cd changer) but should rival most any cd player.
mdomnick
332 posts
 
zaik,

thanks for the input...given the budget, and my own budget, i think my plan is valid, but would completely agree a better quality component should certainly provide a cleaner signal, maybe a tweek here and there, and therefore sounds better. I'd like to own a Anthem CD1, i'm eager to get HDCD, and upsampler as well. i'm just not buying into sacd/dvda yet, and wanna stick with 2-channel.

as for the balanced AC, i'm a proud new owner of the CinePro Power Pro 20. Thats what prompted the decision for better quality cd components.
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