is ayre qb-9 dac better than cx7e mp?

Do not use any of those connections or USB DACs, sell your CD player and go discless. The sound will be far superior. A LINN DS unit is a much better sounding solution in one box, all controlled from an iPad and get rid of the CD player totally. Files would be sent via CAT5/6 from your PC or NAS and controlled in your listening chair with an iPad. Having any other connections (USB, SPDIF converters, etc.) are just mucking up the sound. Access all your music at better than CD quality once ripped with dbPoweramp into 24/96 or 24/192 FLAC or WAV files. The LINN Akurate DS will beat out CD players in excess of $10k.

USB DACs can sound good (I have owned a very nice one), but when I listened to even the entry level LINN DS, it was no contest.

Ignorance is bliss...

The connection itself is inferior... and, no, I am talking about your ignorance sir.

Have you tried one? Either of you? I thought not.

If you are happy with it, that is all that matters.

LINN CD players are nothing like the DS. LINN was not great at making CD players... they sounded good (when they worked). The LINN Ikemi was a great player for the money, but with these DS units, you would be very surprised at the sound difference between them and almost any CD player. The Akurate DS would simply trash the Ayre USB unit.

Before you all go crazy: I have heard both units and I do not work for LINN or sell LINN.

The CX7e is a very good CD player, but still, it's a CD player... it has no chance to compete with something like a LINN DS.

And the more happy I will be listening to it while you are still in ignorant bliss with your outdated CD player.... tee he he.

Me too... Idiot-Ignore ACTIVATED!!!

Is there a way to auto-ignore all these audiophiles that love to tweek with every little thing, buy expensive components over and over again to try to reach audio nirvana? Instead of maybe just sitting and listening to what they have - a great system already. I feel sad for you guys.

My LINN Akurate DS playing 24/192 WAV sounds better than any CD player that I have owned and others that I have compared it to - easily. But this is connected via ethernet cable, sending raw data to the DAC, not a USB or other connection.