2. digital
  3. 135899-91462

Network Players and External DACs

I recently purchased an Audio Research CD3 player, and it blows
away both my Cambridge Audio CXC CD Transport running through
a Cambridge Audio CXN Network Player, and a Rega Apollo.

My Cambridge Audio CXN is used primarily for playing digital FLAC
files, but these days my new Audio Research CD Player sounds
much better playing the CD version of an album than the
Cambridge CXN playing the FLAC rip.

If I were to purchase an Audio Research DAC and use the digital
output of the Cambridge CXN to drive the external DAC would
my FLAC files sound better?

A second option would be to just purchase a better network
player I guess, but I like the Cambridge CXN.

If I'm correct the DAC in the Cambridge would be avoided and
the digital signal would be sent to the external DAC instead.

Both the Cambridge and Rega Apollo use a Wolfram chip.
I think this is what I'd like to avoid.

I don't know what chip is used in the Audio Research for the
digital to audio conversions, but it is miles ahead of the Wolfram
used in both the Cambridge CXN and Rega Apollo.

Another thing I've noticed is that Hi-Res albums downloaded
from HD Tracks sound no different to my ears than the FLAC
rip of the same Red Book CD when played on the Cambridge.

For what it's worth I store my FLAC files on a Toshiba SSD
with USB 3.1 interface as the input source for the Cambridge
instead of running over my network's UPnP or DNLA servers.

  -gb-
128x128gregorybraun

Showing 1 response by eagledriver_22

eagledriver_22's avatar
eagledriver_22
85 posts
 

Hi gregorybrown

You very probably have closed this matter since a long time. However, I like to comment as follows:

If I convert the .flac file to a .wav format using JRiver will the resulting .wav files be essentially the same as if I had ripped the .cda file from the Red Book CD in the first place?

YES, if the wma files are lossless (not only essentially, but equally)

 

Should I use the original .wma file, or the converted .wma to .flac files to generate .wav format files?

If the original wma file is indeed lossless, it doesn't matter, Basically, the same digital information on both formats.

BDW, I did a mass conversion from flac to wav a couple of days ago (to fill a USB stick with music). I am very impressed with the sound quality (USB stick into the Marantz SA8005 and from there to the integrated amp).

 

Best regards

 

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