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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
2psyop's avatar
2psyop
1,503 posts
 
I have never heard of a wolfram DAC chip. Really the only way to know if one DAC is better than another is to try it and let your own ears be the judge. If you have a Rega Apollo and bought the Audio Research CD player you could buy whatever configuration you want.... and experiment. BTW it is not just a DAC chip, it matters how it is engineered with the rest of the component. I would think the ARC DAC would improve your setup if you like the sound of the ARC CD player.
Some people like FLAC files, some MQA others DSD, etc. Let your ears determine this....
gregorybraun's avatar
gregorybraun OP
24 posts
 
Psy op

Sorry that’s Wolfson, not Wolfram.

-gb-
audioengr
3,282 posts
 

Depends on the jitter from the digital output of the CXN network player.  The good news is that it will probably outperform even your transport if you add a Synchro-Mesh reclocker to it.  Here is the jitter from a Sonos network player before and after the Synchro-Mesh:

https://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=154310.0

Actually, recent improvements to the Synchro-Mesh have reduced the jitter to 8psec at the end of a 4-foot Standard BNC cable across a 75 ohm terminator.  Good luck finding ANY transport that delivers that.

Steve N.

Empirical Audio

audioengr
3,282 posts
 

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.

Whether you hear this difference will be function of the resolution and noise-floor of your system and how good a job of acoustic treatment and setup you did with your speakers.

BTW, I never download FLAC files from HDTracks, only wav.  They sound better.

Steve N.

Empirical Audio

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