If you want an extremely good DAC for the money check out the Channel Islands Audio VDA 2. Although at $599 it's not exactly cheap, but it blows away the CAL Alpha DAC I used in the past. Huge, expansive soundstage with scary imaging. Great bass, non fatiguing, all of the adjectives you hear about mega $$$ gear. Sounds much better with Redbook than the analog out of my SACD player that serves as it's transport. It's 2:30 am and I'm still up listening... what more can you say.
New DAc for old CDP?
Hey,
I am mostly a vinyl guy, though I have lots of silver discs. I don't even own an iPod or MP3 player (though the former is inevitable). Anyway, I have an original Rega Planet, which I have felt little need to upgrade, since I listen to maybe 80% LPs. I also have an Oppo 981, which was so cheap to buy that it seemed worth it for my few SACD's (but I'm exclusively two channel). Also, I'm low on funds -- anyone noticed the economy?
So here's the question: just how much and what sort of bang for my buck would I get from buying an inexpensive outboard DAC through which to run both the Planet and Oppo as transports, and that will allow eventual other digital inputs (computer, iPod)? I mean, will this have big impact, subtle impact, little impact? Will it make me rediscover my CDs, or just make me a guy with another box on his rack? FWIW, I prefer LP to digital (especially my current digital, but also other much higher end digital systems I have heard) because of what I feel is better rhythmic coherence and je-ne-sais-qua plangency and less grainy. glaring presentation. So anything that will improve those areas in my digital would be great, anything that makes them worse (even with other benefits -- I am more toe-tapper than analyst -- would be no good to me.
For instance, how about the new Musical Fidelity V-DAC? Anyone hooked this up to a Planet or similar older one box player, or to an Oppo? What results?
Or maybe some other DAC? Or maybe this is just the wrong digital upgrade path, considering what I already have?
Advice/discussion appreciated!
Thanks.
I am mostly a vinyl guy, though I have lots of silver discs. I don't even own an iPod or MP3 player (though the former is inevitable). Anyway, I have an original Rega Planet, which I have felt little need to upgrade, since I listen to maybe 80% LPs. I also have an Oppo 981, which was so cheap to buy that it seemed worth it for my few SACD's (but I'm exclusively two channel). Also, I'm low on funds -- anyone noticed the economy?
So here's the question: just how much and what sort of bang for my buck would I get from buying an inexpensive outboard DAC through which to run both the Planet and Oppo as transports, and that will allow eventual other digital inputs (computer, iPod)? I mean, will this have big impact, subtle impact, little impact? Will it make me rediscover my CDs, or just make me a guy with another box on his rack? FWIW, I prefer LP to digital (especially my current digital, but also other much higher end digital systems I have heard) because of what I feel is better rhythmic coherence and je-ne-sais-qua plangency and less grainy. glaring presentation. So anything that will improve those areas in my digital would be great, anything that makes them worse (even with other benefits -- I am more toe-tapper than analyst -- would be no good to me.
For instance, how about the new Musical Fidelity V-DAC? Anyone hooked this up to a Planet or similar older one box player, or to an Oppo? What results?
Or maybe some other DAC? Or maybe this is just the wrong digital upgrade path, considering what I already have?
Advice/discussion appreciated!
Thanks.