coolvij
Board geriatric
- Joined
- Jun 22, 2001
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I've just recently started to *hear* the limitations of cruddy DACs, and now that I've got my Sennheiser 495s, I would like to upgrade my source.
I currently have a Sony D-121. I thought it was GREAT out of the line-out, but I now know that isn't true, since I compared it to the line-out of the D-EJ616 my dad has, and they were the same. I kno the latter PCDP isn't that great....so my D-121 isn't either
Oh well.
Anyways, two things have occured to me. One was to pair a good portable CD player with digital out to the CAL Gamma. The other was to get an inexpensive component CDP, like the TEAC CDP-1120.
I figure the PCDP + Gamma will sound just as good, or at least MUCH better than the PCDP alone. I also realize that a component CDP less than $150 will probably outperform this setup - for LESS money.
However, my personal preference would be to go with the Gamma, simply because I kno it is a pretty good DAC, and that later on, a simple source upgrade would be enough. Or if I really wanted to upgrade the DAC, I would always kno my CAL Gamma would have a good resale vaule.
So - help me!
Also, I've read on the net concerns about using outboard DACs with Toslink connectors - are these concerns well-founded? Also, even if the TOSlink connection compromises the sound quality, won't the Gamma still sound better than the DAC of the PCDP?
The PCDP i'm lookin at right now is the Pana 570A or perhaps the Sony 825 if I can't get the former....
Thanx in advance, and sorry for the long-winded post,
- vij
I currently have a Sony D-121. I thought it was GREAT out of the line-out, but I now know that isn't true, since I compared it to the line-out of the D-EJ616 my dad has, and they were the same. I kno the latter PCDP isn't that great....so my D-121 isn't either
Oh well.
Anyways, two things have occured to me. One was to pair a good portable CD player with digital out to the CAL Gamma. The other was to get an inexpensive component CDP, like the TEAC CDP-1120.
I figure the PCDP + Gamma will sound just as good, or at least MUCH better than the PCDP alone. I also realize that a component CDP less than $150 will probably outperform this setup - for LESS money.
However, my personal preference would be to go with the Gamma, simply because I kno it is a pretty good DAC, and that later on, a simple source upgrade would be enough. Or if I really wanted to upgrade the DAC, I would always kno my CAL Gamma would have a good resale vaule.
So - help me!
Also, I've read on the net concerns about using outboard DACs with Toslink connectors - are these concerns well-founded? Also, even if the TOSlink connection compromises the sound quality, won't the Gamma still sound better than the DAC of the PCDP?
The PCDP i'm lookin at right now is the Pana 570A or perhaps the Sony 825 if I can't get the former....
Thanx in advance, and sorry for the long-winded post,
- vij