tps16
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I've recently upgraded my integrated amplifier and am now looking to replace my CD changer. My current setup is pretty basic, and I'm not interested in anything more than two channel stereo. I had a nice, somewhat high-end 5.1 set-up before and quickly grew bored with it. Current setup is as follows:
Amplifier: McIntosh MAC6700
Speakers: B&W 805N
CD transport: Pioneer Elite PD-F19 using digital coax out.
The nice thing about my current player is that it holds 300 discs; however, I have more than that now, so I still end up changing CDs a lot. It also seems like the weakest link in my chain, so I'm looking for transport recommendations. I'm not in a rush to purchase, but I want to find out what my options are before I start arranging to audition different transports/players.
So far, I'm thinking I can use the DAC in my amp (32/192, Burr-Brown afaik) and just get a transport. There was a significant upgrade in sound when I went from my previous Yamaha DSP-A1 to the McIntosh, and I think part of that was due to the DAC. Unfortunately, there are not that many good new transports out there. A local hi-fi shop has recommended using a new Cambridge Audio unit that's just come out that is significantly below the price range I was looking at, and McIntosh makes the MCT-450.
I'm going this weekend to listen to an MSB Data transport, so that's also a possibility, but I'm less inclined to get something that requires a separate power supply. I've read good things about the Parasound Halo CD-1 and PS Audio Perfect Wave and will hopefully be able to hear the Parasound. These two seem to use the same kind of drive as the MSB, where it re-reads the disc to check for any errors and stores data in a memory buffer. I've heard the McIntosh unit does similarly. There's also the MCD-550 that uses the ESS DAC, though I'm not sure that would really sound much better vs the unit in my amp, and I don't need the rest of the functionality that comes with that unit.
I've tried reading some of the various audio fora out there, but it seems like every thread gets bogged down in esoteric arguments, so I thought SF might be a good place to look for advice. My budget is flexible, but I'd like to keep it under $5k, unless there is a significant difference in sound quality. Is this worth doing, or could I get sound quality equal to one of these machines out of a computer and send it to my DAC? Or just keep the current CD changer and upgrade my speakers to 805Ds?
Sorry for the length of this post and thanks in advance for any advice/recommendations.
Amplifier: McIntosh MAC6700
Speakers: B&W 805N
CD transport: Pioneer Elite PD-F19 using digital coax out.
The nice thing about my current player is that it holds 300 discs; however, I have more than that now, so I still end up changing CDs a lot. It also seems like the weakest link in my chain, so I'm looking for transport recommendations. I'm not in a rush to purchase, but I want to find out what my options are before I start arranging to audition different transports/players.
So far, I'm thinking I can use the DAC in my amp (32/192, Burr-Brown afaik) and just get a transport. There was a significant upgrade in sound when I went from my previous Yamaha DSP-A1 to the McIntosh, and I think part of that was due to the DAC. Unfortunately, there are not that many good new transports out there. A local hi-fi shop has recommended using a new Cambridge Audio unit that's just come out that is significantly below the price range I was looking at, and McIntosh makes the MCT-450.
I'm going this weekend to listen to an MSB Data transport, so that's also a possibility, but I'm less inclined to get something that requires a separate power supply. I've read good things about the Parasound Halo CD-1 and PS Audio Perfect Wave and will hopefully be able to hear the Parasound. These two seem to use the same kind of drive as the MSB, where it re-reads the disc to check for any errors and stores data in a memory buffer. I've heard the McIntosh unit does similarly. There's also the MCD-550 that uses the ESS DAC, though I'm not sure that would really sound much better vs the unit in my amp, and I don't need the rest of the functionality that comes with that unit.
I've tried reading some of the various audio fora out there, but it seems like every thread gets bogged down in esoteric arguments, so I thought SF might be a good place to look for advice. My budget is flexible, but I'd like to keep it under $5k, unless there is a significant difference in sound quality. Is this worth doing, or could I get sound quality equal to one of these machines out of a computer and send it to my DAC? Or just keep the current CD changer and upgrade my speakers to 805Ds?
Sorry for the length of this post and thanks in advance for any advice/recommendations.
