Come on then, sort my front end out.

[DRZ]

The DAC project is getting bogged down in all sorts of chip-related nightmares so for the forseeable future, thats not a viable front end upgrade. Therefore, I am looking at the possibility of either swapping my C272 for an Arcam Delta 290P (which should see me in profit, actually) and getting a new front end for ~£400 or just getting a new front end for ~£300 and keeping the NAD powerhouse for now (Im really, really fond of it).

Then there is the outfield suggestion of A3CR Power amps, but shhhh, lets not go there

So, for that money, bearing in mind I like the Musical Fidelity presentation, I ask you to do your best with my budget!

/me gets out the popcorn

(Yes, this is a serious thread )

 

[DRZ]

I assume you have treated your room first

I'd search the Bay for used DAC's ...MF have done a few DAC's over the years if you like the MF stuff...
What transport do you have ?
Would a power amp swap give you much, both are on the full/warm side.
See if any Deltec/DPA DAC's are about, old but had good reputation.
Arcam Black Box 5, Linn Numerik.
Front end first

I dont want to buy just a DAC - A whole CDP is what I am after. Obviously I have my own ideas on what I should be looking at but it helps to get some info from a few sources to bolster / challenge opinions.

Strictly speaking, I am not after a power amp upgrade, its just something that crossed my mind as I was posting

No point in treating this room properly Will be moving about a fair bit over the coming months/years so its a waste. Not that I havnt done a few things to it

 

[DRZ]

 

[DRZ]

Its payback

for the wife coment

MB

I complimented her. Stop thread trashing, or I will have you killed by the dons, or something.

Nobody can think of something off the top of their heads that goes well with MF kit? I thought better of you OcUK Audiophiles

Looking to see if I can get an A3 CD player for cheap, but I would like more options to consider.

A few months ago a Mark Levinson CDP went for rather cheap but my ML experience is quite limited - am I likely to be impressed, given my kit?

 

[DRZ]

Hmm, Exposure are within budget and it wasnt something that immediately sprang to mind. I will investigate further!

I get the impression the Linn kit just wont "fit" with my kit and coupled with what you say about the lack of spares and the age I would be looking at, its not too promising there.

I can see it ultimately coming down to yet more hours in a dem room just to get a ball park idea

 

[DRZ]

Invest in a Monica 2 - you know you want it.

I dont see the need to buy a "whole" CDP when you're planning to build yourself a DAC anyway.

Well, if you dont see the point in me buying a "whole" CDP when I am building a DAC, then why would I ever want to by just a DAC?!

The fact of the matter is that the CDP I am using at the moment isnt a bit-accurate transport without modification and so either way, it would have to go at some point in favour of one that was in fact bit accurate.

Makes FAR more sense to me to invest in a CDP that I can enjoy for now and upgrade the DAC of later without ramifications for the transport stage than to buy something that I am basically building myself anyway...

 

[DRZ]

Just out of interest, how do you know the current CDP player isn't bit accurate? I presume by that you mean that what comes off a CD disk isn't coming from the digital out ?

It is, according to the documentation, a scaled output even on the coax out (thanks to the fact there is in-unit volume control) and 1=0.95xxx so its not *quite* right.

 

[DRZ]

Sounds like your are suffering from "Too much Knowledge syndrome"

Listen more and measure less ..... a more stress free upgrade path

Remind me of your current front end/system ?

I cant help wanting to know about this stuff

At the moment I have a Philips CD723 (in bits) providing a signal to a Musical Fidelity A3 CR Preamp, controlling an NAD C272 power amp which drives Mission M35i floorstanders (which I chose over some Dynaudio Focuses )