Recommendation for Home Rig

[Torquelover 0]

HI,

 

For the past couple of years, I have been surviving on a AT-ESW10 driven by the iQube amp. Now itching to upgrade the system. Just bought the Musical Fidelity XCan V8P yesterday (big improvement sonically) Hopefully the "Si Fu" in this forum can point me in the right direction. I can't invest in a full blown speaker based system as I don't want to disturb the family and neighbors.

 

Should I get a mid range CDP (maybe Marantz Or Cambridge) as the source to couple with the MF Xcan + AT ESW10? Or should I get a music server (eg Olive HD4) as the source? Heard that the CDP is dying.

 

Cheers

[user 0]

You need a big headphone..

I have ESW10 as well, but no matter how poison the sweetness of ESW10's mids can't beat the higher fidelity sound of my big headphone DT990..you may consider any one of big headphones..DT990, HD650, K701, etc..

 

For the music source, I leave this to the Masters in this forum...How much is your budget?

CDP will never die..even vinyl is living well..for music server you may need to buy high quality audio record like from Linn Records, or search for "ahem" to download..

[Torquelover 0]

You need a big headphone..

I have ESW10 as well, but no matter how poison the sweetness of ESW10's mids can't beat the higher fidelity sound of my big headphone DT990..you may consider any one of big headphones..DT990, HD650, K701, etc..

 

For the music source, I leave this to the Masters in this forum...How much is your budget?

CDP will never die..even vinyl is living well..for music server you may need to buy high quality audio record like from Linn Records, or search for "ahem" to download..

 

Hi

I thought of using my ESW10 at home and on the move. Looks like I have to spend more..... I love the sound of the HD650. Dont know whether it will move well with the MF V8P.

 

My budget for the source is around $3k. I listen to mostly jazz, vocals (Chai Qin, Amanda Mcbroom, etc) and on the rare occasion trance.

 

For the Olive HD4, I was thinking to rip all my CDs into it. Any advice whether this is a good move? Heard good reviews on the unit. If I go the CDP route, which unit should I get?

 

Cheers

[kidult 0]

personally, i'm a CDP guy. dun unstand on those music files source

there are lots of choices around 3k budget on new

they are either between 1.8 - 2.8K.

u need to audition them. can't tell u which one to get or better.

u may consider either tube or S/S, China, European or US made CDP?

maybe a few brands for your consideration.

Stello, Raysonic, Micomega, C.E.C, Musical Fidelity, etc...

[Epicality 0]

For me, i would prefer a music server over CDP. IMO, the quality difference between CD and Lossless is too subtle to quantify the hassle to change CDs everytime i want to listen to another artiste or song. At the same time, with a music server, you get to shuffle songs, so perhaps you can listen to 2 different artistes one after the other. Also, it helps you to save physical space. (you could rip all ur CDs in, then sell away your cds, and do the same to future CDs. So all ur music are digitally saved into your server, and there is no need to spend money on a rack to keep your CDs)

 

You need a big headphone..

I have ESW10 as well, but no matter how poison the sweetness of ESW10's mids can't beat the higher fidelity sound of my big headphone DT990..you may consider any one of big headphones..DT990, HD650, K701, etc..

 

For the music source, I leave this to the Masters in this forum...How much is your budget?

CDP will never die..even vinyl is living well..for music server you may need to buy high quality audio record like from Linn Records, or search for "ahem" to download..

 

Forgot to add, if you do not wish to disturb your family, do not get the open cans, though these cans gives you a wonderful presentation of sound. Of course unless your family does not mind a lower volume of music coming from your ears.

 

If i remember correctly, the DT990 was semi open, while HD650 and K701 are fully open.

 

 

[ical 0]

For me, i would prefer a music server over CDP. IMO, the quality difference between CD and Lossless is too subtle to quantify the hassle to change CDs everytime i want to listen to another artiste or song. At the same time, with a music server, you get to shuffle songs, so perhaps you can listen to 2 different artistes one after the other. Also, it helps you to save physical space. (you could rip all ur CDs in, then sell away your cds, and do the same to future CDs. So all ur music are digitally saved into your server, and there is no need to spend money on a rack to keep your CDs)

 

You really don't know what you're missing. Time to audition other's rig with cdp and you'll know why. Convenient comes with compromising.

Edited January 9, 2010 by ical

[Kachui 0]

You really don't know what you're missing. Time to audition other's rig with cdp and you'll know why.

 

Agree...lossless rip, will always depend on the hardware and media used to rip the music from the CD. Don't think there is a hardware at the moment that will give a flawless rip. CD drives on computer, I may be wrong but wouldn't it introduce a lot of vibrations and noise into the rip?

[Torquelover 0]

Agree...lossless rip, will always depend on the hardware and media used to rip the music from the CD. Don't think there is a hardware at the moment that will give a flawless rip. CD drives on computer, I may be wrong but wouldn't it introduce a lot of vibrations and noise into the rip?

 

After my recent purchase of the V8P, I have started to conduct via USB from PC to the built-in DAC in the V8P. Noticed that a lot of my "cheap" CDs do suffer from clicks, distortions, etc. So I have to agree that the PC CD drives may not be up to the task (pls dont flame me, my PC is a low end HP)

 

 

 

 

By the way, for a dedicated CDP, I will really appreciate it if the SI Fu can advise on a shortlist for me to audition. I am worried that the shops will just product push if I visit them without any ideas. Thanks

[ical 0]

What's your budget for the cdp?

[Torquelover 0]

What's your budget for the cdp?

 

Around $2-3K. Heard fantastic reviews on CA 840c. May audition that at Alpha.

[ito 0]

i am not any shi fu here but i would say..by using a cheap cdp like mine,i compared to imod,diymod,DAC with music ripped from original CDs..i still find that my cheap CDP with the orginal CDs sound better on the overall..less to say if you go to turntable later on..

 

DAC wise,i still believe that even though you ripped the CDs at 1411 WAV format and run through the DAC,i still find that it dun touch the sound of the CDP with original CDs

 

just my 2 cents though

[heady 0]

i am not any shi fu here but i would say..by using a cheap cdp like mine,i compared to imod,diymod,DAC with music ripped from original CDs..i still find that my cheap CDP with the orginal CDs sound better on the overall..less to say if you go to turntable later on..

 

DAC wise,i still believe that even though you ripped the CDs at 1411 WAV format and run through the DAC,i still find that it dun touch the sound of the CDP with original CDs

 

just my 2 cents though

 

Hi, you are not the first one to say this. But there are also others with the opposite opinion. Me, I wonder what is the technical difference between the output from the CDP and the output from say FLAC format. To be honest, I listen to music mostly from my notebook now, through a DAC and Foobar2000. It is too much trouble to switch CDs. Plus my home and work place table don't have enough space for all the hardware needed.

 

Hmm, maybe when I have time, I will do a AB comparison.

 

Regards.

 

[ito 0]

Hi, you are not the first one to say this. But there are also others with the opposite opinion. Me, I wonder what is the technical difference between the output from the CDP and the output from say FLAC format. To be honest, I listen to music mostly from my notebook now, through a DAC and Foobar2000. It is too much trouble to switch CDs. Plus my home and work place table don't have enough space for all the hardware needed.

 

Hmm, maybe when I have time, I will do a AB comparison.

 

Regards.

 

haha,that is why i saying just what i find only..there is always different opinion in this world..i say this ,you say that..but afterall..whatever way that suit the user will be best..as the user is the one who are going to listen to the rig..

[kchew 0]

When you have a good computer transport and a good DAC, the difference between using a computer as a source and a CDP as source may be quite subtle. My computer has an Asus Xonar D2X with digital output through a VDH Digicoupler coaxial cable. When I had my Stello DA100, the difference between coaxial input from the computer and optical input from a cheap portable CDP were minor, but the portable CDP had the edge in soundstaging and had a hint more clarity. I hear the same improvements with my Cambridge Audio 840C; coaxial input is not as good as pure CDP mode, but it doesn't lose that badly. In fact, my 840C is used as a DAC most of the time as I'm slowly but surely building up my CD collection.

 

There's no question that a good CDP or a good DAC can eat iMods for breakfast though, and maybe even lunch and dinner.

[ical 0]

It all depending on personal preference between convenient or quality.

 

 

Around $2-3K. Heard fantastic reviews on CA 840c. May audition that at Alpha.

 

Cambridge 840C is a good cdp. It come with a good DAC and balanced output as well. You can also check out Rega Saturn, Roksan Caspian and Astin Trew 3500 (tube output). I used to own the Caspian and presently using 3500+ which I'm very pleased with.

Edited January 11, 2010 by ical