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Who has found happiness giving up on DACs?

With apologies to the other post (and with tongue planted firmly in cheek) and with all seriousness, I have gone back to a CDP. Right up front I'll admit that I have neither the time, resources and the inevitable inclination to try one DAC after another. My ears will never achieve the amount of abuse that those who have gone before me have had to endure. I do not envy you but am thankful. Its folk like me who rely on the accumulated ken of those who have paved the path to certain and wise choices.
Having said that (in none too correct a fashion), I'd like to hear from those who have gotten off the merry-go-round and settled on a CDP.
128x128nonoise
antipodes_audio
68 posts
 
I haven't owned a CDP for a long time and won't again. Custom-built Mac (Hackintosh) with Metric Halo LIO-8. Ditched my Purcell/Delius for it, and it is a nice step up in transparency and naturalness. It isn't easy going the computer audio route as there is a misconception that just any computer will do - and it won't.
jdoris
852 posts
 
CDPs not getting an overabundance of love here. J
hka1
3 posts
 
An MSB DAC IV Signature gives me endless gratified smile...
Using a laptop as a source, or a Wadia 170i,(soon I'' ll upgarde to iLink) or an old krell showcase as cd transport the feeling is the same. Very detailed, natural sound , huge soundstage...
realhifi
159 posts
 
What merry go round? Lot's of good cd players, lot's of good dacs out there. It's not rocket science to find a good one of either these days. It is way more about whether you want to play silver disks or put them all (along with internet radio, hi rez downloads, Rhapsody, Pandora, etc) through a decent dac. Both are good, both are legitimate vehicles for playing your music.

That said. I love the Audio Research lineup of cd players that they are currently making and would not hesitate to
slip one into just about any system with full confidence
that it would play beautiful music. Ditto the Naim line.
paulfolbrecht
586 posts
 
You have a DAC - it's in your CD player.

There is no difference between trying/using CD players and trying/using stand-alone DACs with some transport.
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