cd player or computer with dac

thank you every body who are so cooperative in helping me put a source together i appreciate every audiogoners support for their opinion

The digital source is THE MOST IMPORTANT element of the digital playback chain. This means the digital interface and the clocks. If you want stellar results in a digital system, put your money into a good interface and low-jitter clocks.

If you read the last two DAC reviews in TAS by Steven Stone, you will see that the right USB interface makes a world of difference. The DAC itself becomes less important and the USB interface is actually MORE important, whether it's internal or external to the DAC.

CD players cannot compete in this race IMO. The USB computer audio solutions have it beat on price and performance, as well as convenience.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

Audioengr: With all due respect Steve, you could not be more wrong. The DAC IS the ONLY thing that is important. If the DAC is designed correctly than very little else matters (hard drives, jitter, computer power supplies, etc.

To prove this point we intentionally run a $400 Toshiba laptop at the trade shows with a stock USB cable and a cheap ($75 USB hard drive). Reports from all the magazines and those attendees have been incredibly positive.

Please understand that I do agree with you, IF the DAC is not designed and built correctly only then the items you mention have much greater importance.

I also agree with Steve that there is definitely no need for a CD transport any more.

Jonathan Tinn
Playback Designs

Jonathan - We will have to agree to disagree on this one. Just read the last 3 or 4 reviews of DACs done by Steven Stone in TAS. When he says a $1.5K DAC sounds virtually identical to a $7K DAC when driven from a low-jitter USB converter source, I believe him.

I never said that the DAC did not make a difference, but it is really second order compared to the effect of the master clock, particularly with higher end DACs. Remember, I sell DACs too, but I believe in honesty with my customers.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

Thanks Steve and Jonathan, you both agree that the CD transport is unnecessary. That has been the unresolved issue for many of us. Now, if we can just make the process of switching over a little less daunting...
"Slowly I turned...step by step...inch by inch...,"