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Bypass built-in CD player DAC

Quick question: if the digital output of a CD player is used to connect to an external DAC, is the CD player’s DAC bypassed or is the signal processed by the player’s DAC and then processed again by the external DAC? My old CD player has a bypass mode but the new one I am just testing doesn’t.
I compared the CD player and external DAC setup to CD Player without external DAC  setup via RCA connections and it sounded very similar, which makes me think that the CD player’s DAC is used. Bypass mode on my old CD player with external DAC sounds completely different.

Thanks!
stereonista
7 responses Add your response
elizabeth
6,726 posts
 
I have been using CD Players as disc spinners to a DAC since the mid 90's. No problem. work great.  
My latest purchase of a $7000 SACD player I am using it just as a DAC, with other CD players as the actual spinner. Works great.Do not be afraid to do whatever pleases and works for you.
stereonista OP
4 posts
 
Thanks for all the responses. It could well be the jitter. Set up was Rega Apollo with Berkeley Alpha DAC. My old CD player in pass-through mode with the Alpha DAC sounds much better. I am looking to replace the old CD player with a a more reliable one, ideally a transport only, but wanted to see if the Rega could be an option.
audioengr
3,282 posts
 

Both setups probably sound the same because the jitter is so high from the digital output as well as the internal master clock.  If you reclock the digital output before going to the DAC, it will probably sound a lot better, but this depends on the DAC.  Jitter is the #1 problem with digital.

Here is the jitter of a good transport and how much a reclocker can reduce it:

https://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=154408.0

Steve N.

Empirical Audio

uberwaltz's avatar
uberwaltz
4,946 posts
 
Might just be that your newer CD player playing through its own DAC is a vast improvement on your old CD player.
Hence the reason you do not hear too much difference now.
facten
931 posts
 
What cd player and external DAC?
stereonista OP
4 posts
 
That makes sense as the internal DAC converts to analog and that can’t go into the external DAC. Still strange that both setups sounded similar although different DACs were used.
mahler123
633 posts
 
Signals aren’t processed twice...if you are using a digital out with a CD player, then it should be passing unprocessed digitstowhatever you are plugging it into...
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