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Upgrading digital source device is not easy

I am looking for recommendation for upgrade from Cary 306 SACD professional.

My current set up is Harbeth 40.2/Cary 805 AE/ Cary SLP 05/ Cary 306 SACD professional plyer
I am using MAC/Amarra 4.0 /  Halide Design S/PDIF Bridge USB-S/PDIF converter via coaxial input to CAry 306 sacd professional. Rega P8.
I am wondering what would be good upgrade for my digital end.
I have a lot of SACD and CD collection and I have 2t byte music digital file.
I want digital end upgrade but I have no confidence to have better sounds after upgrade  since this Cary 306 SACD Professional is really good one.
I will appreciate some recommendation.
Thanks


zone5
zone5 OP
9 posts
 
mainly AIFF and FLAC
stfoth
435 posts
 
No doubt that the other recommendations (Meitnor, PS, T&A, etc.) are excellent. I think your budget improvement from what you’ve mentioned in your original post is to look at a separate DAC for your digital files, possibly use the 306 as a transport for CD, and continue to use the 306 for SACD. I have similar Cary gear to yours.

Even if you want to stay in the Cary family, they had a DAC200ts for less than $2k a week or so ago, which IMO is a much better standalone DAC than the 306 is as a DAC.

Options for DACs are endless.

As others have noted, if you want to upgrade both DAC and SACD player, probably going to cost quite a bit more to confidently get notable improvement on both fronts.  But, of course, you'd have the value of selling or trading the 306 to offset that.

zone5 OP
9 posts
 
If I hook Cary 306 sacd pro to new DAC for CD vis digital output, can I still use this SACD player's analogue output to feed my preamp for SACDs without disconnecting digital output ?
stereo5's avatar
stereo5
2,766 posts
 
Yes you can.
zone5 OP
9 posts
 
I see.
Then please recommend DAC for me.
My music collection is mainly classical and Jazz

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