Do I really need a Dac?

Rok2id,

"No offense taken. No, I am not that new, I am just more into the music side of things as opposed to the gear. Sometimes I get confused and say things that on retrospect seem strange. I'm confused because, if you look at the most expensive systems on this site, owned by the most experienced audiophiles, they all seem to play LPs thru Tube amps. Silly me, I thought that was vintage stuff. But, on this site it's considered the highest-fi possible. So, you can understand why I assumed that all this digital stuff was just a passing fancy. That's one of the reasons I have three of everything. I expect any day to not to be able to buy 2 channel ss amps or cd players. DACS: I will get the oppo 103 when it comes out. That built in DAC should hold me for a few years. with Blu Ray and SACD as icing on the cake. However, your entire statement is correct.
Cheers"

I appreciate your honest response, but I'm not sure I get it. The part about you being into the music more than the gear I can relate to. Personally, I think its a great outlook in not letting the gear get in the way of you enjoying the music. I feel the same way. Where you loose me on your comments about the most experienced audiophiles playing records on tube gear and calling it vintage stuff. I'm pretty sure that you realize that most of the gear in question is current or late production models and not true vintage (old) products. I don't see why that would be an issue. You can make countless, similar comparisons, in many other industries. Take cars, for example. Most, if not all, of the core technologies used in autos have around for a very long time. Given that, I've never heard anyone call a car a vintage product unless it was really old. Same thing with audio. Current production models may be based on designs that have been around for a long time, but they have also evolved over time. Also, I don't see digital as a passing fad. If anything, just the opposite.

Anyway, audio is all about choices. I say pick the products that you like and to hell with anything else. Its your system and you don't have to justify anything to anyone.

Zd542: You missed my pitiful attempt at irony.:)
BTW, cars are not vintage products, but the model T is, even one recently built.

Your last statement is absolutely true and could not be stated more concisely!!
Cheers.

Guess what, my CD player just died. I guess I will now buy a CD player instead of a Dac, any recommendations for around a $1000.00. I am thinking of the Oppo line.

the oppo 1003 is the best bang for the buck. That's the one I just ordered. I think these things, all disc players, will fail sooner or later and / or become obsolete, so the key is to get the most for the least money. Oppo is a good choice. NO ONE has ever said anything bad about the oppo line. My marantz player died several months ago. I paid $300, and had it for 8 years. Just threw it in the garage and moved on. Now, if my $1000 dollar marantz had failed, I would be one sick puppy about now. "sound' is not a consideration. IMHO.
Cheers.

Donplatt - That your CD player just died is the perfect argument for getting a stand-alone DAC. The transports in CD players always die, usually just after the replacement laser assembly becomes no longer available, and unless the player has digital inputs that allow you to continue to use the internal DAC you're forced to trash the part of the purchase price for the player that went to the DAC.

Transports are disposable, like the tires on your car, they're good for only so many miles and then you walk away from them. DACs have no moving parts and while they may no longer be state of the art sonically they'll make music as long as you want to keep them.