my new cdp...

hi folks,
just a quick one here - I got a new NAD C521BEE cd player yesterday (115 quid and only a month old!) which I got to replace my aging Yamaha cd675(?) which was running through my modded DAC (thanks Zanash - top job by a top bloke!)...

I first tested the cd player without the DAC and on some tracks it did sound a bit harsh (leftfields - rhythm and stealth) - but I put that down to the newness of the cd player..? (how long do they take to settle down / burn in?
tho, I did hear sounds that I hadn't previously...

then I plugged in my DAC and played KLF's - chillout cd and Paul Wellers live accoustic cd - days of speed...wow, they sounded amazing, a lot more punch and clarity....I didn't have a chance the play leftfield as it was getting late...

but...my questions is - since I've got a new cdp and it's running through the DAC - then, would there be any difference compared to that of my yammy cdp since the're only being used as a spinner..??

I haven't done a direct comparison between the cdps using the DAC, but I'm fairly sure that the NAD C521BEE sounds far better...

the specs are as follows -
yammy - 20 bit DAC with 120x oversampling

NAD C521BEE - Burr-Brown Sigma-Delta 20 bit D>A Converter, 8x oversampled digital filter

MF DAC - 18 bit modded burr-brown dac with updated caps and resistors

cheers

 

Can't help you with the technical side of things here, but my CD8X CD player recently died on me and is back with Cyrus being repaired. In the interim I thought I would use my Pioneer DVD-565A DVD player as a transport into the DACXP instead. Admitted there is a major price point difference here, £1400 for the CD8X+PSXR and £250 (or now £150) for the Pioneer DVD player.

I would have thought that the transports would simply spin the disc and the laser would read the information off the disc, this would then be transferred in its digital form to the twin mono DACs in the DACXP. The difference between the transports however, was not like night a day, more like full eclipse and noon on the summer solstace! This was using the same connections, and discs, the only difference being the transport used.

Bearing in mind your Nad (supresses childish giggle) is most likely newer than your Yamaha, I wouldn't be suprised if you do notice a marked improvement when listening through the DAC.

Hopefully someone else can come along and fill in the tech details behind this. I love music and hifi, but really haven't got a clue about what goes on inside the boxes I have amassed...

 

Try here for an earlier 'classic' discussion of this very subject.

 

Good price for the NAD. Nice work. That's on the shortlist for when I replace my CDP later this year, all being well. My Cambridge CD5 has terminated its display and will probably be superseded by something along the lines of the NAD. I'd be interested to hear some more feedback from you on this player when you've had it in use for a while, couple of quick questions for now, can you turn the display off and how quiet is the transport?

 

there doesn't seem to be an option to turn off the display...transport seems very quiet...

one other issue tho - when playing a cd, you can't select the 'time' to tell you how long is left on a particular track, only the full cd, or the length of time a track has been playing...just out of habit...I like to know how long a track has got left..!

but I'm happy tho...will test more tonight...!

 

funny u mention the nad sounding a bit harsher- i would have thought that the yamaha would have a harsher sound. hasn't nsherin got the same player

 

Yep, I do. They do take a day or so to 'run in', but the manual doesn't mention this. I e-mailed NAD and within a couple of hours, I had a response recommending me to leave a CD on repeat for 24 hours or so - obviously, you can turn your amp off or turn the volume down. This does remove the 'harshness' you mention. I run mine through my MF X-ACT DAC and still reckon it's more detailed than just using the DAC on the CDP. Could be just my ears though.

 

well, I have to say that I'm mightily impressed with the cdp now...music is a pure pleasure, where as before I would tend to listen to ambient stuff as loud and fast stuff wasn't that good, well, now it all sounds ace..!!