Listening Session - Dacs/CDPs

[DaveF]

This thread is certainly going places. From Dac to D**k comparisons.

[Ivor]

Pity Ivor didn't have a gigantic unit

Seems a bit harsh...

Clearly he hasn't read the right toilet walls.

I am sure you are gigantic in that department Ivor but happy to leave it at that sighted tests are not required in this case I am happy to go with your subjective beliefs[/quote]
If anyone ever produces a pink fluffy blindfold a suggests a double blind test I'm leaving.

[Adrian]

This thread is certainly going places. From Dac to D**k comparisons.

Oh..... Dave.... do you have to be so crude? How about putting a more musical spin on it.... something like...

Ivor... and his amazingly Large Organ!!!

[Ivor]

This should make for interesting Google search results. Now c"mon... Back on topic!

[tony]

Typical moderator behaviour diverts thread then exhorts all to refocus on the original subject. Why can't this be like a PFM thread and just go off in a mad direction?? We demand not to be moderated

I wouldn't mind his business got a plug!

[DaveF]

Jaysus, what's happened to my thread!

Anyway getting back on topic. I'm giving the Arcam a fair go this evening and the decision isnt getting any easier. Doesnt look the part compared to the rest of the contenders but I just cant fault it on sound.

[tony]

Back listening tonight just with the LZ my god Dave your system and mine are chalk and cheese completely different animals.
I think we have to accept that the quads/jadis bring the sound to a particular point. Any half decent source is going to sound good using those components. We either fooled ourselves on the day or genuinely heard different flavours using the variety of dacs.

If the arcam is doing it, I have said it before park the idea of getting anything else until you find a component that does the business for you. You are buying a dac that from what you are hearing is bringing you no real benefit just adding another component into the chain.

Maybe if you get to hear Pearse's L7 that will have enough difference to either identify with or reject.

Why not focus on the bass trap stuff and sort that for the moment and we can continue this thread discuss about other things!

[Adrian]

Well it is a bit of a conundrum.

You know the CD player... which has been through the wars as you say.... is going to get replaced anyway. After all it is not even yours.

So do you get a O.K. transport and put the money into the DAC, or do you get a new Arcam FMJ CD player and put the money into that?

I suppose it all depends on what level of flexibility you desire, with money poured into a external DAC, this gives you flexibility to change the transport, use different ones etc, upgrade over time.

However if you are to buy a new Arcam... then that is effectively it.

Decisions decisions....

[DaveF]

well the Arcam here is basically mine to keep so its a nothing risk.

I've decided to halt any decision for the moment and I'm gonna take a time out and take stock. There are a few things I want to do first before departing with any hard earned cash cos at the moment the extra outlay isnt worth it in my view. But I think its worth fiddling around with what I have some more.

1. Speaker positioning.
Either side of the fireplace is where I've always had the previous Kharmas, Sonus Fabers and Audioplans. That position has always somehow made the sound a little smaller in my opinion. I first noticed this when I moved in with the Kharmas. In the old place they sounded a bit bigger and more open. Cant put my finger on why this is. Also the room is well carpeted with rugs etc so all that dampening might add/subtract something.

By changing the orientation by firing them down the room I'll be able to get at least 8 feet in behind them with free space in between. That's a big difference to how they are arranged at the moment even if they'll end up maybe 2 feet closer together.

2. Get a listen to Tony's system with a) PC audio and b) a normal transport front end. This will give me another perspective on the Quad/Jadis combo as well as getting a proper listen to an optimised PC front end. Still not convinced that a PC can improve over a normal CDP but as I've said many times, I'm happy to be proven wrong here.

3. After all the above, get a listen to an optimised PC front end if I can convince one of the poor souls to make the trip here again.

Anyway, all very enlightening this whole DAC adventure. Never expected it to develop like this but sure its all a bit of fun.

[Ivor]

I can't help thinking Dave... you have new speakers, a new amp, good digital source and good analogue source... why not take a step back and just enjoy it?

If you change too much at any one time you're never 100% sure what's giving what... just a suggestion.... relax for a while and enjoy the music.