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Looking at DAC's...maybe.

post #1 of 14
2/20/03 at 5:13am
Thread Starter 
Hey guys, I thought you might want to sound off on DAC's. I have a California Audio Labs Icon Mark II cd player, which is very nice, and I think it retailed about 800 dollars. That said, my amp is now coming in at around 2500, it is a conrad-johnson CAV-50, and I love it to death. I really like the tubey sound, and I was hoping to add to it by getting a DAC, specifically a tube DAC. I was considering a CAL Sigma or Sigma II, as well as the Conrad-johnson D/A 2b (if I can find it used). Does anyone have any other suggestions, or think it would not be necessary? Let me know. I don't really want to spend more than 500 bucks. The less the better.
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post #2 of 14
2/20/03 at 5:24am
MENSA DI/O?

*squints* at the idea of a tubed DAC...
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post #3 of 14
2/20/03 at 5:35am
Thread Starter 
ok, you lost me in your hi-fi argot. What is this MENSA DI/O. Is it a member of a super smart community? As for the second part, if you mean that aspiring to analog while still using a digital source is futile, well you got me. That said, I am not about to drop 20 grand to get a good turntable, phono stage and replace my entire music library. It is too late for me....oh well.
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post #4 of 14
2/20/03 at 10:16am
Try to get used Bel Canto Dac II, Audiogon has them occasionally.
Also Audio Advisor carries them if you are concerned about trail period, and they sometimes have demo units for reduced price.

If CAL Ikon CDP has optical output be sure and try the Wireworld Supernova III "glass" toslink cable with BC Dac II, they mate very well and will save you money on high end digital cable.

Check my web site for photos of BC Dac II in action.
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post #5 of 14
2/20/03 at 12:44pm
Quote:
stuartr said...

What is this MENSA DI/O.
It's a super-modded Art DI/O dac, w/ mods done by Wayne of Bolder Cables.
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post #6 of 14
2/20/03 at 2:21pm
Thread Starter 
The bel canto sounds like it would be a good match. If I can find a used one, I may snap it up. I know this is a secondary condition, but it seems like the design is somewhat flawed. What sense does it make to have the optical connections in the front? It seems like a stupid design to me. It makes it so that you have to have the thing on an angle. Anyway, as for the Icon Mk II, it has a digital out, but it is coaxial, not toslink, I don't know if that will screw anyone up.
Does anyone have links where I could take a look at a MENSA DI/O? I tried to find one last night, but I did not have too much luck.
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post #7 of 14
2/20/03 at 7:09pm
This was posted a couple of days ago:

Bel Canto DAC2
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post #8 of 14
2/20/03 at 9:15pm
Mensa DI/O information galore.
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post #9 of 14
2/20/03 at 9:50pm
Quote:
That said, I am not about to drop 20 grand to get a good turntable, phono stage and replace my entire music library. It is too late for me....oh well.
Oh no, not at all. I'm totally digital as well (for the moment). I'm confused by the idea of adding a tubed DAC when there is such an abundance of tube preamps, tube amps, and tube CD sources available.
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post #10 of 14
2/20/03 at 10:23pm
Thread Starter 
TUBES TUBES AND MORE TUBES. I guess that is the deal. I already have a tube amplifier. It is more about the sound than the actual presence of tubes. Anyone have a secret place to buy ART DI/O? I looked and saw that a new in box one sold at audiogon for 90 bucks, but my local store wants 150...It would be nice if I could get something more reasonable.
And furthermore...
Do you think more benefit is to be gained from simply spending the money on a better cd player instead of a DAC? I am just curious. I am going to try out the Arcam CD92 this weekend, just to see the difference. Then again, I think that is something like 1800 bucks. Well, at least I will see how the old Icon compares...I am very fond of it, so I may like it better....I basically have three options, which do you think is best. Money is not a huge issue for me, but that said, I am not hemorraghing cash either.
The options are:
1. Do nothing. Be very satisfied with the excellent sound I already have (or think I have...ignorance is bliss etc.).
2. Buy a DAC or some sort...either a more expensive used DAC hopefully not over 500 bucks, or a Mensa DI/O.
3. Sell my CAL Icon Mk II for whatever I can get for it, and buy a new cd player with a good internal DAC.

I await your wisdom.
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post #11 of 14
2/20/03 at 10:56pm
Shanling CD-T100:

http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazin...2/shanling.htm

Or...

Mensa DI/O might be the least expensive way to get a boost. It could be sold relatively quickly if it didn't work out... probably at or near cost.
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post #12 of 14
2/20/03 at 11:37pm
Thread Starter 
Wow, you should not have shown me that.
Well, it may be even a little TOO flashy, if that is possible. But probably not. I would love to hear it, but I don't know where I would...
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post #13 of 14
2/21/03 at 2:44pm
From Arcam's website re: the CD92:
Quote:
This high performance CD player is built around the revolutionary patented "Ring DAC" digital to analogue converter developed by Arcam and dCS*. The Alpha 9CD player was the first of our CD players to incorporate this unique chip design and the results led the well respected Hi-Fi Choice magazine to describe it as '...the best ever sound under £1,000 and the most ambitious and inspired digital product ever to emerge from Arcam.' The Ring DAC module is designed using the best audiophile grade components on a four layer circuit board. The extra layers ensure the best possible layout and allow grounding to be optimised. The Sony mechanism supports CD text.
The similar to what is used in their top of the line FMJ-CD23:
Quote:
The CD23 incorporates a unique digital to analogue conversion (DAC) system developed by a company based near Cambridge called dCS (Data Conversion Systems). They are a leading professional audio company of high repute. Their patented Ring DAC design has been adopted as a reference standard in many of the world’s best recording studios. dCS’s high performance studio solution is very expensive, but their technology was so elegant that we were determined to find a way to bring their system within reach of committed music lovers at a more affordable price.
That may make your search for an outboard DAC academic.
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post #14 of 14
2/21/03 at 3:47pm
Thread Starter 
Yeah, that is what I meant by getting a good cd player with an internal DAC. The dcS is supposed to be great. I will see how I like the player tomorrow night. It should be fun.
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