[Stephan]

I amp trying to decide which CD player to purchase. I am interested in the Sherwood Newcastle CD-980T or the Onix XCD-88. The Sherwood uses 20 bit Burr-Brown dacs, and the Onix uses 24 bit Burr-Brown dacs. Do the 24 bit dacs
have a better sound than the 20 bit versions?

 

[Glassman]

you cannot judge just by this specification, 20bit DACs are most likely PCM1702, which are classical ladder type converters, used in the top equipment, 24bit DACs can be just about anything ranging from PCM1704, which is a successor to PCM1702 to delta sigma converters of various brands and specs.. in other words, this information tells very little..

 

[Yikes]

I agree. It's not the number of bits alone that determines how good a D/A is. I like the sound of most Burr Brown DAC's. An example would be the 20 bit 1702 can sound excellent, however the 1702 K is better still (the K's are premium grade). Most players that claim to be 24 bit are really using delta sigma converters (single bit). Everything being equal I prefer the sound of multi-bit D/A converters (everything else is seldom equal)

 

[clarke68]

The Sherwood uses the PCM1702-K.

The Onix (a rebadged Music Hall CD-25/Shanling S-100) uses the PCM1732. Seems to be a newer chip than the 1702, has slightly better specs (from what I can decypher from the data sheet) and features an HDCD decoder.

However, I agree with the others, comparing the chips alone doesn't tell you much, implementation matters far more. A better question to ask is simply "has anybody heard both players?" although my guess is that few (if any) have.

 

[jefemeister]

I agree with Glassman and Yikes. It's all about implementation. You absolutely can not judge how a player will sound based on its specifications or parts list. It's way too easy to misuse a really expensive part and get subpar performance. I'll grant you though that it's a lot harder to make a cheaper part sound good.

 

[chillysalsa]

Yes, the number of bits is the least important thing, it's all about how it's done and particularly what the analog output stage is like.

Comparing bits is like asking if a Corvette corners better than a Porsche because it has 2 more cylinders.

 

[Naga]

Quote:

Originally Posted by chillysalsa Comparing bits is like asking if a Corvette corners better than a Porsche because it has 2 more cylinders.

more like asking if a Corvette is faster than a Porsche 911 b/c it has 2 more cyls - where drivetrain design, transmission, tires, vehicle weight, track conditionc, etc ad infinitum could lead to any myrad # of possibilities

hell, you could develop one heck of an analogy b/w an audio rig and car designs