[dura]

I need a source for a bedsite system, preferably portable.
Since I have all my music on CD I first contemplated buying a portable CDP, like the Sony 920.
But then I started to doubt; why buy a PCDP if I can get a 20-60 GB HD-player and fill it with lossless audio from my PC?
Main concern is SQ, it will be fed to a X-CAN3 > HD650.
Is there still any advantage to PCDP sonically, or wouldn't it make sense to buy one and would I be better of buying a HD-player with good SQ, from f.i. Sony or Iaudio?

 

[Budley007]

I have an iH140. I use it 98% of the time, but on occasion a PCDP comes in handy for when a friend of mine wants me to hear something or I don't have time to rip and transfer a new CD right away. The size and weight of the Sony D-NE920 is a big plus too.

 

[Old Pa]

For use in a location with mains power I would recommend only a mains powered CDP. Much better sound quality available than with PCDPs.

 

[sidewinder]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old Pa Much better sound quality available than with PCDPs.

Tell me which MP3-player. It's also relevant to note which PCDP you are comparing to.

 

[Old Pa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sidewinder Tell me which MP3-player. It's also relevant to note which PCDP you are comparing to.

No MP3 player; IMHO MP3s do not have the sampling rate to provide hifi.

 

[kramer5150]

Put it this way....
I really like my D335 and magnavox PCDPs. to get that level of sound quality out of an MP3 based source youre going to spend more $$$ than I spent on either of these PCDPs.

Many magnavox AZ-68## series players can be found on ebay for $15 or less.

Pair it with a $100 pimeta, pick OP amps for synnergy with your phones and you'll have a very good setup for the $$.

 

[D555]

Sure they make sense:

1) No copy protection
2) Digital out
3) Plays the billions of CDs already manufactured
4) "Lossless"
5) Gapless

Paul

 

[Filburt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dura I need a source for a bedsite system, preferably portable. Since I have all my music on CD I first contemplated buying a portable CDP, like the Sony 920. But then I started to doubt; why buy a PCDP if I can get a 20-60 GB HD-player and fill it with lossless audio from my PC? Main concern is SQ, it will be fed to a X-CAN3 > HD650. Is there still any advantage to PCDP sonically, or wouldn't it make sense to buy one and would I be better of buying a HD-player with good SQ, from f.i. Sony or Iaudio?

If you have a large collection of CDs, it may simply be easiest to use a PCDP for this purpose. SQ wise, I much prefer my main PCDP rig to even the best of the DAPs I've made use of, though some of the DAPs I've used were decent enough that I didn't find myself displeased (such as some of the iRiver players). Some of it is going to depend, though, on whether you like the sort of base sound of DAPs, as un-EQ'd the good ones more or less sound very similar to one another, with some of the older iPod units being alleged by some to be the best. If you're unhappy with that sort of tonality (as is the case for myself), EQ features and quality will play a part in this comparison as well. I have a D-NE10 that I use occasionally which shares its sound with what you're considering, more or less. I think it's a pretty decent player, though I like what I can get out of some of the iRiver DAPs a bit better in terms of sound. However, I might give the nod to something like the D-335 over both of them...but it's harder to find and was made in 1994.

 

[dura]

Quote:

If you have a large collection of CDs, it may simply be easiest to use a PCDP for this purpose.

That's what I considered too, but at the moment I use a HD-player and the ease of having 200 CDs (compressed) without having to fysically chance things is great.
And since I intent to build a lossless library on my PC anyway I thought, why not use lossless on a DAP with a big HD. like f.i. a 60GB iAudio X5.
Or do PCDPs surpass DAPs in sound even is the latter is used lossless?
Hard to imagine, but perhaps I'm missing something.
The fact that the DAP is much more expensive then a PCDP like the Sony 920 is not an argument, it's all about SQ.
However, if I buy a PCDP, it'll probably not be a vintage, but a curent model.

 

[crazyfrenchman27]

Not if convenience and portability are a concern.

-Matt

 

[sidewinder]

For me, dragging cd's (about 10) and a PCDP w/ portable amp stuffed in a CaseLogic leather bag is no big deal. It is convenient and portable. But I ain't go jogging with these things, mainly because I don't go jogging at all

Sitting on the train or taking a walk while carrying this stuff brings me no harm.