[Covenant]

Forgive the total ignorance of this query, but... where does the Raptor actually connect to the source? Say for example, on a Meridian, would one hook the Raptor up to the unbalanced analogue output, the S/PDIF, the coax, the Toslink? I'm new to dedicated sources, and have no real idea what connector does what, so a crash-course in sources may be in need, lol.

Also, does the Raptor come with said connection cable between amp and source, or is a 3rd-party cable required? And if so what sort?

Thanks all.

 

[Covenant]

C'mon people, this aint a difficult one to answer

 

[morphie]

u need interconnects, thats all. digital connection is between the source and dac. you connect the digital out of your soundcrd to the dac via toslink or coaxial. for dac to amp, or dvd player to amp, interconnects are all thats needed.

 

[Covenant]

Quote:

Originally Posted by morphie u need interconnects, thats all. digital connection is between the source and dac. you connect the digital out of your soundcrd to the dac via toslink or coaxial. for dac to amp, or dvd player to amp, interconnects are all thats needed.

What sort of interconnects? RCA-type?

And why would you hook a Meridian up to a soundcard, or an external DAC, as i understood the Meridian had one already?

 

[JaZZ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Covenant What sort of interconnects? RCA-type?

Yes.

Quote:

And why would you hook a Meridian up to a soundcard, or an external DAC, as i understood the Meridian had one already?

Since (most) soundcards usually have cheap DACs built in, any external DAC -- connected either via optical (Toslink) or coaxial (S/PDIF) cable -- will improve sound quality. And if you have an external DAC that's better than the integrated one in a CD player, you can use the latter as mere transport with the external DAC connected as described above. An amp is always connected to the DAC's/CDP's analog line out (RCA type -- if not [alternatively] equipped with balanced [XLR] outputs).

 

[Covenant]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JaZZ Yes. Since (most) soundcards usually have cheap DACs built in, any external DAC -- connected either via optical (Toslink) or coaxial (S/PDIF) cable -- will improve sound quality. And if you have an external DAC that's better than the integrated one in a CD player, you can use the latter as mere transport with the external DAC connected as described above. An amp is always connected to the DAC's/CDP's analog line out (RCA type -- if not [alternatively] equipped with balanced [XLR] outputs).

Thanks for those clarifications JaZZ, helps me visualise just exactly how this thing's going to be rigged up

 

[Ray Samuels]

If you have a Meridian CD player, you do not need an external DAC as the Meridian is more than capable to do the job very well. You do not connect the Meridian to a sound card, this is an insult in my book, as no sound card has a DAC that can match or even get close to that of the Meridian. Just take the analog line out "left & right" of the Meridian and connect it to any amp's inputs "RCA".
Cheers.
Ray Samuels

 

[Covenant]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray Samuels If you have a Meridian CD player, you do not need an external DAC as the Meridian is more than capable to do the job very well. You do not connect the Meridian to a sound card, this is an insult in my book, as no sound card has a DAC that can match or even get close to that of the Meridian. Just take the analog line out "left & right" of the Meridian and connect it to any amp's inputs "RCA". Cheers. Ray Samuels

w00t, Ray himself posting in my thread. I now feel special

Incidentally Ray, if you hadn't made the connection yet, i'm that guy from jasonswire@hotmail.com that keeps annoying you with compulsive amp correspondence

 

[morphie]

Did I say he should hook his meridian to a dac? or to a soundcard? He asked me what kind of connection if required between a source and an amp, i told him the two alternatives as mentionned here for soundcard+DAC:

you connect the digital out of your soundcrd to the dac via toslink or coaxial. for dac to amp

and here for cd/dvd player to amp:

or dvd player to amp, interconnects are all thats needed.

Connecting a meridian cdp to an external DAC is pointless...