[Harrath]

I'm looking to spend about $1200-$1300 on an amp/source combo for my HD650's, and I'm torn about what kind of source to get.

I'm a big fan of Computer Audio, but I'm all too familiar with the reality that even good soundcards don't really match up with good CD players in terms of overall sound quality.

So I'm really torn between getting an AV710 -> External DAC (ack dAck!, RME ADI-2, Scott Nixon Tubedac+ with 3XAC are all ones in my pricerange that look good), or a dedicated CD player. All of my music is ripped with EAC and in lossless APE format.

How would a good standalone DAC compare with CD players in the $600-$700 range? Cambridge Azur 640c, NAD 542i seem to be the most commonly recommended.

Thanks in advance.

 

[boodi]

The music hall cd25 ( modified if you can afford a mod level )
the shanling s100MKI ( same as aforementioned under another label ) or the shanling s100MKII - sings by stock , and shine once you get in some burr brown 627 ( and it's a very easy operation , no solder required )
I'm using the shanling MKII and it's been a while now , I don't feel the need to change source.

 

[mikeliao]

$1200

900 Benchmark DAC1
60 DVD player (there's a Toshiba or something that was well recommended)
100 EMU0404
100 half decent digital coax and a glass toslink
15 two female XLR to graft onto your HD650 cable
25 Slappa CD case

=$1200

+shipping
+tax

~$1300


That was fun.