Any knowledgeable hi-fi enthusiats?
mcj78
Posts: 634
Hi all,
Looking for some advice on the best way to connect a DAC (an old Arcam Delta) to my CD player (an old Cambridge CD6) - the CD6 has connections thusly:
and the DAC has these sticking out it's rear end:
I have no idea whatsoever on how best to hook these up - i've been told the balanced XLR outputs on the CD6 are the best thing to use, but the DAC doesn't have inputs for those, or should (can I?) I go from the digital output on the CD6 to the optical input on the DAC? :?
My mate gave me the DAC as he no longer has space for it & thought I might be able to use it, is it even compatible with my CD6 at all?
Cheers!
Most helpful answer wins the recipe for my awesome apple, walnut & dark chocolate loaf, seeing as this is the cake stop
Looking for some advice on the best way to connect a DAC (an old Arcam Delta) to my CD player (an old Cambridge CD6) - the CD6 has connections thusly:
and the DAC has these sticking out it's rear end:
I have no idea whatsoever on how best to hook these up - i've been told the balanced XLR outputs on the CD6 are the best thing to use, but the DAC doesn't have inputs for those, or should (can I?) I go from the digital output on the CD6 to the optical input on the DAC? :?
My mate gave me the DAC as he no longer has space for it & thought I might be able to use it, is it even compatible with my CD6 at all?
Cheers!
Most helpful answer wins the recipe for my awesome apple, walnut & dark chocolate loaf, seeing as this is the cake stop
Moda Issimo
Genesis Volare 853
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Genesis Volare 853
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www.avforums.com
I used it for advice when building up my home cinema and there are some very helpful and knowledgable guys on there.
Cool, i'll bear that in mind if i'm stumped - cheers! I thought i'd give it a bash on here anyway before I go trawling through specialist AV forums & invariably see something shiny & un-necessary I want but really don't need!
J
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Canyon Aeroad 7.0 summer missile
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www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxQqWSnsHoA
Hi, the CD is currently connected to the amp via the standard phono cables, I figured the connection from the DAC to the amp would be the same?
I think I may be the guy from that sketch :oops: *bag on head*
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Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
Does your amplifier accept balanced XLR inputs? If so I would experiment with which is better XLR or normal phono but via the DAC.
XLR is supposed to be the best for analogue.
But the seperate DAC might do a better job of converting the digital data on the CD to analogue than the built in DAC inside the CD player.
have a play and see which sounds better.
That is what I was thinking but as you point out, the pictures aren't clear so not sure what the digital in on the DAC or the Digital out on the CD is ?
The reason I asked about the amp is that if it a more modern one, possibly with digital in, if the CD has digital out then the DAC could be superfluous. That said, if the processing is better on the DAC compared to the amp, assuming it has it of course, then it may be worth it.
This leads back to my question about what amp is being used.
Canyon Aeroad 7.0 summer missile
Trek 2.1 winter hack
it looks like the CDP has a BNC connector
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BNC_connector
and the DAC a RCA
Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
Firstly - the amp unfortunately doesn't have balanced XLR inputs, or even a new-fangled optical input so it will always need to be phonos for the amp/dac connection - the amp's pretty old but sounds good (to me) & this exercise is simply me trying to squeeze every last ounce of potential out of a relatively cheap system with the inclusion of a free DAC
Now - what Nick & Hulla are saying is beginning to make sense, the digital SPDIF output on the CD is a BNC (the push & twist one) & the digital input on the DAC is a standard co-ax phono, I know it isn't very clear from the photos as I pilfered them off the 'tinternet, this one's a bit clearer:
Soooooooooooo, it sounds like I need a decent BNC-Phono cable to hook the CD-DAC up & use the phono leads I already have to connect the DAC to the amp?
Cheers for the help guys!
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http://www.maplin.co.uk/bnc-plug-to-phono-socketadaptor-1593
If you want a BNC-phono made up, try The Missing Link. They supplied XLR to phono leads for my Linn amp and Arcam CD transport. Fabulous sound. Great service too.
http://www.the-missing-link.net/
Had a quick look on ebay & there's a company who supply all kinds of stuff for recording studios etc. selling them for around £15, i'll probably take a punt on one of those to get it up & running to see if it makes a big difference - if so I could have some nice missing link ones made up at a later date to try & improve further.
Cheers for the help guys!
John
Genesis Volare 853
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Basically the CD6 does have a very nice output stage and DAC but it won't compete with an external DAC (especially if you can't use the XLR outputs).
So you need, as you've concluded, a bnc - phono digital lead. Digital co-ax cables are 75Ohm rather than phono cables which are 100Ohm so you might want to make sure you're getting the right thing (though an audio cable will work).
Richer Sounds used to do a digital co-ax for £20 available in bnc - phono.
I wouldn't spend more than that on a digital lead though as (unlike analogue leads) you hit the diminishing-returns limit much sooner because it's an on/off waveform.
Hope that makes sense?
Hi mate, also late to the game!
Something like this will go between the CD player and the DAC:
http://www.studiospares.com/leads-phono ... vt/593080/
Any good-quality stereo phono cable should do you fine connecting the DAC to your amp.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/380196161065? ... 1423.l2649
A quick google shows their stuff seems to be well regarded for the money so i'll take a pop with this & see how it goes!
Cheers again!
John
Genesis Volare 853
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cheers