Computer with DAC vs CD Player
Take a look at the cyrus unofficial forum at www.forum.cyrusunofficial.co.uk , plenty of secondhand Cyrus kit available on there and even occasionaly good deals on new/reprocessed kit. Glad you liked the sound of the Mono X's I've been using them for 18 months in my system and have no intention of changing them anytime soon.
If you're considering going down the DAC route take a close look at the Cyrus DAC/XP, a DAC and Pre Amp in one box, not cheap but a highly regarded piece of kit.
The RRP of the Pre vs2 and DACX is about 1700 whereas the DACXP is them put together + balanced outputs (with less analogue inputs) for 500 more (2200). That's a big jump. Although, if it were used with Mono Xs the XLRs would be worthwhile. Still I don't know if I want to pay THAT much extra for very little.
I would have tried some active ATCs with a DAC XP.
thfcwestlower:I recently sold my Cyrus set-up, but can confirm that Apple Lossless files streamed to Airport express hooked up to my DAC-X sounded identical to my ears as the CDSE and the CD XTSE (which my mate brought round) fed into the same DAC-X
The above test result led me to actually sell my seperates and follow the pc - active set-up. Im very happy with the results, and the cash Ive saved
Do you get pro style Mackie or Edirol? I wish they did slightly more acceptable finishes.
not exactly, the pre in the DAC/XP is far better than the prevs2 and yes I have heard both. You're right though it's a lot of money to spend on hifi. If you're not adverse to buying secondhand you can get the DACXP and a pair of Mono X for around £2600 these days.
Also checkout www.moorgateacoustics.co.uk , they sell a lot of Cyrus repro stuff at very keen prices with full Cyrus warranty. Repro is basically equipment that Cyrus have used at hifi shows etc, it's then checked over and reboxed for sale at very good prices. A DACXP can be had for around £1500 and Mono X for around £1600 probably even cheaper in these difficult times.
Ian
I notice you have a sonos-dac-amp-speaker set up. I am looking to get a sonos (mainly for the multiroom capability and ease of use i.e.not inserting CD's) and DAC.
I will have my PC in one room with a bridge (in this room i will listen through audioengine A2s) connected (hard wired) to my PC. I would then be looking to insert a DAC somewhere along the 'line'. Where would it sit and how exaclty do you connect it.
1) Is it PC (i tunes) - DAC - Bridge - Zone player - amp - speakers. If so, what connections (leads/usb/ethernet etc)
2) a) I am tempted by the much rated DACMAGIC (200). However, you seem to have graet results with the Cyrus DAC. At what point do you think that music files ripped in lossless become the limiting factor.
b) Some people claim that a PC with dacmagic sounds as good as a 500 dedicated player. I realise you do not own one but would you agree with this kind of analogy?
3) Do you have a zone with built in amp? if so, how good is the amp? As good as a 30 watt rotel amp? What speakers do you run from it ? would they drive a pair of B&W 601's in a second room?
Dan
Dan,
Plenty of questions there, I'll try to answer some of them as best I can.
My setup is as follows.
Wireless router with SONOS Zonebridge and NAS drive connected to it.
I have a ZP80 connected directly to my DAC/XP via coaxial connection (Digital) the DAC/XP is then connected directly to the power amps.
I have a ZP120 connected to my old Monitor Audio Silver 8i's in the bedroom.
I have a CR100 Controller to control the whole SONOS system.
Once I've ripped my CD's to the NAS drive the computer isn't used for streaming music, it's streamed directly from the NAS drive.
I've never heard the DACMagic but from all accounts it's a good DAC in this price range. I used to use a Cyrus CD8X + PSX-R power supply, this is approx £1450 worth of CDP, connected to my DAC/XP via coaxial. To my hears the SONOS sounds better on some music but mainly I couldn't hear a difference between the CDP and the SONOS.
Compared to a CDP reading directly from a CD, lossless files will never be a limiting factor IMO. Once you've ripped lossless the main limiting factor is the quality of the DAC.
The ZP120 in the bedroom is new, only had it 3 days so not really had chance to have a good listen but first impressions are good for the money.
Hope that helps.
Dan.m:Ian
b) Some people claim that a PC with dacmagic sounds as good as a 500 dedicated player. I realise you do not own one but would you agree with this kind of analogy?
I would say that my bluray player and the DacMagic sounds as good as a £500 cd player. Lossless files and DacMagic sounds considerably better.
I didn't end up testing any DACs, unfortunately. But I did get to test a whole bunch of Cyrus gear, some Rega stuff, the Leema Tucana and a 3K pound Plinius. I started with the CD6SE and Cyrus 8vs2, it sounded terribly harsh with my ATC SCM19s and I thought hmm maybe they haven't been run in enough. The bass was also severely so I had the speakers moved back to about 30cm from the back wall--that helped. Next I tried the Pre vs2/8 Power combo. The control of the sound improved but it still wasn't sounding great, their was only slightly more authority and basically it was NOT an enjoyable listen; it felt like I was hearing noise, not music. Then I tried the Rega Elicit. Now THAT seriously made a difference. It was a thicker, lusher sound that brough a lot more bass in and removed some of the harshness from the top, not much but it did remove some and overall made quite a noticable difference. Now the sound was bearable, it still wasn't great but I could listen to it and enjoy it. Then I swapped from the CD6SE to the Rega Apollo. It was a very minor difference but the Apollo's sonic characteristics suited it's partnering Rega amp.
THEN...I tried the Cyrus Mono Xs with the Pre vs2. It was like..."Now that's what my speakers should sound like!" The sound was unbelievably fluid and smooth, the harshness was gone and the bass-weight was still there. It combined the upsides of the cheaper Cyrus gear with the upsides of the Rega Elicit plus more--the incredible smoothness. I was in heaven, I could've listened to that sound all day. Then I tried the Plinius and Tucana. They were both very similar to the Mono Xs but just lacked the slightest bit of detail and (mid-to-upper) bass weight and authority. I was set on the Mono Xs. But I can't afford them, but the rest sounds like rubbish. "I'm in a bit of a pickle EDITED"
So I'm going try and test out the DACMagic and DACX with the Mono X's and my really old (but warm) amp and see which one I like--unless I hate the DACMagic's sound compared to the DACX I'll get that and then I'll get some stands for my speakers and the interconnects and everything. Then I'll save up again and get the Pre vs2 and Mono X's (and if there's some new Cyrus gear out it'll make the Mono X's even cheaper!).