External DAC with SSP-600

[Armbender]

Wondering which DAC`s if any would be an upgrade over the DAC in my SSP-600. I am running an AppleTV toslink into my SSP600 right now. Just thinking that adding a DAC that offers Balanced out will let me take advantage of the SSP600`s advantage over the 300.

Looking at the $1000 range new or used..

DAC`s considering:

1. Benchmark DAC1
2. Bel Canto DAC3
3. Wyred 4 Sound DAC 1 or 2

Next upgrade for me is 804s` and an HTM3S. Then possibly a DAC. I liked the DAC Magic but sold it to upgrade to the SSP600.

[Nolan B]

Wondering which DAC`s if any would be an upgrade over the DAC in my SSP-600. I am running an AppleTV toslink into my SSP600 right now. Just thinking that adding a DAC that offers Balanced out will let me take advantage of the SSP600`s advantage over the 300.

Looking at the $1000 range new or used..

DAC`s considering:

1. Benchmark DAC1
2. Bel Canto DAC3
3. Wyred 4 Sound DAC 1 or 2

Next upgrade for me is 804s` and an HTM3S. Then possibly a DAC. I liked the DAC Magic but sold it to upgrade to the SSP600.

i dont think the SSP 600 has a real advantage over the SSP 300 by offering a balanced input passthrough.

Using an external DAC with RCAs using the spp 300 would probably yield the same result.

DAC in the SSP 600 is no slouch on its own as im sure you are aware

[Armbender]

i dont think the SSP 600 has a real advantage over the SSP 300 by offering a balanced input passthrough.

Using an external DAC with RCAs using the spp 300 would probably yield the same result.

DAC in the SSP 600 is no slouch on its own as im sure you are aware

yeah it definately surpasses my 1056...the 600 is amazing...just wondering if down the road I could have better result using an external amp with balanced outs to the 600

[Freek]

i bought a new external dac just 2 months ago for stereo.
the dac replaced the internal dac from the ssp300 (spdif coax). i was using a modified squeezebox 3 as a music server.

as the ssp300 has no balanced in- and outputs, i tried the difference with the new dac connected:
to an ssp300 input (rca)
to the ssp300 7.1 passthru (rca)
directly to the ca-5100 poweramp (balanced)

it was amazing to hear the difference.
with the new dac connected through the ssp300 there was not much better performance as with the internal dac of the ssp300. the soundstage was about the same. the sound was good but not what i hoped for.
now with the dac connected directly to the ca-5100 balanced, the difference was huge. wow. never dreamed of such an improvement.
i used an spl meter to get the exact same sound levels with and without the ssp-300. it was like day and night:
i can imagine the music as if it was played in my living room. can touch the instuments. the wall at the back of my speakers is not there anymore.

the only problem i faced was that the digital volume setting (24 bits) of the dac does lose 'data' if used below about 50%-60% for red book playback.
at normal listening levels i could only use the digital volume between 10% - 40%. to solve this problem i ordered custom made stepped attenuators from scott endler. waited for these attenuators for some weeks, and hoping i would not lose the soundstage.
when they arrived i set them up to match my digital volume level between 50% - 85%. now the detail was even better. the lower frequencies with much more detail. i was a happy man.
switched back to listening with and without the attenuators. very easy to make up my mind. with the attenuators (and without losing bits with the low volume settings) the sound is just amazing!! highly recommended.

so i wished i bought the ssp600 with balanced passthru.
in my situations when i use the ssp300 with movies i have to set my ca-5100 front L+R to the rca input. when i listen stereo with my new dac i have to set them to balanced inputs. lucky that this is easy to do in standby mode with the select switch at the front.

[FALCODEAN]

external dac upgrade to ssp 300

Dear Armbender,
I am using a ps audio ditital link III Cullen IV modified and consider it an upgrade to the CDP 502 dac as well as the ssp 300 dac. Bought it at audiogon used for 1000.
FALCODEAN

[Armbender]

Dear Armbender,
I am using a ps audio ditital link III Cullen IV modified and consider it an upgrade to the CDP 502 dac as well as the ssp 300 dac. Bought it at audiogon used for 1000.
FALCODEAN

thanks!...im still considering this option..my dealer is leaning towards the W4S DAC2 right now for me...pretty decent pricing...just torn if it is better than the DAC's in the classe 600

[realalan]

I am using an Airport Express with an optical link into a Cyrus DAC X (with Cyrus PSR power) connected using balanced cables into Classe CP700.

The Cyrus DAC is different to the Classe sound of the SSP600, so you'll need to audition it, but with MP3 (especially with early low bit rate samples) it can make the recording sound better focused and more dynamic.