CDP 202 paired wih external DAC

[Eliav]

Hi
Can I use the cdp 202 as a transport and hook it up to an external DAC? I guess the DAC should recieve a digital input whereas the CDP output is a signal already converted to analog by its dual internal DAC's, is this going to work ?
Thanks
Eliav

[RebelMan]

You can use the CDP-202 as a (digital) transport to an external DAC but why would you? You give up most of what the CDP-202 does by doing that. Might as well get a music server at that point.

[Eliav]

Good question :
After auditioning the cam600 at the dealer's, I felt than even though my own system sounded more musical than the dealer's setup, I was still fascinated by the clarity and the crystal clear reproduction his gear demonstrated.
Knowing that these are almost totally different setups, different room's shape and size , acoustics etc. I was trying to make an educated guess, on what could have been the most significant contribution for this difference. I ruled out significant speakers factor , his were 800di, mine are800d, i do not assume the differences I heard are speakers dependent ( I may be wrong). same for amplifiers ; I took the liberty to assume that clarity and imaging differences at this level are not made by the difference between cam 400 and cam 600 ( I may be wrong again), and obviously not due to pre amplifiers differences( we both use the cp700).
If the postulation made above are reasonable, than the differences between what I heard there and what I have at home MIGHT have been due ( but not limited to) :
A . CD super quality HD recordings he used for demo purposes.
B. 18K $ speaker cables/ interconnects Vs 1800$/ moderately priced interconns. I have.
C. My CDP202 Vs the dealers digital player + the external DAC ( 6250 $).
D. all of the above +/- amps, speakers, room acoustics, and my mental alertness/mood/attention at the time of auditioning.

Since my dealer offered me to try his DAC + some cables at home, no commitment, I decided to go for it, and check if bypassing the cdp internal DAC's is it, If not, than can it be (at least in part) the cables?
suggestions on this, are welcome
Thanks

[realalan]

Hi - what speaker cables was the dealer using? They have an enormous effect on the bandwidth you can hear. The interconnects and mains/power cable probably had something to do with it also on systems like this.

I have a CDP-102 and have tried connecting it to a Cyrus DAC X. The timing was a little more acurate and dynamic than on the CDP-102, but it lost all the soundstage and warmth, so I left the CDP as is, and use the DAC for streaming iTunes into the CP-700.

[Eliav]

All speaker cables and interconnects were Kimber Kable.

[beden1]

My vote is for the difference in speakers and the amps. On a smaller scale, I heard a similar difference when I recently auditioned the 805Di and the 804Di. I have only heard the 805Di and the 804Di so far, but I sense that the new B&W 800 Diamond Series is clearer and a bit livelier, without sticking the stage right in front of your face.

In my system a couple of years ago, the clarity also improved in my 803Ds when I added Classe mono CAM-350 amps as opposed to a Classe multi-channel amp. Possibly the new Classe CT line continues to take this a step further.

Speaker wires, interconnects and power cords, and particularly since your connectors are probably already adequate...I would be surprised if that made an audible difference?

[aarsoe]

I think you need to attribute quite a lot to the upgrades that where made to the 800D when they made the new 800Di version.
The usage Of better capacitors does make them sound clearer...

[RebelMan]

It's tough to say for certain where the greatest benefit lies as there are too many variables in play. It would be easier to rule out possibilities than to consider them. I know for certain the cables are not going to make much of a contribution so mark that one off the list. The recording, the room and speakers hold the lions share so I would consider their impact above all else first. Your only real option is to continue doing what you have already started by bringing samples home for evaluation and/or have the dealer setup some near-field listening sessions in the demo room and you mimic those procedures at home as well.