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Post by ajski2fly on Jun 17, 2021 7:21:17 GMT
Nearing the end of the building work in the bungalow I have just got my CDs out and racked them up on the wall, I have been thinking for some time of improving the CD replay and possibly digital side. Current I use a Panosonic blu-ray for CD, and all digital goes through a a Caiman SEG DAC. The CD replay is OK but I know it can be improved and I have a large CD collection worth listening to, also I stream a reasonable amount using Qobuz or Tidal, through RPI/Volumio, I could also stream using Audvirana hooked up using USB from my MacBook Pro.
I am considering getting a CD Transport in the mix is Audiolab 6000CDT, obviously with this one I would need to keep the Caiman SEG.
The Audiolab 8300CDQ would give me a good single box solution and has a headphone output so I could also get rid of the Schitt headphone amp as well.
Having read up on both they seem pretty hard to beat, does anyone have experience of the Audiolab 8300CDQ and any thoughts would be appreciated?
Thanks
Adrian
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Post by jandl100 on Jun 17, 2021 10:40:09 GMT
I've not heard a CDQ8300, but I have owned CDQ8200.
I don't know how they compare to each other.
The 8200 was very impressive in some ways, better at the outer dynamic envelope (sheer scale and impact) than the inner dynamic envelope (low level nuance). I found the 8200 fairly unsubtle and didn't keep it long.
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Post by ajski2fly on Jun 17, 2021 10:51:02 GMT
I've not heard a CDQ8300, but I have owned CDQ8200. I don't know how they compare to each other. The 8200 was very impressive in some ways, better at the outer dynamic envelope (sheer scale and impact) than the inner dynamic envelope (low level nuance). I found the 8200 fairly unsubtle and didn't keep it long. Hi Jerry, Thanks that is interesting info. Hi-Fi choice Aug 2019 review say " It takes the recipe of the original 8200CDQ, polishes it and adds useful functionality that will stand it in good stead for many years to come" also "Running through the gamut of its inputs, I realise the 8300CDQ is very hard to beat as an all-round mid-price player. Especially when working as a DAC, its standout traits are the clean and balanced tonality, fine detail retrieval, wide soundstaging, decent rhythmic snap and even-handed nature. Whatever digital format or codec you choose, it’s quite special to listen to and the CD transport is really very good. The analogue line inputs turn in a clean and unsullied sound that’s only just a little thinner and more two dimensional than a serious purpose-designed preamplifier." My prime use of it will be CD and digital, I only occasionally listen to LPs with headphones so this would be the only time I would feed an analogue signal into it. So maybe this could be a reasonably good long term solution for me. Also give me option to then upgrade the RPI/Hat for general streaming at a later date which will not be too costly. |
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Post by jandl100 on Jun 17, 2021 11:13:58 GMT
I guess the Beresford SEG headphone amp wasn't good enough? I thought it was pretty decent.
Personally I'd probably keep the SEG and buy the dedicated Audiolab 6000 transport, I've heard excellent reports of the latter.
The SEG DAC is more to my taste than the DAC in the 8200cdq.
Have you tried the Dorado PSU enhancer with the SEG? It definitely raises it a notch or two.
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Post by petea on Jun 17, 2021 11:26:16 GMT
Would ripping your CDs be an option and then playing them from file via your streaming route? This is what I done in here in Germany although I retained a Lector CDP and DAC there as I have a lot of CDs although the least favourite ones will be ripped to make some space (for more CDs no doubt!).
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Post by ajski2fly on Jun 17, 2021 11:31:15 GMT
I guess the Beresford SEG headphone amp wasn't good enough? I thought it was pretty decent. Personally I'd probably keep the SEG and buy the dedicated Audiolab 6000 transport, I've heard excellent reports of the latter. The SEG DAC is more to my taste than the DAC in the 8200cdq. Have you tried the Dorado PSU enhancer with the SEG? It definitely raises it a notch or two. No the SEG headphone amp is fine but I as the SEG does not have and analogue input I can not listen to LP's with it, also my amp does not have a headphone output, hence why I purchased the Schitt Magni. I do have the Dorado PSU and it is an improvement and also Stan upgraded the SEG not long ago, it does sound pretty good as you say. My initial thoughts were the 6000 transport, but then thought I could rationalise boxes cable etc and possibly get a good result with the 8300CDQ. I would be a but more outlay but could offset some of it though selling the Caiman SEG/ Dorada and Schitt Magni, both are great bits of audio equipment and should sell easily at the right price. I will have to think some more, I am hoping someone has got an 8300CDQ and can give me there thoughts. Thanks for your input. |
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Post by julesd68 on Jun 17, 2021 12:02:48 GMT
It does look like a very neat solution for all your needs - not seen a cdp with a preamp before ...
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Post by ajski2fly on Jun 17, 2021 12:07:42 GMT
Would ripping your CDs be an option and then playing them from file via your streaming route? This is what I done in here in Germany although I retained a Lector CDP and DAC there as I have a lot of CDs although the least favourite ones will be ripped to make some space (for more CDs no doubt!). Hi, I have ripped quite a few and sold at lease 200 CD's, but got rather fed up with the time it takes to sell and the hassle of posting. Plus I had a couple of people who said it was not this or that version, and wanted discounts when in fact I knew they were exactly as advertised, wasted loads of time and postage.  I have ended uo with about 600 cd's. 100 or so classical, and I think digital fits well with this genre, vinyl play back gan be annoying unless using pristine records for, about 50 Jazz, 50 Blues and the rest a mix of rock & pop, not that many are doubled up with vinyl as I focused on getting rid of those mainly, although I have kept some of my favourite recordings on CD that I also have on Vinyl. I am hoping that the 8300CDQ might enable a better CD replay and enable me to box de-clutter although I know the Beresford DAC is pretty good. |
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Post by ajski2fly on Jun 17, 2021 15:09:59 GMT
It does look like a very neat solution for all your needs - not seen a cdp with a preamp before ... As you say it does look good, I need to think this through, I do not want o buy a piece of kit that does not get used that much, so this combo might be a good option as the DAC will certainly get used quite a bit. |
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Post by daytona600 on Jun 22, 2021 22:22:27 GMT
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Post by petea on Jun 23, 2021 5:56:16 GMT
What an interesting range. I do like a top-loading CD payer!
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Post by ajski2fly on Jun 23, 2021 7:26:58 GMT
That’s very interesting, and it supports SACD, is another option to consider, thanks for posting |
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