Outboard DAC

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Mat Bon 0013

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I have a Meridian 206b Player and intend to use it as a Transport with an Outboard DAC. Is this possible or did Meridian build a DAC for this CDP before?
Also can anybody recommend an Outboard DAC for this CDP?
Thanks a Bunch!

Regards
Mat
 
Does your 206b have a digital output? I would imagine it does have at least coax. output in which case you can use it with pretty much any DAC.

I believe Meridian did a two box (transport + DAC) player called 200 around the time of the 206. The 200 DAC (and transport) come up fairly often on eBay for not much money but I've no idea what they're like.

As to DAC recommendations, CJROSS would have a few suggestions for you. There are lots about, it depends how much money you want to spend and what kind of sound you're looking for. I'm currently using a Tag DAC20 which is excellent. I believe they're still available from Tag for about £450 (RRP £1250!). I may be changing this for a Chord DAC64 in the near future... ;)

Michael.
 
:censored: + :spank: = Edit for fear of influencing thread path.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
constructive comment timpy :D

Matt - what do you want to achieve with adding an outboard DAC? What don't you like about the sound of the Meridian?

Michael.
 
I don't see why not. The 206 presumably has coax digital out and the 203 coax digital in? I don't know that it would give you that much in sound terms though but worth a try if you already have both bits of kit.

Michael.
 
Originally posted by michaelab
constructive comment timpy :D

Matt - what do you want to achieve with adding an outboard DAC? What don't you like about the sound of the Meridian?

Michael.
Click to expand...

Michael, I would imagine that since it is coming to the end of it's life (206) I would add a DAC until it gives up and maybe keep the DAC to match for a better transport on a latter date. I don't know I'm open to suggestions here!
 
You can but I very much doubt there would be any point. The 206 is an integrated 200 and 203 anyway. Also depending on which 206b you have, if could be better some versions of the 203.

The 206 came with DAC7 Philps conversion chips part way through it's life, the last ones having delta/sigma conversion which I believe is the best.

203's tend to be expenive for what they are and their age as well. Bigger better bargains are usually to be found with DPA / Audio Alchemy dacs etc anyway. Support is more of an issue with these though.

Michaelab

Sorry, that should be more helpful, something you said caused said image to pop into my mind. Can't think what it was now.... :D

Cheers
 
From www.audiogon.com


Cal Audio Alpha 24/96 Khz tube digital audio processor CD-DAC $850.00
cal labs sigma tube da converter CD-DAC $250.00
CAL Alpha Tube DAC CD-DAC $400.00
Cal Audio Labs Sigma II DAC in mint condition CD-DAC $325.00
Califonia Audio Labs Sigma II sale pending CD-DAC $325.00

The bottom one is sale pending.... to me.

At the bake off, it The CAL Sigma II was considered to be the equal of a DAC64, with a rough 50/50 split of preferance between the two. I personally prefered it to the DAC 64, but liked both DACs.

I paid $300 for mine, postage is $115. Vat is $14.

Including the voltage conversion done by a shop, its costing me in pounds £350.

I think Ive got the absolute bargain of the century, and Im chuffed to bits.

Thanks to Lee for bringing it round that day. I owe you a beer!

Chris
 
The 206b will make a good transport as Robbo says, although some (60% I thinkk) of it's "rosy", restrained and polite balance will be carried through to any new DAC.

This is no bad thing of course if you like it though. There are all sorts of capable dacs out there, all over the place.

Good luck hunting

Cheers
 
Originally posted by timpy
although some (60% I thinkk) of it's "rosy", restrained and polite balance will be carried through to any new DAC.
Click to expand...


???

Are you saying the transport has 60% of the pair? Surely the DAC makes far MOre difference than the transport? Or am I reading you wrong?

Chris, sounds like you've got yourself a bargain! What's the UK RRP of the Sigma II?

Cheers

MO :D
 
Hi Mo

They dont make them any more. They went for about £1000 new.. the alphas went for about £1500.

I wouldnt pay the price any heed though - they sound on a level with a chord Dac 64...

Only thing is, youve got a bit of work cut out (so Lee tells me) if they go wrong - there is no manufacturer anymore to send them back to...so you have to find someone who can do it, and source the parts etc.... do-able, but hard work..

NB WM's done a lot of playing with transports - Im sure he can comment - but matching the character of th dac and the transport seems to be key (sonic character of course)

Cheers
Chris
 
Transports are transports, they don't make any difference :D Intresting Myth
Transorts can have a significant differnce on the overall charactor of the sound, Chris himself whitnessed this at JU's bake off.
A transparent sounding dac, with be more 'influced' by a transport swop, and certain sonic charactors can be 'mated' to achieve a more desired sound IMHO
Merlin was orignaly using a Meridain 500 transport, rich trextious mid band and great voicing, but was lacking a little 'sparkle', Merlin changed for the Teac P30, sort of tipped the balance a touch, to favor the sound he was looking for I feel.
My own 2 tranports an ARcam DV27 and a wadia 8, the Arcam is a very dvd player and pretty fair cd player eqiv of a CD92/CD23, has a much thiner and less extended sound than the wadia, lacking in depth and dynamics. :eek: by a serious margin
Cables again play part is this, as do SRC's (a lot of players now have build in SRC's).
Again trial and see, what gives you the sound you like. WM
 
Transports do make a difference but not a huge one if your using a decent DAC. Maybe 10-20% of the overall sound.

Contrary to what Tone has said on occaision, that a DAC added to a CDP will just give you "more of what you've already got" I'd say it was the other way around. A decent tranny will give you more of what you've already got from the DAC, it will let the DAC "do it's stuff" better.

Seeing transport for many thousands of pounds available from the likes of Wadia, Burmester etc (there's a second hand Burmester transport on Audiogon going for a mere $18,200 :eek: ) just makes me laugh that anyone would be mug enough to buy them at that price. There's nothing that Burmester can do that any number of half decent £1k transports couldn't do aswell or better. I guess if there a people willing to spend £30k on ICs, then there'll be people willing to spend £10k on a transport regardless :rolleyes:

This month's HFC has a review of the new Denon M31 mini system (p34) and Kessler tried using the CD/receiver part as a transport (yes, it has digi out!) and said it blew away a couple of £1k+ dedicated high-end transports he had around (but wasn't willing to name and shame). The M31 costs all of £230 - and it's got a pre-amp, amp and tuner in it too so if even half the cost went on the CD bit that's a £115 transport :eek:

Michael.
 
Originally posted by michaelab
Transports do make a difference but not a huge one if your using a decent DAC. Maybe 10-20% of the overall sound.

Contrary to what Tone has said on occaision, that a DAC added to a CDP will just give you "more of what you've already got" I'd say it was the other way around. A decent tranny will give you more of what you've already got from the DAC, it will let the DAC "do it's stuff" better.
Click to expand...

Mike, you memory is slipping all this traveling mate :D
The quote is what I said you get from 'Clocking a CDP or Transport' :)
I'll stand by my Transport statement as well, AS the Arcam cost more than the Wadia, I should be using that, you have heard the difference between the 2, maybe you should go back to using the Tosh 220 instead of the marantz. :cool:
Tranports have the own sonic signiture, and impart them into the dac, shame you weren't at JU's bake off, pretty cut and dried there, chalk and cheese.
Maybe we should organise a myth busting bake off series, starting with transports, I have one or 2 I could bring along, I'm sure quite guys would be up for that. might produce a few smiles. Tone
 
Apologies Tone, you're right about the quote being about re-clocking - I had it mixed up :shame:

I'm not saying they make no difference, just that they don't make as big a difference as some people would have you believe.

How did I know you were going to bring up my Tosh SD200? :D The truth is I haven't ever compared it against my modded Marantz in a "fair" test (ie using the same digi cables). I've only ever used the shite QED Qunex P75 cable with the Tosh. When I'm testing your Enterprise and Liberator cables I'll try them both with the Tosh and the Marantz :) I may also have a new DAC by then..... :p

Michael.
 

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