Connecting the well-regarded Arcam irDAC 2 to a 90s era award-winning Sony CDP-561E budget CD player via optical-out (TOSlink) has not made any substantial improvement to the sound to warrant using a good quality external DAC with the CD player - it sounds pretty much the same with or without the DAC! So my only way to improve on the sound is to get a better CD player (or transport for the DAC) rather than using the old CD player as a transport. Can I assume that all components in the HiFi system must be of high quality to get real sonic improvement, assuming a good quality recording in the first place. Ideally I don't wish to upgrade all my HiFi (e.g. pre and or power amplifier) to get the best out of the DAC due to budget restraints. I was working on the assumption that good quality DACs offer real improvement to using budget optical drives but that doesn't seem to be the case here (other equipment, however, may be different depending on the model). It looks like that I'll have to get a high-end transport to hear real sonic improvements. Any recommendations either for new or second-hand? Require a 3D holographic soundstage with detailed dynamics, pace and foot-tapping musical involvement/enjoyment.
Connecting the well-regarded Arcam irDAC 2 to a 90s era award-winning Sony CDP-561E budget CD player via optical-out (TOSlink) has not made any substantial improvement to the sound to warrant using a good quality external DAC with the CD player - it sounds pretty much the same with or without the DAC! So my only way to improve on the sound is to get a better CD player (or transport for the DAC) rather than using the old CD player as a transport. Can I assume that all components in the HiFi system must be of high quality to get real sonic improvement, assuming a good quality recording in the first place. Ideally I don't wish to upgrade all my HiFi (e.g. pre and or power amplifier) to get the best out of the DAC due to budget restraints. I was working on the assumption that good quality DACs offer real improvement to using budget optical drives but that doesn't seem to be the case here (other equipment, however, may be different depending on the model). It looks like that I'll have to get a high-end transport to hear real sonic improvements. Any recommendations either for new or second-hand? Require a 3D holographic soundstage with detailed dynamics, pace and foot-tapping musical involvement/enjoyment.