The Digital Debate

Posted by: NigelP on 15 January 2001

Twas not long ago when we listened to a CD and reached quickly for the off button and reverted to our turntable. History has passed and the CD has come of age but what of digital amplification?

I am almost complete in evaluating CD players and have just reviewed the Meridian 508. A good player but not musical like the CDX/XPS, CDS-II and the CD12 from Naim and Linn respectively. The dealer then proceeded to tell me that I would see significant improvement over my 52/500 by changing this for a digital system. He informed me that, to my horror, that he gets a better sound from his Rega Planar 3/RB300 (a very good turntable I know as it was the predecessor to mine) with the signal converted to the digital domain and amplified there until converted to the analgue domain to drive the speakers than I do with my highly spec'd LP12 into the 52/500. I think that he got the message that I consider the 52/500 to be one of the most open amplifier configurations available on the world-stage and that I did not intend to swap but I wondered what the views of fellow Naim fans would be on this subject. I must confess I did get irritated with this hard sell approach but I did not let it cloud my judgement on the 508. It just wasn't as good as the alternatives.

Posted on: 15 January 2001 by Martin M
Sounds like your dealer was talking out of his *rse. I guess your dealer was talking about Meridian DSPx000 speakers not the Sharp or TacT PWM amps. In which case, the fact is A/D and D/A conversions are lossy in terms of frequency and amplitude. All that he is doing is converting his turntable signal(which has been through an analogue RIAA network etc etc) to digital then back again amplified etc. All he seems to be saying is that analogue implementation of loudspeaker crossovers are bad and digital active ones much better - this being the main difference in the two systems you mention. So much so that this alone swamps the difference between an LP12 (and the like) and a Rega. To say the least, I don't agree. Now CD might be a different matter with the Sharp or Tact but the engineering of these products is tricky to say the least...
Posted on: 15 January 2001 by NigelP
Ah - as suspected he was talking a load of b*ll***s! He's not my dealer fortunately and I have come to learn just how valuable my dealer really is. Anyway, 508's out and now I'm exploring the Wadia against the CDS-II with analogue (long may it live!) at the back-end.

Nigel

Posted on: 15 January 2001 by Martin M
The Wadia is a smoothy!

Try the Audio Synthesis Transcend/DAX Decade. Its well worth the time and trouble.

Posted on: 15 January 2001 by NigelP
Martin - tell me more...

The Wadia I'm looking at is the 860x without the new voltage/current converter technology but I am assured that I won't want to give it back. I must admit it sounds like the player I'm looking for but what's like against the brilliant CDS-II?

Posted on: 15 January 2001 by Martin M
I'd say its a bit round earth compared to the CDS-2, tonality spaciousness etc are great but the rhythm isn't quite as good.

Wadia have recently had some financial difficulty and I believe they're under new ownership. How this affects the back up of their products I don't know. Its worth a few pointed questions.

The Audio Synthesis sounds like a CDS-2 in most respects. It close thing and worth a listen

Posted on: 15 January 2001 by Bob Edwards
Nigel--

860x is not as good as CDS2; I'd also give the edge to the CDX/XPS. The top Wadia separates can give the CDS2 a good run--not as "Naim" obviously but excellent nevertheless--better at some things, not as good in others.

Cheers and enjoy !

Bob @ Qwest

Ride the Light !