DVD 5 playing CDs?

Graham,

I'd say it's kinda CD5 type quality, but without the ability to add a power supply at all.

Probably should get my CD5 out it's box and get it connected up at the same time and do the comparison.

Roy.

...but as it has a spdif you can add an outboard DAC, such as a Benchmark DAC1 or a Chord DAC 64 - which makes some very nice sounds.

Martin

good point about the spdif. I don't know a huge amount about the outputs of the DVD5, how would the outboard DAC be connected for CD music and still retain connectivity to the AV2 for av processing?

Graham

Its got 2 spdifs!

One for your DAC and one for your AV2.

Currently sitting here watching Eric Clapton Unplugged:

DVD5 -> DAC1 -> EAR 864 -> 250 -> ART Skibos.

LPCM stereo soundtrack...bloody good.

M

simple really!
thanks
Graham

Next thing you will find is that Naim make an outboard DAC so that those of us who own DVD5s and Nv-Is can persue this route without having to get another CD player but who want improved CD replay!

We can wish!

Regards P

Just remember that if you are going to use a DVD5 as a CD transport with an external DAC then you should change the output from Multichannel to PCM in the setup menu. This optimises the SPDIF for 2 channel PCM and gives much better performance. If you don't do this then performance suffers.

Out of interest, I have been without my CDS2 and NAC252 for last month or so due to an impending upgrade (Hello CDS3 and NAC552 ) and have therefore pressed the DVD5 and AV2 into action as CD player and Preamp.

What's remarkable about this is that my enjoyment of music hasn't really dimished that much. True, I have been catching up on movies and really getting into some music DVDs but I've also been spinning loads of CDs and to say I'm impressed is an understatement.

Having heard everything from CD5i through to CD555 I should say that it is a little different to all of the CD players although none the worse for that and I have to admit it does remind me a bit of the CDX...

When I originally tested the DVD5 on CD it was up against a CD5i and a CDX2. I put it ahead of the CD5i but behind the CDX2 - quite something for a DVD player!

This was all using the internal DAC of the DVD5. I have not tried it with an external DAC. Before the CDS3 arrives I must try this. Let's not forget the AV2 is also a very high quality stand alone DAC/preamp/Processor so it should make for an interesting comparison...

Richard,

I expended quite a lot of effort to end up with the DAC1.

I started down this path when I quickly realised that the DVD5 was not better overall than my the CDP - but did some things better. Having had my interest awakened I listened to a number of DACs, my prefered option being the Chord DAC64. I demoed this against the CDX2 + PSU, and prefered the DVD5/Chord.

When heard about the DAC1 I arranged to hire one for a week and A/B'd it against the DAC64 = honours were even, but the DAC1 is less than half the price. I have found the combination very sensitive to cables. In fact the DAC1 works brilliantly with the DVD5 to my ears BUT sounds pretty ordinary with the top of the line Denon and the 3k Meridian DVD player.

The AV2 DACS are not in the same class to my ears.....how about a version point upgrade!

To pick up on Pats point, perhaps naim should develop a stand-alone DAC with an off-board PSU!

Martin

quote:

Originally posted by Richard Dane:
Let's not forget the AV2 is also a very high quality stand alone DAC/preamp/Processor

I use my AV2 to listen to our iTunes through an Apple Airport Express. Sounds a lot better than it really should given the ultimate quality upstream, but then it is just casual listening. But then again what listening shouldn't be casual!

J