Yesterday I tested my AV amp's DAC's (Yamaha DSP-AZ1) with those inside the CDP (Marantz CD-5400).
The AV has a Burr-Brown PCM1704 DAC and the CDP has a Crystal Semiconductor CS 4392 DAC. Now I am not an expert on the technical side. But I found the Amp having superior sound to my liking in all aspects. Bigger soundstage, better separation, more depth, etc. So I started thinking, my ultimate goal is to get myself a proper stereo system as I enjoy music more than movies. What would be a logical step ito the CDP? Would I look at a separate DAC and remain on the Marantz as a transport or is it better to just go for a better CDP? What are my options ito CDP's / DAC's if I want to match or improve on the sound that I get from the AV amp? Is there fundamental sound differences between the manufacturers of DAC's, iow should I look at a player with Burr-Brown DAC's if that is my preference in sound? Or does the different models in a range also make a big difference?
The AV has a Burr-Brown PCM1704 DAC and the CDP has a Crystal Semiconductor CS 4392 DAC. Now I am not an expert on the technical side. But I found the Amp having superior sound to my liking in all aspects. Bigger soundstage, better separation, more depth, etc. So I started thinking, my ultimate goal is to get myself a proper stereo system as I enjoy music more than movies. What would be a logical step ito the CDP? Would I look at a separate DAC and remain on the Marantz as a transport or is it better to just go for a better CDP? What are my options ito CDP's / DAC's if I want to match or improve on the sound that I get from the AV amp? Is there fundamental sound differences between the manufacturers of DAC's, iow should I look at a player with Burr-Brown DAC's if that is my preference in sound? Or does the different models in a range also make a big difference?