Esoteric K-03 versus McIntosh MCD1100

[BuffaloBill]

Originally Posted by mbovaird

That's the route I took. I invested heavily in what I consider a world class DAC (EMM Labs DAC2X), a WW Platinum USB cable and my Mac Mini/iPad. Besides maybe getting a CAPS 3.0, it's a fabulous setup and surpasses my old MCD1100 for sound quality and betters my Oppo 105 by a large margin.

This is exactly where my current thinking is. This year I added for the first time an external DAC to play music from my computer playlists. Sound is excellent, as good as a CD player, maybe better. Using a DAC and computer has proved much more convenient and flexible. Building easily and quickly accessible playlists on my computer has been fun and interesting and I can carry my music with me.

So I am asking myself why continue to fool around with and continue to spend more (dead) money on a mechanical device vs. a stand-alone DAC which plays only one CD at a time.

Also, DAC technoloy is improving almost daily and some manufacturers offer upgrades for a nominal cost.

[tdelahanty]

Originally Posted by jdandy

Bill.......It's simple. I like spinning CD's and SACD's. In addition, when I have a fellow audiophile friend drop by with a handful of CD's to audition I can accommodate the request. Also, I really don't want a computer in my sound system as my music source and the Olive 04HD music server cannot handle DSD playback, so my library of SACD's would be useless without a player. The K-03 provides me with everything I want.

Dan my thoughts exactly, we're on the same page!!!!

[Masterlu]

I'm in the same...

[mbovaird]

I will add, that if I didn't have a high end player and all my music ripped (this can take months), I would buy an Esoteric K-03 or 01 in a heartbeat. I still might.

[tdelahanty]

I don't think dac's have improved all that much, it's the computer I/O (interface) that keeps changing every 15 minutes, errrrr, excuse me, improving. I like hard media, it's mine, to do with as I choose. Plus it is not necessary to back-up. Computer and highend audio just don't go together for me.

[mbovaird]

Originally Posted by tdelahanty

I don't think dac's have improved all that much, it's the computer I/O (interface) that keeps changing every 15 minutes, errrrr, excuse me, improving. I like hard media, it's mine, to do with as I choose. Plus it is not necessary to back-up. Computer and highend audio just don't go together for me.

DACS haven't improved? I beg to differ. They have made huge strides - just in the past 24 months. Media is fine, but it can't touch 24/192 high res files IMO. I'll admit, the learning curve can be quite steep, and it can be a bit challenging at times to get all the pieces to work together, but once working, it can be very rewarding and so convenient. Remember, the computer makes a perfect bit copy of the music vs the one pass laser of the cd player. But, there are many who won't give up their CD players and corresponding media. It's all good.

[BuffaloBill]

Originally Posted by mbovaird

DACS haven't improved? I beg to differ. They have made huge strides - just in the past 24 months. Media is fine, but it can't touch 24/192 high res files IMO. I'll admit, the learning curve can be quite steep, and it can be a bit challenging at times to get all the pieces to work together, but once working, it can be very rewarding and so convenient. Remember, the computer makes a perfect bit copy of the music vs the one pass laser of the cd player. But, there are many who won't give up their CD players and corresponding media. It's all good.

Look for some innovative new DAC technology early next year.

[Masterlu]

Let's try to keep this on topic w/ the K03 & MCD1100.

[BuffaloBill]

Originally Posted by Masterlu

Let's try to keep this on topic w/ the K03 & MCD1100.

Sorry Ivan, I did not mean to stray. It was just Dan's very positive review of the sound quality of the DAC's in the MCD1100 and K-03 as stand-alone music sources that got me to thinking..why not sell my MCD301 and buy the new DA100 DAC..this would put me on the same quality sound level as the MCD1100 with essentially no additional investment.

[tdelahanty]

Ivan, please indulge me once more. My background in electronics allowed me to see many wonderous things. In the mid 70's I saw 32 bit DAC's (Burr Brown) and very high sampling rates commonly used in automatic test equipment. Unfortunately cost kept them out of consumer goods.

Zipp, Finished !!!!!!!