DAC for a Sony BDP-S6500 Blu-ray Player

[remomoreira]

I usually listen to my CDs and music files (FLAC and DSD) on the Sony BDP-S6500 Blu-ray Player, connected via HDMI to the Pioneer VSX-534 Receiver, and I'm considering replacing the Blu-ray player with a Marantz CD6007 CD Player to perform the same functions (play CDs and music files (FLAC and DSD)).

Although the switch seems very advantageous to me, in terms of audio quality (a DEDICATED CD player is expected to play CDs with better quality than a Bluray Player, which plays several formats in addition to CD), some audiophiles are advising me not to do that, and to simply add a good DAC to the Sony Blu-ray Player.

What do you think?

 

[Eppie]

I usually listen to my CDs and music files (FLAC and DSD) on the Sony BDP-S6500 Blu-ray Player, connected via HDMI to the Pioneer VSX-534 Receiver, and I'm considering replacing the Blu-ray player with a Marantz CD6007 CD Player to perform the same functions (play CDs and music files (FLAC and DSD)).

Although the switch seems very advantageous to me, in terms of audio quality (a DEDICATED CD player is expected to play CDs with better quality than a Bluray Player, which plays several formats in addition to CD), some audiophiles are advising me not to do that, and to simply add a good DAC to the Sony Blu-ray Player.

What do you think?

If you are using the HDMI connection then your receiver is performing the digital to analogue conversion and changing transports will not make a difference. Only if the disc player has a significantly better DAC chip and you use the RCA outputs could you possibly notice a difference.

Just because a CD player is dedicated to CD audio does not guarantee that it will sound better. Blu-ray players require a higher degree of accuracy in reading discs, so any blu-ray player will read CDs as well as any dedicated CD player, and since all disc players have built in error correction the digital bit stream will be identical. The difference in sound comes down to the DAC chip.

Bear in mind that the digital to analogue conversion process is a very mature technology that has been around for decades. There are very few bad DAC chips. There are also a few DAC chips considered to be best in class. So you need to do proper research to determine whether the change in DACs will be noticeable. Don't just add an external DAC for the sake of having one. Most people can not tell the difference but I would advise listing what speakers you own as that is the most important piece in the audio chain. Changing DACs with a moderate pair of speakers would be a waste of money as a speaker upgrade would yield much bigger gains.

 

[TLS Guy]

I usually listen to my CDs and music files (FLAC and DSD) on the Sony BDP-S6500 Blu-ray Player, connected via HDMI to the Pioneer VSX-534 Receiver, and I'm considering replacing the Blu-ray player with a Marantz CD6007 CD Player to perform the same functions (play CDs and music files (FLAC and DSD)).

Although the switch seems very advantageous to me, in terms of audio quality (a DEDICATED CD player is expected to play CDs with better quality than a Bluray Player, which plays several formats in addition to CD), some audiophiles are advising me not to do that, and to simply add a good DAC to the Sony Blu-ray Player.

What do you think?

Who filled your head full of this nonsense? Seems you have been infected by some Audiophool. A BD player plays any CD just as well as a CD player. I doubt adding a DAC will change anything and just deplete your bank account. It is the old rule, if don't like what you are hearing look at your speakers.