Sound quality CD player vs PC

[HareBrain]

My usual method of playing music is through Windows Media Player with a line to a mini stereo. With my previous stereo, a fairly cheap Sony, there was a USB connection between the two, and the sound quality was much the same whether I played through Media Player or a CD in the stereo system itself. When that stereo blew up, I replaced it with a better quality Denon one, but have to use an auxiliary cable to connect the two, and the CD player sound is much better than the PC sound through the same speakers. Does anyone know if there's a cost-effective way of improving the music quality out of the PC, so it matches the CD player?

 

[The Judge]

I am told that what you need is an Audioquest Dragonfly USB DAC available online from Richer Sounds at £89. You plug it into the computer and then plug your audio lead into it. It takes the digital sound from the computer and converts it into an analogue version. (I have no idea what any of that means, but presumably the Richer Sounds website will make it clear!)

 

[HareBrain]

Brilliant! Thank you, and the judicial helpmeet.

 

[Onyx]

FYI, CDs are uncompressed music while computer music files are generally much less rich compressed MP3 files. With a good stereo and ear you will tell the difference.

But it sounds like your problem is also just the noisiness of an earphone jack. Does you computer and stereo have HDMI ports?

 

[HareBrain]

FYI, CDs are uncompressed music while computer music files are generally much less rich compressed MP3 files. With a good stereo and ear you will tell the difference.

It also seems to be the same (i.e. not as good) if I play the CD direct with Media Player from the CD/DVD drawer.

But it sounds like your problem is also just the noisiness of an earphone jack. Does you computer and stereo have HDMI ports?

No, it's just the sound card earphone jack on a PC that's pretty low-spec, plugging into the aux-in sockets on the stereo, so you could well be right.

As I understand it, the DAC should make a difference. The main difference I can hear is that the PC sound feels "dead" by comparison.

 

[Foxbat]

Something to keep in mind when using external DACs:
It's often the case that when you first use one, you don't notice the difference...until you switch it off. The quality improvement is there but very subtle and it's not until it's gone that you truly notice the difference.

 

[HareBrain]

The quality improvement is there but very subtle and it's not until it's gone that you truly notice the difference.

The difference between current PC-link and CD player is quite marked, to my ear. Are you saying an external DAC is unlikely to match the CD?

I noted that most of the glowing reviews for the Audioquest DAC that TJ recommended were based on a laptop or phone source, presumably with headphones. In those cases, there's only the DAC between the sound card and the headphones. In my case, there's the stereo amp, which I think (from something I read) might have a DAC already. Is that so, and if so, presumably there will only be an improvement if the new DAC is better?

 

[The Judge]

Under dictation here: with the Audioquest DAC, the improvement in sound quality will only be as good as the equipment it's playing into. But if the CD is better, played through the HiFi system, then feeding better quality signal from the DAC into the amplifier should also show an improvement.

Another alternative is to buy a better quality interconnect cable to link the PC and amplifier.

(I sincerely hope you understand that lot because I sure as hell don't!)

Apparently Richer Sounds have shops and the assistants are knowledgeable and helpful, so if you don't want to take a punt on the DAC, it might be worth going and having a chat with them. The three nearest are Brighton, Guildford and Southampton, by the looks of it.

 

[HareBrain]

Thanks again TJ. I will visit/phone them.

In my case, there's the stereo amp, which I think (from something I read) might have a DAC already.

This is probably wrong, now I think about it, because the setting on the stereo is "analog in", so it's unlikely it's undergoing any further digital manipulation.

 

[mosaix]

Under dictation here: with the Audioquest DAC, the improvement in sound quality will only be as good as the equipment it's playing into. But if the CD is better, played through the HiFi system, then feeding better quality signal from the DAC into the amplifier should also show an improvement.

Another alternative is to buy a better quality interconnect cable to link the PC and amplifier.

(I sincerely hope you understand that lot because I sure as hell don't!)

Apparently Richer Sounds have shops and the assistants are knowledgeable and helpful, so if you don't want to take a punt on the DAC, it might be worth going and having a chat with them. The three nearest are Brighton, Guildford and Southampton, by the looks of it.

They also have a website:

Richer Sounds - The UK's Hi-Fi, Home Cinema & TV Specialists!

There's a 'contact us' link at the bottom of the home page, but you may have to have an account to use it.

 

[Foxbat]

The difference between current PC-link and CD player is quite marked, to my ear. Are you saying an external DAC is unlikely to match the CD?

I noted that most of the glowing reviews for the Audioquest DAC that TJ recommended were based on a laptop or phone source, presumably with headphones. In those cases, there's only the DAC between the sound card and the headphones. In my case, there's the stereo amp, which I think (from something I read) might have a DAC already. Is that so, and if so, presumably there will only be an improvement if the new DAC is better?

I don't know about using a PC but for normal sound systems, you have to remember that to run an external DAC, your sound source needs to provide it with a digital or optical feed (at least mine does). I used to run mine with an optical feed from my player to the DAC and then to the amp. Whether it sounds better with or without depends on the quality of the external DAC compared to the internal. My external is twenty years old and I find that internal DACs are just as good nowadays so it's no longer part of the set up.

This is my DAC: Alchemist HiFi Products | TSD Range | Alchemist TS-D-1 Digital to Analogue Converter

Some reviews: Alchemist TS D 1 CD Players user reviews : 4.3 out of 5 - 3 reviews - audioreview.com