[Pundamilia]

Hi James

When I bought my BDA-1, you recommended that I plug the BCD-1 directly into the pre-amp rather than the BDA-1 so that the system would use the internal clock on the CD player and hence there would be less jitter than if I went from the CD player to the DAC to the pre-amp. I have since upgraded to a BDA-3 and was wondering if your original recommendation still holds. Is the issue solely one of the signal changing devices and hence losing synchronization? Therefore, is it correct that having a more advanced DAC would not change the situation.

Thanks.

[James Tanner]

HI

Technically the internal CD player has an advantage as you can Clock the Drive directly to the internal DAC because you know it is always going to be 44.1 and 16 BIT.

With an external DAC you have to resample and reclock whatever signal is coming in which results in higher jitter numbers - BUT - on the BCD-3 and the BDA-3 those jitter numbers are so low that it is probably a mute point

james

[Pundamilia]

Thanks. I thought that was the issue.

What other audio equipment manufacturer provides equivalent access to the "giant brains" within the company? Only Bryston!

[Raimo]

Is there any significant improvement in sound quality in going from the BDA3 with a DVD player as a drive to BCD3?

[TJ-Sully]

HI

Technically the internal CD player has an advantage as you can Clock the Drive directly to the internal DAC because you know it is always going to be 44.1 and 16 BIT.

With an external DAC you have to resample and reclock whatever signal is coming in which results in higher jitter numbers - BUT - on the BCD-3 and the BDA-3 those jitter numbers are so low that it is probably a mute point

james

Hi James, given jitter is negligible in the BDA3, would you still suggest going directly from a BCD1 > preamp - rather than BCD1>BDA3>preamp?

It seems to me the design features in the new DAC would bring SQ benefits vs. using the DAC inside the BCD1.
Or am i out to lunch on this one? 

cheers
TJ

[James Tanner]

Hi James, given jitter is negligible in the BDA3, would you still suggest going directly from a BCD1 > preamp - rather than BCD1>BDA3>preamp?

It seems to me the design features in the new DAC would bring SQ benefits vs. using the DAC inside the BCD1.
Or am i out to lunch on this one? 

cheers
TJ

Lunch is served -
The DAC's in the BDA-3 and the BCD-3 are much better than the DACs in the BCD-1 and also there are two independent DACs in the BDA3 and BCD3 whereas the BCD-1 is a single shared stereo DAC.

james

[Pundamilia]

Technically the internal CD player has an advantage as you can Clock the Drive directly to the internal DAC because you know it is always going to be 44.1 and 16 BIT.

With an external DAC you have to resample and reclock whatever signal is coming in which results in higher jitter numbers - BUT - on the BCD-3 and the BDA-3 those jitter numbers are so low that it is probably a mute point

james

The DAC's in the BDA-3 and the BCD-3 are much better than the DACs in the BCD-1 and also there are two independent DACs in the BDA3 and BCD3 whereas the BCD-1 is a single shared stereo DAC.

 

Can one assume then since the increased jitter in going from the BCD-1 to the BDA-3 is negligible and the improvement in the DACs (quality and number) in the BDA-3 over the DAC in the BCD-1 implies that one is better off to go from the BCD-1 to the BDA-3 and then to the pre-amp rather than directly from the BCD-1?
 

[CanadianMaestro]

 

Can one assume then ..... that one is better off to go from the BCD-1 to the BDA-3 and then to the pre-amp rather than directly from the BCD-1?
 

Probably in most cases.

I didn't hear a substantive difference when I auditioned the BDA-3 in my setup at home -- BCD-1 to BDA-3 vs. BCD-1 straight to linestage.

Goes to prove, when it comes to comparisons, there are no "generic rules" that apply to all.

cheers

[TJ-Sully]

thanks james.

pundamilia, the answer is yes. better grab a digital AES/EBU balanced cable and connect that CD player to your new BDA3. Totally makes sense.

maybe you'll listen to more CD's after all...

TJ