[drummermitchell]

I'll second that .

[1oldguy]

I've only played around a dozen CD as of late on mine ...No problems to report as of yet.If and when it does I'm sure it will get taken care of.James and the team at Bryston are Better than it gets.

[VOLKS]

I wonder what improvements in sound would i be getting if i buy a BCD-1 and use a BDA-1 instead of the BCD-1's internal Dac?Will it be considerably improved?

[rob80b]

I wonder what improvements in sound would i be getting if i buy a BCD-1 and use a BDA-1 instead of the BCD-1's internal Dac?Will it be considerably improved?

Actual Volks, it would probably be a step down.
The drive and DAC in the BCD-1 have been optimized to work together, keeping jitter and noise as low as possible, although some say they can not distinguish the BCD-1 from the BDA-1 with a transport.

Robert

[Robert D]

James, Is this True what Rob is saying ?

Thought the Combo BCD-1 & BDA-1 were the only way to go

Your Thoughts

Robert

[95Dyna]

I wonder what improvements in sound would i be getting if i buy a BCD-1 and use a BDA-1 instead of the BCD-1's internal Dac?Will it be considerably improved?

Actual Volks, it would probably be a step down.
The drive and DAC in the BCD-1 have been optimized to work together, keeping jitter and noise as low as possible, although some say they can not distinguish the BCD-1 from the BDA-1 with a transport.

Robert

That's my understanding.  The clock timing would degrade and jitter would increase slightly by using the outboard DAC.

[James Tanner]

James, Is this True what Rob is saying ?

Thought the Combo BCD-1 & BDA-1 were the only way to go

Your Thoughts

Robert

Hi Robert,

There is usually more jitter with an outboard DAC than an internal DAC (assuming competent design in both of course). The reason all in one players are better is because you know exactly what digital signal is coming off the drive. So you  can CLOCK the DRIVE to the DAC chip exactly through a MASTER CLOCK thereby optimizing jitter numbers.  You can also place the DAC very close to the CLOCK on the circuit board.

With an outboard DAC you have no idea what digital signal is coming in so you must RECLOCK and RESAMPLE the incoming signal and some small increase in jitter is generally the outcome.

That being said the jitter numbers in both our CD Player and our DAC are at the lowest levels possible so I think the differences people hear have to be attributed to other reasons.

james

[Robert D]

When I?m connected BCD-1 Connected via AES-EBU Digital out put to BDA- 1
I find that the BDA-1 just adds a touch more of separation. There is something going on with the BDA-1 that just hits the spot.
Seems Vocals are Sharpe, High Hats are High! Mids are explosive.
And the Bass out of my Paradigms well what can I say?
Plenty, I could rent some out to my brother in law.
The Bass is like Thunder. !

Robert

[James Tanner]

Hi Robert,

That's the great thing about audio - all the numbers in the world come down to one truth -THE DEMO IS EVERYTHING!

james

[Robert D]

James thanks for the feedback.
I?m happy with the Combo don?t get me wrong. For certain recordings CD?s of course.
The bit rate makes a large difference as well how the engineers set up the final recordings to sound.

I find that that?s where the BDA-1 comes in.
That?s what I said earlier

Robert

[Robert D]

James, I will contact Melissa at Bryston this week.
I'll order another pair of XLR Cables.
I'm using Balanced 2 on my BP26 for BDA-1

I'll connect the XLR's from BCD-1 to Balanced 1 on my Bp26.
And of course you will get some feedback

Robert

[drummermitchell]

That will be interesting for sure as I have used the Analog outs of the BCD-1 for
quite awhile to the 26 and that's Superb.Then I purchased the BDA-1 and at first I used a digital coax cable(out of BCD to BDA,again excellent).
Then I purchased a Bryston AES digital(out of BCD to BDA).Have had her for a few months.Really,could I tell the difference,for me if there is it's so small that
I start second guessing myself.Could be the mind thing but I do tend to go back to the analog outs of the BCD-1 to the 26,maybe in the back of my mind I know
everything is complete in the BCD-1 as I was TOTALLY impressed with using the analog side when I purchased the BCD-1,maybe that's what sticking with me ..

[Mott]

James, Is this True what Rob is saying ?

Thought the Combo BCD-1 & BDA-1 were the only way to go

Your Thoughts

Robert

Hi Robert,

There is usually more jitter with an outboard DAC than an internal DAC (assuming competent design in both of course). The reason all in one players are better is because you know exactly what digital signal is coming off the drive. So you  can CLOCK the DRIVE to the DAC chip exactly through a MASTER CLOCK thereby optimizing jitter numbers.  You can also place the DAC very close to the CLOCK on the circuit board.

With an outboard DAC you have no idea what digital signal is coming in so you must RECLOCK and RESAMPLE the incoming signal and some small increase in jitter is generally the outcome.

That being said the jitter numbers in both our CD Player and our DAC are at the lowest levels possible so I think the differences people hear have to be attributed to other reasons.

james

I prefer the BCD-1 straight to pre. I used the BDA-1 in between the two, going crazy comparing cables, but it was never quite as there. 

[alexone]

James is right...

THE DEMO IS EVERYTHING!


al.

[95Dyna]

James is right...

THE DEMO IS EVERYTHING!


al.

All of this begs the question that if using the outboard DAC is inferior to connecting the BCD-1 or any comparable CD player directly to the pre amp then what is everybody using their BDA-1's for assuming that USB connections are not ready for primetime (read: inferior to CD).  I'm currently comparing a high quality SACD/CD/HDCD player with 3 digital inputs to the BCD-1/BDA-1 combo and am coming up empty on what the  BDA-1 would provide in the way of CD or readily available hi rez reproduction (hi rez especially since the BCD-1 doesn't provide that).  Maybe it's just positioning for what might be available in the future or maybe I'm a hopeless dinasaur clinging to my physical media.  

[Phil A]

I have the BCD-1, but there is flexibility with a DAC (I have an old MicroMega DAC in another system).  Besides higher rez online stuff for non-dinosaurs there are 24/96 DADs which can sound great.  Some Blu-Rays for example have 24/96 PCM (I just watched and listened to the AIX sampler that Oppo sent me for buying the BDP-83 and the disc has multi-channel Dolby True HD too.). 

[Robert D]

Phil, are you using the analog out puts to your Bp26 or the Digital out puts to BDA-1? Or Both.
I have only 1 pair or XLR Cables that I?m using presently BDA-1 to Bp26
I find that the AES-EBU Digital XLR has great sound. I?m very pleased with the out come.

This Weekend I did some more Tests, BCD-1 Direct to BP26 like I had it set up from the beginning.

To my Ears the soundstage is cleaner and a lot less Jitter. Yes indeed.
I?m very happy with the BDA-1. It will stay on my Rack!

I will purchase another set of XLR cables for the BCD-1

So I will be able to switch from Analog or Digital.

At this time I do not have any other Devices Gadgets to Plug in to my BDA-1

Next on my list is a Torus RM 20.
BP1.5 and my last TT

I?ll wait and see what the Future has to bring concerning HI Rez Reproduction

Robert

[95Dyna]

I have the BCD-1, but there is flexibility with a DAC (I have an old MicroMega DAC in another system).  Besides higher rez online stuff for non-dinosaurs there are 24/96 DADs which can sound great.  Some Blu-Rays for example have 24/96 PCM (I just watched and listened to the AIX sampler that Oppo sent me for buying the BDP-83 and the disc has multi-channel Dolby True HD too.).

Hi Phil,

How available is the hi rez stuff online and what are the options to get them to an AES/EBU or SPDIF input on the BDA-1 since the only way out of most PC's is USB.  Is the sound quality comparable to SACD using SPDIF or AES?  If I had positive answers to those questions I would lean towards the BCD/BDA alternative as opposed to the SACD player with digital inputs.  The advantage of the SACD option is I have all bases covered.  The disadvantage is the price of this alternative is about 60% higher and I am partial to Bryston as a result of my 7Bsq and BP26P experience thus far.

Regards,

Bill

[Robert D]

My 2Nd set of balanced cables arrived yesterday.
The test results are in

My preference is BCD-1 Direct to BP26.
The sound to my ears at this time .
Cleaner!

It?s like driving a R8

Thanks for the positive feedback everybody

Robert

[Phil A]

I have the BCD-1, but there is flexibility with a DAC (I have an old MicroMega DAC in another system).  Besides higher rez online stuff for non-dinosaurs there are 24/96 DADs which can sound great.  Some Blu-Rays for example have 24/96 PCM (I just watched and listened to the AIX sampler that Oppo sent me for buying the BDP-83 and the disc has multi-channel Dolby True HD too.).

Hi Phil,

How available is the hi rez stuff online and what are the options to get them to an AES/EBU or SPDIF input on the BDA-1 since the only way out of most PC's is USB.  Is the sound quality comparable to SACD using SPDIF or AES?  If I had positive answers to those questions I would lean towards the BCD/BDA alternative as opposed to the SACD player with digital inputs.  The advantage of the SACD option is I have all bases covered.  The disadvantage is the price of this alternative is about 60% higher and I am partial to Bryston as a result of my 7Bsq and BP26P experience thus far.

Regards,

Bill

Bill, I have no downloaded hi-rez stuff, but it is there.  My old Micromega DAC (not the BDA-1 which I do not have) only does 48k but still sounds good.  When I had it in the main system before the BCD-1, I actually preferred it playing DADs vs. straight the the analog outs of my DVD sources into the SP1.7.  Music Giants, Linn, Chesky and probably AIX Records and others have hi-rez downloads available.  I have not tried it at all but a friend told me the Oppo BDP-83 universal player (I have it) passes hi-rez from DVD-Audio discs via coax.  I am a bit behind in listening to stuff as the main system is partially apart due to new windows installed in the house.  I'm in process of putting stuff back over the weekend.  I also have not looked into all of its capabilities but I have the Western Digital Media player (have not used it yet) and I am in process of putting a good portion of my music on a USB hard drive in WMA lossless (and I compress it for the Zune for the car).  I've been also putting digital copies of movies that came with Blu-Rays and when done it will go in the main system (which also backs to the bedroom system) and give a nice library of stuff.  The Western Digital Media player is meant as an interface with a hard drive and your audio system.  For something like that or a media server, a DAC can be a nice option.