[Alphonse]

Hi, I am currently considering buying a dedicated CD player (BCD-1 or other SACD/CD player) or possibly going the route of a Macbook Pro with the BDA-1 in my main system (BP-6 preamp, PP300SST monoblocks, Dynaudio Confidence 5s).

Questions

1. Anyone actually compare BCD-1 to Mac or other computer with BDA-1 in the same system?  Impressions? 
2. James or others with Macbook Pro - are you using BDA-1, if so, are you using USB or ?  Is BDA-1 plug and play with Mac and OSX or are drivers or other software required?  I am also considering the new Ayre QB-9 dac which supposedly is plug and play with OSX via USB.
3. In general, for those of you who have tried computer audio in you main system, does it satisfy your "audiophile" expectations or do you think a dedicated cd player is still the way to go until computer audio evolves further?
4. Any other recommendations?

Thanks,  Al

[Sasha]

1. I Compared spinning disks in BCD-1 and Wadia 581i SE to PC based digital source into the same Wadia. Wadia spinning disk was clear winner, BCD-1 not so clear but I would still place it above PC.
The only opinion I can offer on MAC is relative the experience with Toslink, every device I have tried so far that sported multiple interfaces, one of them being Toslink, always sounded worse on Toslink than on other ones (SPDIF, AES/EBU).
I stay away from Toslink whenever possible.
Similar experience with USB, so again I stay away from USB whenever possible.

3. In general, yes. I have invested a lot of time and money into purposely built and dedicated PC, it does not match top CDPs, close but not there. If performance is #1 criterion then CDP is still the way to go.
Note that I am talking top performers here, for both CDPs and for PCs, not PC you buy at a store and connect to DAC via whatever interface, that is far from being close to CDPs. IMO BCD-1 could be placed into loosely defined bracket of top performers, its performance definitely exceeds its price tag.

[Levi]

I agree!

Plug-n-play!

Depending how high resolving your system, you can hear the difference between digital sources.  That is PC/USB vs Highend CD Player. 

To me, USB sounded like Toslink.  Firewire is better but only a few audiphile Firewire DACs out there in existence e.g. Weiss's Minerva D/A converter $4500 retail I think.   Firewire DACs are largely used in the Pro Audio.  Go figure.

Having said that, CD redbook player is the best sounding source compared to USB/Computer.  In my experience.

If you are looking for convenience, then computer based systems are the best.  I still enjoy listening to iTunes music through my MacBook Pro and or PC.  Now that iTunes can be controlled remotely with an iPhone's remote app, that is a real plus as far as convenience. 

[alexone]

hi, Alphonse!

USB and/or optical connections are nice but not really compareable to coax, bnc, aes ebu. both the BDA-1 and the BCD-1 are very, very good performers. no doubt about that. having the pleasure of owning them both i can say that if i switch between 'em i cannot hear which is which. good job, Bryston! i would say that it really depends on what you need...not which unit has the better sound! i haven't tried MAC so far. my currently computer setup consists of a simple laptop using the USB. results are ok. nothing bad to report here. btw, i am going to assemble a new desktop computer with better 'ingredients' and will then be able to connect the BDA-1 with coax and optical. let's see what happens here .
so if you need multiple inputs then the BDA-1 should be on your list!

al.

[werd]

Hi Alphonse

I can only answer question 3. I like how my laptop sounds via usb straight into my Bda, I dont think its as good as my cd transport via coax. I do think though that usb is getting a bad wrap because of what people dont like about a pc or mac frontend. I dont think it has anything to do  about usb at all and only about the type of power supplies employed in laptops and pc's(including the ones that are used for purely audio output). These are not audiophile grade power supplies employed. 

This whole topic keeps bringing me back to my experience with  perpetual tech dac i used to have. I bought it 2001  with the stock power supply. I liked it alot, enough for me to invest in the upgradable monolithic power supply available. Going from the stock to monolithic power supply opend my eyes as to the importance of power supplies. That dac was best described as limp before the monolithic. After the monolithic ps everything was more robust. This is exactly what i am experiencing with my laptop.

The pc or mac is the true frontend here, ahead of the bda 1. If you screw the frontend and its power supply it doesnt matter what gear you got down the road, its going to sound limp, just some version of louder and cleaner. The power supply of the frontend, including outboard  dac is so paramount it cant be overstated.

Unfortunately my laptop and probably your mac doesnt employ the power supply needed to be considered really highend. A cd player will accomplish this or a cd transport.

[srb]

Unfortunately my laptop and probably your mac doesnt employ the power supply needed to be considered really highend.

As far as power supplies go, I would think a laptop running on battery power would be superior to any AC analog power supply.
 
Am I missing something?
 
Steve

[James Tanner]

Hi Al,

I am using the MacPro Laptop with the Optical out to the BDA-1 in one of my setups and it is 'plug and play'.

james