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SP3 versus BDA-1 ?

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wilsonij

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  • BDP1>SP3>7B3s> Vandersteen Quatros
SP3 versus BDA-1 ?
« on: 15 Jan 2011, 10:03 am »
I'm currently saving up for an improvement of my current system which comprises either Oppo BDP-83 or Logitech Duet as source, through a Bryston SP1.7, into a Theta Dreadnaught (via xlr), and out to Martin Logan SL3 (front) and Aerius i (back).

Having read around I think my best options are either adding the BDA-1 between the source and the 1.7 (using the analogue passthru) or replacing the sp1.7 with the sp3 and connect digitally and use the DACs in that instead.

I *think* that I'm comparing the BDA-1's ability to D2A on 2-channels with the sp3's ability to D2A on up to 7-channels, (making sense of the $2k to $10k price hike), but am I missing something ? For example I'm not completely sure if there's a big difference in quality between them (are they the same DAC's?)
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Phil A

Re: SP3 versus BDA-1 ?
« Reply #1 on: 15 Jan 2011, 02:15 pm »
You're paying for the quality digital processing, which somewhere down the road in the short term will be surpassed by whatever home theater developments come out.  It's not the DAC chip, it's the way the DAC chip is utilized to get it to the analog conversion that makes the difference.  If your goal is high quality 2 channel the BDA-1 will be a better choice.  I suspect the analog pass through on the new SP3 will be better than the SP1.7.
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wilsonij

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Re: SP3 versus BDA-1 ?
« Reply #2 on: 15 Jan 2011, 04:25 pm »
Quote from: Phil A on 15 Jan 2011, 02:15 pm
If your goal is high quality 2 channel the BDA-1 will be a better choice

Yes and no !  :?

Playing FLAC rips of 44.1/16 cd's are 2-channel sure, but some of my dvd-a's and sacd's are not (Bryan Ferry's Boys & Girls has a fabulous 5.1 mix for example). I'll then be listening to (and inevitably comparing) a 2-channel FLAC via the BDA-1 DAC, followed by a 5.1-channel SACD via the Oppo DAC, which makes me worried that the latter will be found wanting...

Of course as the vast majority of material I'll be listening to will be 2-channel FLAC music vs 5-channel HD soundtracks (from blu ray) perhaps that's a reasonable compromise (and the fidelity will be much closer) ... I just had one eye on future proofing so the risk of over-investing in just 2 of the 5 (or 7!) channels is giving me pause for thought.

Ian
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