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https://www.decware.com/cgi-bin/yabb22/YaBB.pl AUDIO FORUMS >> General Discussion and Support >> ZDSD vs ZCD240 DAC comparison https://www.decware.com/cgi-bin/yabb22/YaBB.pl?num=1438614503 Message started by Core32 on 08/03/15 at 16:08:23 |
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Title: ZDSD vs ZCD240 DAC comparison Post by Core32 on 08/03/15 at 16:08:23 Both these products start with TASCAM hardware but I wonder about any differences between the two internal DACs. Now that my PrimaLuna amp has sold I'm looking at using the funds to upgrade my Emotiva DAC. |
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Title: Re: ZDSD vs ZCD240 DAC comparison Post by stone_of_tone on 08/03/15 at 16:47:09 The Auralic Vega is going to have to match or exceed Steve's ZDSD modified output stage...for the Vega to stick around. I will pound the malarchy out of it for 30 days straight. Its volume attenuation needs to impress me too. **Even if you're not into the recording aspect of Steve's ZDSD...it is an impressive DAC with his output stage ~ period. One heck of a value too! I've had a few of the best DACS in my Listening Room over the last 27 months (and yes, with enough hours on each). Steve's modified ZDSD creation has not left my System yet....5 months +.... and counting. |
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Title: Re: ZDSD vs ZCD240 DAC comparison Post by Steve Deckert on 08/04/15 at 02:41:46 Both are using Burr Brown DACs, however the ZDSD is dual mono. The most noticeable difference is an increase in density. I feed the digital output of the ZCD240 into the ZDSD and use the ZDSD as a DAC. This makes it easy to run RCA cables from each unit and do direct A/B comparisons. The variable output on the ZCD240 is an advantage, the dual mono on the ZDSD is an advantage, each worth close to the same amount of points, so in the end the two rank very similar. The combo is of course the best and can be created with a stock CD240 and a ZDSD. I particularly enjoy the high-res streams from the ZCD240 from either unit, But the added density of the ZDSD as well as the record button is damn handy to record whatever you're hearing. You can fit around 15 hours of 24/96 stream onto a single 32G SD card. [smiley=tunes57.gif] |
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Title: Re: ZDSD vs ZCD240 DAC comparison Post by Core32 on 08/04/15 at 11:59:08 Steve, Thanks so much for the discussion. Both would be truely nice but..... budget can get in the way of perfection! :) 90% plus of what I listen to now is streaming from my DIY HT PC which is used for audio only, no video. Radio stations, all my CDs now ripped to the HDD and Tidal HD. The only drawback for me in going exclusively with the ZCD240, and relagating the HT PC to network storage only would be the 10% time I listen to vinyl. No analog inputs. So that would be a manual cable switch. With the ZDSD I would need to either keep my HT PC in play or add a CD240. Before I decide I suppose I need to determine if I can stream Tidal via the ZCD240 interface. Anyone try subscription based streaming with the ZCD240? |
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Title: Re: ZDSD vs ZCD240 DAC comparison Post by stone_of_tone on 08/04/15 at 16:52:00 I'm going to order one! http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1079892-REG/tascam_cd_240_cd_and_network.html Jitter reduction + streaming. I will be using the Coax digital out (Illuminati D-60) to my stellar Decware ZDSD and my AURALiC Vega coming! My Vega might want a better lock on the Digital Coax output to input anyway. I can tell you though, I don't use the Sony I'm running cause' it sucks. IT bested: Marantz, CEC & a couple others too. Thus, why I use the inexpensive little bugger. But, the little SONY that has beat others, should be bested by the 240 a little in the jitter department and obviously I'm getting it for the other capabilities (in which I will get around too~Winter is long and very cold here in the great North Woods)! Whatever you decide Core, between Steve's 240 or 3000....I am very pleased with the price of admission for the ZDSD (read: Steve's Output Tranny's = musical thru the Wazooo). |
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Title: Re: ZDSD vs ZCD240 DAC comparison Post by stone_of_tone on 08/04/15 at 17:07:56 Steve wrote: "The combo is of course the best and can be created with a stock CD240 and a ZDSD. I particularly enjoy the high-res streams from the ZCD240 from either unit, But the added density of the ZDSD as well as the record button is damn handy to record whatever you're hearing. You can fit around 15 hours of 24/96 stream onto a single 32G SD card". Plus, I have to do ADDA of some Vinyl too. Maybe a lot of Vinyl. Why not? Will it be as easy of a process as recording CD or Streaming, to an SD card. NO. But, I still have to see what I can create/like I know what I'm doing or something. ::) ::) ::) 8-) 8-) Well, I'm off to ship my SE84CS, Kimber Silver Streak & some Svetlana SV83's. It's a good day Gents when the cash register is ringing! Listening Room: Room Treatments from Michael Green & Home Brew Sony as Transport (DVP-NS57P)/Sandwich weighted for Isolation Illuminati D-60 Digital Coax IC Tascam 240 coming! Decware ZDSD DAC / Recorder (@ -20 Ref Level @ 16/176.4) AURALiC Vega D/A processor.....coming! WBT-0102Ag RCA Kimber Select KS1030 Decware CSP3 w/Jupiter Caps (NOS/Platinum/Telefunken 6922/E88CC .....for Input Tube) WBT-0102Ag RCA Kimber Select KS1030 Decware Zen Mystery Amplifier ***NOS/Platinum/Ediswan's CV2492/6922 in my A12 an B12 positions*** Kimber Select KS3033 Speaker Cable Acoustic Zen Adagio - Black Pearl (Modified) Acoustic Zen Adagio's x-over's Modified/Full Range with Mundorf MCap Supremes-single Cap to each Tweeter/4.5k cross (Gutted: 3kHz/18dB/Octave, Linkwitz/Riley Crossovers....with all crappy parts = gone) XLO Pro Power Cords to CSP3 an ZMA PS Audio P3 Power Plant / Pangea AC-9SE from wall to P3 (Transport, ZDSD an CSP3, Regenerated/120 ~ Multiwave off...ZMA on High Current Output) |
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Title: Re: ZDSD vs ZCD240 DAC comparison Post by Lonely Raven on 08/04/15 at 17:54:40 I love the sound of the ZDSD, but the CD player just can do more, and costs less. Keep in mind, neither unit is a regular consumer product with intuitive menus. If the CD player had a full blown web interface that allowed you to connect it to my NAS and a simply playback/settings, I'd be ordering one right now! They are professional gear, and I find them a little clunky - but they both sound way, way better than their price points. The CD player does have a very basic interface that allows you to input internet radio stations - which I like a lot, but I don't think you can do Tidal on it. If you can see if Tidal has a streaming URL I can try and plug it into Steve's CD-240 that I'm testing and playing around with this week. |
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Title: Re: ZDSD vs ZCD240 DAC comparison Post by Core32 on 08/05/15 at 00:23:27 Well... Quote:
Reply... Quote:
From all my reading on this I get the feeling there "is a way" via iPhone or Android 3rd party app, but that would seem to be a lot of trouble. And the TEAC version of the CD-240 does have a very limited set of subscription services it will connect to, Tidal is just not on the list. That put's me back close to the drawing board with using the ZDSD and "something" else. Not a bad limitation however. :) |
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Title: Re: ZDSD vs ZCD240 DAC comparison Post by Steve Deckert on 08/05/15 at 03:06:33 I'm assuming that you haven't forgotten about the free app for your smartphone to control the ZCD240! It's pretty nice to see album art and meta data as you listen not to mention have complete control over the player. |
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Title: Re: ZDSD vs ZCD240 DAC comparison Post by Core32 on 08/05/15 at 11:54:28 Steve, Yes, all the great features and sound are what makes the fact the ZCD240 has no easy way to stream my subscription music service such a bummer for me. These days/nights I spend most of my listening hours looking for new artists and older album gems I never bought on vinyl or CD. The music server I use now on my HT PC uses a Squeezebox type interface that my older decommissioned Android phone connects to nicely. I get play control, full library (online and stored local) search-ability and album art display from my listening chair. Spoiled is what I am. :) My search to find a way to use the ZCD and a subscription service is not over! |
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Title: Re: ZDSD vs ZCD240 DAC comparison Post by Core32 on 08/08/15 at 00:50:02 Do any of you users of the ZDSD know if you can record one digital input track while playing a track to the RCA outputs? Not simply monitor the recorded input but play a different track? |
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Title: Re: ZDSD vs ZCD240 DAC comparison Post by Core32 on 08/23/15 at 14:29:21 Alright. Looks like I will go the ZDSD path and keep my HTPC running so that I can continue to use Tidal. In addition I have some DSD64, DSD128 and DSD256 music that I want to play via the ZDSD. Question is, can the mentioned DSD formats be delivered to the ZDSD via coaxial SPDIF (DoP)? Or only from the XLR digital input or the SDIF-3 input? And if only by XLR and/or SDIF-3 input, are there any USB to XLR/SDIF-3 interfaces available for this or a sound card that uses those interfaces for DSD? |
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Title: Re: ZDSD vs ZCD240 DAC comparison Post by Dave1210 on 08/24/15 at 23:37:22 Core32...I use TIDAL as well. I think it sounds great and I am still trying to figure out the best way to pipe it in to my main system. I was leaning toward an Auralic Aries. I also recently read that Audirvana is working on TIDAL integration. Streaming is the wave of the future, so I suspect there will be a bunch of options in the not too distant future. It might be best to sit back and see how things shake out. |
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Title: Re: ZDSD vs ZCD240 DAC comparison Post by Core32 on 08/25/15 at 13:08:55 Mark, Thanks for the intelligent advice but I'm always waiting it seems.... :) I have looked at the Aries for streaming Tidal and the price for the LE model is not bad at $999. I did see this: http://www.tweekgeek.com/auralic-aries-mini/ And at $399 retail I would just use this Mini for it's streaming capabilities (and possibly some storage since it will have that option) but still use the ZDSD for the DAC. And you are correct, for me especially, HD streaming audio is the new frontier. |
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Title: Re: ZDSD vs ZCD240 DAC comparison Post by Core32 on 08/27/15 at 16:11:28 Dang! I just realized I called Dave, Mark....senior moment. Sorry about that. For a few days I've had the chance to play with a TASCAM DA-3000 and I will have access to it for a few more days. This is the model Steve modifies into the ZDSD. Even without the Zen mods the DAC in this unit easily bests my Emotiva DAC in sound quality. The improvement in channel separation and stage depth is immediately noticeable along with the increase in bottom end definition. On true DSD playback I've had to back down my sub amplification by 2 to 3 dB. The Emotiva controls are much easier to navigate, but it is only a DAC and designed for home use so should be simpler. A few interesting items I have observed (and believe to be true) about the TASCAM are: 1.) The standard digital inputs cannot be directly up-sampled to DSD, only the analog inputs or SDIF-3 inputs. The menu will not let you choose otherwise. 2.) The standard digital inputs are limited to pure PCM data only. I could not get DoP to work. This could just be my unfamiliarity with the unit. 3.) DSD data cannot be input to the DAC except via the SDIF-3 input. This is not a major issue because DSD is playable from SD, CF or USB stick. It would be interesting to find some SDIF-3 (or DSD-Raw) compatible source but they appear to be vaporware in my Google searches. 4.) The unit does not appear to automatically switch between PCM formats, though I did have confusing results with this. It may have done the switch but indicated an error with the color-changing INFO button. I tried too many options in this area and it may just have been another case of not knowing what I was doing... ::) None of these are deal breakers for me, just observations of things I did not expect. If anyone is aware of HW I could use to test the SDIF-3 BNC inputs with DSD that would be great. Otherwise you just copy the DSD music to FLASH media and play from there. |
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