PC + DAC V.S. Mid-Range CDP?

[totallysilly]

Hi there! :)

So I'm just curious --

If I got a fairly good DAC and connected it to my PC, then used my PC to play CD's (digitally read from CD, not via analog CD drive cable, and then output digitally to the DAC), what would the benefits of a standalone CDP be over such a setup - if any?

Just trying to decide which route to go!

Thanks!!

[dj_AmTraX]

You can try laptop's HD running itunes to Benchmark DAC-1 USB, Apogee Mini DAC or PS Audio Digital Link III. Better than using the PC's CD ROM drive (noisy).

http://www.benchmarkmedia.com/dac1/v2/images/dac1-usb_silver.jpg
http://www.apogeedigital.com/images/minidac_main.jpg
http://www.psaudio.com/products/images/417_1.jpg

[tfarney]

The cd drive in your PC is probably good for reading or writing data, in chunks. Probably not so good as a transport for playing audio cds. My guess is it won't hold it's own, even against an inexpensive cdp. But use it as a data cd to extract the info on your audio cds, write them to your hard drive as lossless files, then play back the music, as it will, by feeding and varifying bits of data into ram then playing the music from there...you know? I can't come up with a reason why it wouldn't be as good as a high-end cdp, though I'm listening.

Tim