Marantz CD63 MkII KI analogue/digital output

[canetoad]

Hi,

I have the abovE cd PLAYER AND HAVE A QUESTION. If I use RCA connections to an amp the signal is converted using the onboard DAC in the CD player. If I use the digital connection (coax or optical) the signal will be processed by the amps DAC. Is this correct?

The reason I ask is because my Yamaha amp uses Burr Brown DACs, which I've read are better than the DACs in the Marantz. I did a little listening using one, then the other and wasn't sure I could hear any real difference.

[UV101]

Hi, That is correct.

I'd be very surprised if the DAC in the amp is better than the one on board the 63. The CD63 is probably the most modified player in existance!

Most Digital amps will alter the sound significantly, colouring and tainting the original.

The fact that cannot hear the difference, may point to the quality of the rest of the components in the system. There are many factors in equation.

See the CD63/67 mods thread and you'll learn lots about your player!

Ian

[canetoad]

I know about the popularity of the CD63. That's why I bought it.

Last night, after everybody had gone to bed, I listened to my favourite songs using both the digital and analogue connections to the amp. You are right, the analogue was much better. Sound stage seemed bigger and instruments sounded far more life-like. I now have to buy a good set of interconnects to replace the digital connection to the amp. Thanks for the information.

[UV101]

a couple of clocks and a couple of low noise regs, a spinkling of caps and it'll be the dogs danglies!!! Check out that thread. Ray's mods list on the 1st page are a good place to start the learning! Ian

[canetoad]

Yes, Ive been reading the modifications section but, to be honest, it's more confusing than anything. There are so many things you can do but no real indication of how much "bang for your buck" you get for each. Can somebody tell me what changes will give the biggest gains within a small budget? Where is the best place to start besides sound-deadening? Which component replacements do the most for the cost?

[UV101]

Prob 1st thing to do is get a decent regulator on the analogue DAC along with a clock with its own regulator. A few panasonic ZA's caps decoupling on the opamps and DAC would make sense at this point too.

Another freebie is to remove and link out the DC blocking caps near the phono outs. They are there to stop DC being passed on to the amp. I've never heard of DC being present on a 63 so its pretty safe to just remove these.

Next would be to swap the op amps for something better like lme47920ha (even the opamps in the KI are absolute rubbish, the same as in the std53!)

By then you're entering the realms of the HDAM holding you back so it would be time to bypass them!


Best thing to do is work out what you want to spend on it to start and budget accordingly. If you've got any questions, post on the 63/67 thread. We're all pretty helpfull and no one will shout if you ask a question that been answered before for sure!

Ian