Help with DAC's

[Jon.]

there is a Grant Fidelity Tube Dac-09 on barter town for $150 and it seems like it has all the inputs, that a good option?

It sure is!

 

[cubdog]

I believe it has sold.

cubdog

 

[blackfly]

I was in the same situation not too long ago. Be warned, vintage CD players are generally a waste of time. There's just so much that can go wrong, what with lasers and transports wearing out, nevermind that D/A converters get better and cheaper year over year.

I'd suggest a new-ish DAC; I bought mine used (Grant Fidelity TubeDAC-09) for just a bit more than your current budget--frankly the best single audio purchase I've ever made.

So long as you can get a spare laser and belts older players are not a write-off. And thinking older players are poor sounding.... consider this: my Denon DCD 3560 (1990) sounds identical to the Bryston DAC (2011) I have. I have done the A/B test of sound from the CDP direct and with the DAC and cannot tell them apart. In fact, if the DCD player had a digital input, I would most likely not bought the DAC. Not to say the DAC is poor sounding; far from it, but it tells me that the Denon engineers in 1990 knew what they were doing.

 

[delfam]

SMSL SD-1955+ any good on the Bay?