Using a Sony BDP-S780 as a CD player, instead of a dedicated CD Transport and separate DAC

[thepiman]

I have a Rotel RX-603 stereo receiver from the 1970s and a pair of Linton Wharfdale 3XP speakers.

What improvement would I see if I replaced my BDP-S780 Blu-ray player for something like the Leak CDT plus a Topping D50s DAC?

Also, these outputs are the ones I have on the Sony BDP s780, so I could bypass its onboard DAC and just buy the Topping D50s:

Just wondering what the upgrade paths are from here, and incremental cost/benefit analysis.

I’m also interested whether in the 12 years or so since I bought this Blu-ray player, there have been advancements in CD players’ ability to “correct” or “overlook” scratches, as that would be a significant reason to buy a new player/transport.

 

[sonci]

Well improvements will depend on a lot of things. First that Sony sounds ok as it is,. You can connect an external dac to the coaxial or optical input of the player. You need a phono cable for the coaxial input or an optical cable for the input labeled optical. Maybe some cable can come with the dac you buy.
If your ears, speakers and amplifier are good enough you will hear a different sound, in theory a bit better, but most probably the difference will be neglectable. Still an external dac can be put to good use by connecting to pc or streamers.
As far as reading cds, no technology has not improved, or at least nobody cares to build cd transports anymore, new transports are cheap noisy, and last less hours than the metal machines built mostly by Philips in the `90s.
If you are like me and still want to spin cds, you can buy new lasers for most of players and replace by youself.

 

[duncan]

I bought a new BDP-S480 years ago, and still occasionally use it for music. It's a couple of steps down the model line from yours.

Even if it's not a top notch boutique player, IMO it sounds better than it has a right to as a standalone unit. And it handles some scratched and otherwise marginal discs that my treasured DVP-NS999ES can't get through.

In if your place and interested in an upgrade, I'd keep it for now and think about the DAC separately. That's unless your player has tracking problems; or maybe you would like something with a friendlier interface, because as you know, like most other DVD and Blu-Ray players, you pretty much have to use the remote since the front panel controls are so minimal.

 

[Oasis8]

Well improvements will depend on a lot of things. First that Sony sounds ok as it is,. You can connect an external dac to the coaxial or optical input of the player. You need a phono cable for the coaxial input or an optical cable for the input labeled optical. Maybe some cable can come with the dac you buy.
If your ears, speakers and amplifier are good enough you will hear a different sound, in theory a bit better, but most probably the difference will be neglectable. Still an external dac can be put to good use by connecting to pc or streamers.
As far as reading cds, no technology has not improved, or at least nobody cares to build cd transports anymore, new transports are cheap noisy, and last less hours than the metal machines built mostly by Philips in the `90s.
If you are like me and still want to spin cds, you can buy new lasers for most of players and replace by youself.

Some transports use good mechanisms, the Jays CDT2 uses NOS Philips CDM4/9 or 4/18. The Jays CDT3 uses the Philips CDPRO2 LF mechanism.
There are other brands making dedicated transports, some also use both of these above mechanisms.
Even my cheaper Chinese top loader uses the NOS Philips CDM4/19.

You are correct that some transports and most players (CD and Multi disk players) these days use cheap mechanisms

I'm not a fan of slot loaders.

 

[soundboy]

Just wondering what the upgrade paths are from here, and incremental cost/benefit analysis.

Well, the BDP-S780 is also compatible with SACD.