Am I missing out on a ton of SQ by playing CDs through my PS3 for home listening?

Rest of my setup is in my profile. If any upgrades would only be incremental I'll keep it like this but if there would be a huge difference with say a dedicated CD player and/or DAC I may consider it.

 

You could always try running your PS3 into a dedicated DACs and see if you can hear an improvement.

 

Even if the actual step where the digital data is converted to analog is similar to a well regarded entry level DAC, then there remains the digital input, analog output, data clock, and the power supply design. It all impacts sound quality. Whether or not your system and room is refined enough to hear much difference is another question. Yet another question is whether any improvement will be worth it to you.

 

The fan noise and overall inconvenience would be enough for me. I wouldn't predict you'd reap large benefits in sound quality though.

 

Excellent post!

 

I'm gathering any difference would be incremental at best. Good to know.

 

It may be fair to suggest that "night/day" leaps in sound quality happen when a system is quite well rounded, including the speaker/listener position, acoustic treatment, and power conditioning, but with the exception of a single component. I've experienced that with a digital front end upgrade. Absolutely did not recognize the sound of my system.

 

One thing though, I can't completely gauge your equipment from your profile. What sort of amp do you have? Is it a surround receiver, stereo amp, or what? A friend of mine that has the same receiver he had since college recently just got wise to the fact he can connect his PS3 via optical cable vs. using the analog outs, and noted a large improvement. Buying a whole new disc spinner probably isn't in your best interests, but depending on what you're currently using, a very modest DAC might.

 

My amplification is that Yamaha receiver I have listed (there's no section for receiver so I put it in the Tuner section). I have connected to the PS3 using optical cable.

 

You are obviously doing multi-channel through that optical cable? If so, putting a DAC there would limit you to 2 channel so moving away from the PS3 completely for audio playback would be the only solution.

 

I'm only doing 2 channel right now and it's probably going to stay that way for a while. I don't ever plan on doing full surround.

 

So the question becomes can you improve on the DAC in your receiver as the PS3 is just a transport if using the optical out.

 

That makes sense. The PS3 is just a pass through then. Wasn't sure if it was impacting playback at all. That's exactly what I needed to know!

 

All the PS3 is doing is reading the disc - it happens to have a pretty robust optical drive as well (at least the original models) so as far as being a digital transport, it should be absolutely fine. It essentially has no impact on the sound quality. It's your DAC that's doing all the work.



The fan noise that ranges from "AC" to "jet engine taking off" is another story

 

This sounds like my jump from the standard Sony CDP to the SCD-1. "Where the heck did that sound come from!?!?"

 

Heh, yeah that fan can get crazy. I took off the glass door from my EC for that very reason and the extra circulation helps prevent it from going into overdrive.

 

Okay, got it. If you're already using digital in to your Yamaha, you're all set. I'm not saying there's no improvement to be had, but I sense you're relatively fine with the way things sound now.

 

So is the general consensus that the transport in a digital chain has little to no effect on the sound quality?

I've been wondering this because I set up a 2nd system in my bedroom and bought a $20 used Denon DVD player at a pawn shop and connected it via optical out to my Schiit Bifrost DAC to play Cd's. I'm actually not thrilled with the sound and I had assumed that the Denon would be the weak point. The Schiit just sounds kind of metallic, very precise but not a soft natural sound if that makes sense. The rest of the chain is a Vintage Marantz 2245 and original Advent loudspeakers or Elac UB5's, depending on my mood.

 

A transport has digital outputs. Even if integrity of the data isn't impacted by the "disc spinner", then it doesn't much matter if the output section is cheaply implemented.

What are the digital input options for the Bifrost? No USB? Rip the redbook CDs.

 

I highly doubt the optical output of the Denon is causing that much of a problem. It's more likely you just don't like the Schiit.

Ripping a CD and using USB for playback to the Bifrost would confirm one way or another.

 

Coax and Optical. This was an older Bi-frost with No USB (but an empty shell for it to be upgraded). But I doubt the USB would improve the sound over the optical. From what I've read the sound should be very similar if not identical.

 

I tend to agree. Sorry for the hi-jack but we kind of had the same question as the OP is using the built in DAC on his Yammy.

 

Hey no worries! Glad it ended up helping someone else too.

 

NO you are missing nothing

 

I think the PS3 dac and analog outputs are pretty decent sounding -- at least on par with a mid-fi to better CD player. Maybe reminscent of my Sony ES cd changer back in the late 90s. Not magical, but punchy and clean. The PS3's audio section was designed by Sony, afterall, which is no slouch when it comes to audio design. I use my Ps3 as a music server and I'm quite happy with it in that capability. On the audiophile scale, it's probably a 7/10. Fun enough to rock out with and refined enough for long listening sessions but you aren't going to bowl over John Atkinson. I thought about adding a FIIO D3 optical in to analog out dac, but I don't know if it will bring improvements worth the extra plugs. Maybe one day I'll do a comparison. But I love the Ps3 as a music server -- since it also serves as a movie, still photo, games, and streaming unit. Literally does it all.