Has anyone listened and compared the "newer" Onkyo C-7030 (AKM DAC) to the older one? Is the newer player improved or "Better" sounding and worth upgrading to?
You can read above both my comparison and a challenge to it (I don't disagree with its concerns). I have not read any direct a-b comparisons using identical signal path. In my comparison, I would rate the the newer chip as at best lateral and possibly a downgrade. After all, no one at Onkyo has described it as an upgrade. I think the story is they couldn't get more of the original chips. I had an exchange with someone at Accessories for less and he denies they've change chips, also claiming the Onkyo employee who told me so was wrong. Not sure what to make of that. The quick story is that Onkyo had a really good CD player design that was known for its internal D-A converter and that part is no longer inside its new ones. Do you still want to purchase the unit? I have a similar JBL loudspeaker story. I purchased two JBL S38 loudspeakers. After owning them awhile, and being only somewhat impressed, I learned they had technology in them that, after being successfully sued by Bose, they had to remove and replace with something more... traditional. While none of this involves such a dramatic backstory, it may amount to the same thing. Meanwhile, there are used units on the market.
I have one here with what appears to be an AKM chip dated October 2013. Ill post pics if i can figure out where the attachment button is, what size is necessary and resize if i can get my phone to cooperate. Kinda pissed as i wanted the Wolfson as i had heard them before. This chip has been written S on and makes it hard to read, but i think the flash helped. I also think when people say these can be dark and splatty that's the AKM at work. GRR. So wheres the attachment button? Tom
Anyone using the 7030 with the digital output that can confirm that it doesn't create any audible clicks in the speaker when changing tracks with the remote or between songs? Just bought a Yamaha CD S300 and this one unfortunately does and I don't like it so I need to find something else and 7030 is on my list. I will mainly use it as a transport to my external DAC.
I actually use its digital out to go into my Onkyo receiver, which has the d to a converter that was in the original 7030 CD player. No noises between tracks at all.
Surprised to learn about the DAC switch. I bought the Japanese silver model last year primarily based on the report of the Wolfson DAC. Not sure how I tell if I have the newer DAC instead. That said, I have been using the analog out and have been reasonably pleased with what I’ve been hearing for the past year, so maybe I (a) have the Wolfson or (b) am satisfied enough with the other one that I don’t really know what I’m missing.
I didn't open mine up. I was told by Onkyo customer service that mine had the newer DAC in it. Meanwhile I have the amplifier that has the Wolfson in it, so I did a comparison and, for what this is worth, both my recording engineer friend John McCortney and I thought the CD player through the Amp (Wolfson) sounds better. That said, it would be interesting to open 'er up and see if we both are suffering from the placebo effect. hahaha
Not really. I gave them the date and serial number. Otherwise, why not tell me they don't know? I don't like opening things unless there's a problem and there isn't. If I do, I'll post what I see.
As of this post, brand-new Onkyo C-7030 CD player available again.... https://www.amazon.com/Onkyo-C-7030...ocphy=9032055&hvtargid=pla-358121850705&psc=1 Onkyo C-7030 Home Audio MP3 CD Disc Player 751398010132 | eBay https://www.electronicexpress.com/c...AryzwpT_w_pk0GRgbRVd83W1kP62rcaUaAlC0EALw_wcB
Interesting that Amazon says "high quality DAC" and the other two say "Wolfson" specifically. The confusion continues... D
It's old ad copy. Wolfson, as a company, doesn't even exist anymore because they were bought out. We know the board on this unit was updated to use an AKM chip. AKM had a fire that destroyed the factory so it's a mystery what chips are being used now. Of course, these might not even be "new" units, but rather stuff that was stockpiled in a warehouse and is just now coming up for sale. The Amazon listing isn't even for Amazon direct. It's a third party.
That would be ideal. It's tough to realize the Wolfson chip, which was the number one feature to tout this CD player, was only in select samples. I am able to compare since I own one of the non-Wolfson ones, plus an Onkyo amplifer that contains the Wolfson. They do not match sonically, and yes, the Wolfson chip has better imaging, at least according to my friend recording engineer John McCortney and my listening tests. All of this is subjective of course, but that's what we think.
Yow! A lot pricier than when I bought it 3-4 years at accessories4less. Glad I got mine when I did. However, it is now a backup player as I upgraded my secondary system.
I had a predecessor of the 7030: the DX-7555. It had a Wolfson WMA8740 24-bit/192kHz DAC. Fine CDP. My brother has a 7030, which he likes very much—not sure which DAC is in it.
Can any 7030 owners report how quiet the machine is during CD playback? Can you hear the mechanism at all during playback? Thanks.
Really quiet. I never hear it at all, and many times I'm sitting within a few feet of it listening to quiet passages.
