650carlos

Well, for anyone interested in how I got on, the results of each test finally ended up with using the 202 as an expensive FW converter SPDIF into the CDP onboard DAC. I did try swapping the 202 for a JK mod'd HiFace for USB but it doesn't have the control that the 202 has. The Weiss handles the lower octaves with more control and I end up with a tighter, coherent sound as a result. I guess the conclusion (in my system) is that the analogue output stage of the Weiss can't compete with that of the CDP DAC. The CDP was not a crazy price in our skewed world (Euro 5k for a demo unit) and clearly integrates very well in the rest of a Burmi system which maybe is the point. Everything becomes system specific. So, next destination........... you may ask. Either keep the Weiss as a FW/SPDIF convereter and for the flexibility of having a 'spare' DAC or go hunting to see if the sound can still be further improved via a good asynch USB converter.... and that's a whole other story.

Thanks for the responses everyone - as I've seen before, genuine and knowledgeable. Thanks again. Weekend not too far away and time to play in between the rest of life so, if I take the suggestions so far:- - output my CD spdif into the weiss and see if the sound flattens again - then I know if my ears are hooked on the dynamics of the CDP, - turn that around and put the weiss through the CDP dac, - just for fun, I can also recycle my JKHiface usb and bypass the weiss completely straight into the CDP. Which is all very strange, when you consider that I got here via a W4S Dac1, the JK usb converter, then an INT202 FW converter and then the 202, every time comparing to the CDP. Maybe it's my ears that need changing....... anyway, update after the weekend. PS. If anybody has experience on the power-supply side vis-a-vis the weiss or external clocking that would be handy to throw into the mix..

Question is, how is it possible to fall out of love with a great DAC when suddenly for no reason I A/B with my humble CD player ? Like many people, I've used the knowledge here to arrive at a wonderful (easy) way of enjoying my ripped CD collection (yes, I admit it,the odd download from a certain music store) and some HDTracks material. This all based on a Weiss 202 with FW from a SSD'd MBPro / Amarra 2.4.3 xlr'd into a Bumester pre, dual mono amps, and either SF Extremas or a pair of Salons and occasionally putting an Accuphase DG48 in or out of the picture (CD player btw is a Burmi 061). Anyway, ignoring my predeliction to change speakers from time to time, I was dumbstruck the other evening when a simple comparison of my XLD ripped, AIFF, Malia CD sounded as though someone had sucked the air out of the room. It was the sensory version of a photocopy versus an oil painting under your fingertips... no life, no sense of texture at all. Very smooth, faithful, no noise etc etc all the good things a 202 should be but at the same time completely and utterly lifeless (and depressing). I admit I've been listening to CA for probably six months without going back to CD at all, but suddenly here I am with a complete and utter crisis of confidence..... Thoughts that circulate:- the dac is not on a filtered power source (but it can be) should I start looking at throwing another 3k at the Grimm clock should I run the spdif output into my cd player (and make it the world's most expensive converter FW converter) Short of answers like 'here's a grand to take the dac off you' or 'use your cd player then', I'd be grateful if anyone has trodden this path before and has some suggestions. My role as CA evangelist is facing a serious challenge....

1st post on the forum after using much of the members' experience here for the last 18 months to find my way through the maze. Thank you to everyone for that. I've spent a happy 6 months with my 202 on FW with a MBP but now inevitably the radar sweeps round again to see if I can still improve digital versus my vinyl that's been taking up time. Question coming back to the BLA / Grimm / 202 experience... do you need to keep changing the clock frequency on the BLA or CC1 as your source changes ? Maybe it's the inner lazy guy inside me that's talking but I had the idea in my head that a clock was just that, a fixed reference for the DAC to work off. In short, how do the BLA / CC1 work in practice ? PS. Just gone back to trying USB again through a JK Mod HiFace->SPDIF->202 to see whether straight FW or the SPDIF sounds better: the weekend is approaching....