Burr Brown DACs seem to be highly regarded. How do Cirrus Logic DACs compare?

I ask because I'm curious about the Rotel RDV-1060 DVD/DVD-A player and it uses 24-bit/192kHz digital-analog devices from Cirrus Logic. I've not heard much about Cirrus DACs.

this is not gonna help you one bit, but "cirrus logic" brought back some memories.

Used to have a cirrus logic video card....what a POS!

Craig, on this board Josh(semi)is probably the one with expertise in this area, but it seems pretty clear that these days DACs are very good and cheap. Although on some other boards I've seen anguishing over DACs, I think that it's time wasted. You could of course look at the Cirrus site for technical info, but there's no reason for concern at this level of excellence.

Hey Spiff;

I you have a transport or a cheaper DVD-CD unit you can just attach this DAC. It has the same DAC as some of the high end stuff like Musical Fidelity and Bel Canto. Its BurrBrown DACs.

http://www.ciaudio.com

I have just ordered their passive preamp. Their products look nice and sweet and do not add to the sonic signal. And they are cheap in comparison to whats out there.

I'm not really looking for an external DAC, I'm looking for a new DVD player with exceptional picture and audio quality. Thanks though.

My experience in this regard has FAR less to do with the audio market as I work in very high end semiconductors.

Burr Brown doesn't make bad DACs. However, they were once regarded so highly that they allowed themselves to languish as they were really one of the only DAC makers end consumers knew. This name recognition was their golden ticket as consumer fair was the best game in town for DACs. In the wake of cellular technology and the advances in telcos, this is no longer true. Sadly, TI bought Burr some time ago and the net result has resulted in their competition moving ahead of them. Cirrus makes fantastic DACs as does ADI now. There are more but those are the ones you're most likely to hear about.

I'd agree with this pretty well:

In reply to:

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Although on some other boards I've seen anguishing over DACs, I think that it's time wasted. You could of course look at the Cirrus site for technical info, but there's no reason for concern at this level of excellence.

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When you're trying to build a cellular base station, those capable of producing good DACs make up a small group but a basic 24/96 DAC is relatively easy these days, I believe.

I had a VCP-1 for about 3 weeks and then returned it. I'd be interested to know what you think about it after you've had a chance to get to know it.

I will be using the VPC-1 to have my CDPlayer connected to one input and my surround receiver to the other input. I find I get the best music listening using CDP->power amp->speakers. I didn't want to switch the wires all the time for Home Theater DVD->surround receiver->power amp->speakers. So in my situation CDP is input A and surround receiver is input B

What were your findings for the VPC-1. What was your use for it.

I used it as a pre in a 2 channel setup along with an MSB Link DAC and an Odyssey amp. I had read some good things about CIA so I ordered one just for the hell of it because thay had a 30 day return policy. I found that there was no difference in sound between it and the Creek OBH-12 that I already had and the Creek had a remote volume control.

It did however "sound" better than a B&K PT-3 that I also had. The B&K seemed to add a bit of grain to the sound. The CIA and the Creek although not grainy like the B&K, still had a hint of grain. I also had a Decware ZSLA-1 tube line stage which produced a wonderful holographic sound stage with a hint of the tube "magic"(I knownot acurate but pleasing non the less). I also returned the ZSLA-1 because the unit they sent had a slight intermittent "crackel" in the left channel. But "crackel" aside , I did like what it did in my system but it has very few features. In fact, it has no features.

The grain that I mentioned in these products was not overwhelming and did not overtly stand out and you had to listen very closely to detect it. Not bad considering that my point of reference for the comparison is an Anthem Pre 2L SE that cost 6 times as much.

Thats the reason for my purchase hopefully not add to the signal. I will not use the volume control at all. I will have it turned up all the way and it will be used as a pass through. I am using it pretty much as a switcher because my surround receiver does not have the functionality of a stereo bypass (a curcuit separate from the digital stage)and it takes away from the signal and sound. Having my CDP straight to the power amp achieves a better sound with greater dynamics and resolution than going CDP->sourround receiver->power amp. The CDP has a built in volume control so I can plug it straight to the power amp and control the volume.
Hopefully there won't be grain at all since I will have it full tilt on the volume and bypass the resistors that controls the volume. The grain you mentioned could be due to the use of resistors as volume control on the VDA-1. The Anthem Pre 2L SE has been a reference Pre for a lot of high end audiophiles.