Comparison Denon DCD-600NE vs NAD C 516BEE

The model of the digital-to-analogue converter (DAC) installed in the CD player.

The DAC is one of the most important components of any modern CD player. It is this module that is responsible for converting digital data recorded on an optical disc into an analogue audio signal that is fed to an external device (amplifier, speakers, etc.). Accordingly, the characteristics and overall quality of the DAC largely determine the sound quality in general. Knowing the DAC model, you can find detailed data on it — characteristics, reviews, test results, etc. — and evaluate how the capabilities of the converter meet your requirements.

Another indicator that determines the overall quality of the digital-to-analogue audio signal converter. For details on the converter, see "DAC Sampling Rate"; here we note that the bit depth is standardly expressed in bits, and the higher it is, the more accurately the signal at the output of the DAC corresponds to the original signal and the less distortion is introduced into it. In the case of CD players, 24 bits is considered the minimum necessary and at the same time quite sufficient; higher values — 32 bits — are rare, only in premium-level equipment.

The range of audio frequencies that a CD player can reproduce. In general, this parameter determines how full the output bandwidth is, whether too high or too low sound is cut off. However, it is worth noting here that the human ear is able to perceive sound only within the range of 16 – 20,000 Hz (deviations from the upper threshold in different directions are possible, but small, and it decreases with age). All modern CD players cover this range, therefore, in the case of such devices, the sound frequency indicators are reference and practically do not affect the sound. And impressive numbers like 2 – 40,000 Hz, 5 – 60,000 Hz, etc. — this is a kind of "side effect" of the design of a high-quality device; manufacturers use these numbers for marketing purposes, but again, they do not affect sound quality. Also, do not forget that actually audible frequencies are also limited by the characteristics of the speaker system, external amplifier and other equipment connected to the CD player. For example, speakers with a lower frequency range of 150 Hz will “cut off” all lower frequencies, and it doesn’t matter what the lowest bass the player can produce is 16 Hz, 20 Hz or 50 Hz.

The ratio between the level of the useful signal and the level of extraneous noise at the output of the player.

This indicator describes the total amount of extraneous noise (of any origin) that affects the sound quality: the higher the signal-to-noise ratio, the less such noise and the clearer the sound, which is especially important for Hi-Fi and Hi-End systems. The minimum indicator for CD players is 85 – 90 dB, indicators up to 100 dB can be considered good, up to 110 dB — good, more than 110 dB — excellent.

The dynamic range of a CD player.

Technically, dynamic range is the logarithm of the ratio between the maximum input signal at which the level of distortion is low enough (tolerable) and the sensitivity of the amplifier. In a simplified way, this parameter can be described as the difference between the minimum and maximum sound levels that the device is capable of reproducing with high quality. The higher the dynamic range value, the better the device handles with sound that has significant volume differences, such as orchestral parts.

Note that when playing different sound standards (see "Playback"), the dynamic range of the player will also be different — for example, for SACD its value is usually much higher than for Audio CD. CD players typically list the highest value that gives the best impression of the device's performance. However, manufacturers often specify for which type of digital audio the dynamic range data is given.

The coefficient of harmonic distortion (harmonics) output by the CD player.

This parameter, along with the signal-to-noise ratio described above, characterizes the overall sound quality of the player. It is calculated by dividing the total sum of harmonics by the value of the main signal at a reproduced sound frequency of 1 kHz, and is expressed as a percentage. Significant levels of harmonics lead to deterioration in sound — from a general feeling of "roughness" and "excessive density" of the sound to the appearance of clearly audible noise; accordingly, the lower the harmonic distortion, the better. In relatively inexpensive CD players, this figure is measured in tenths of a percent, in top models it may not exceed several thousandths of a percent.

Outputs provided in the design of the CD player (in addition to analogue connectors for connecting general-purpose acoustics — they are described in separate paragraphs below).

— Coaxial S / P-DIF. Interface for transmitting sound in digital format. Allows you to work with multi-channel audio up to 7.1 format inclusive. Technically an electrical variation of S/P-DIF; differs from the optical variety described below, on the one hand, by greater sensitivity to electromagnetic interference, and on the other hand, by a less delicate connecting cable. Note that this interface uses RCA connectors and a coaxial cable (hence the name). However, unlike "regular" analogue RCA (see below), in this case, all audio channels are transmitted over a single cable, and the cable itself must be shielded — when connected through a regular wire, there is a high probability of distortion due to external interference.

— Optical. A modification of the S/P-DIF standard (see above), which involves signal transmission via a TOSLINK fiber optic cable. Being identical to the coaxial interface in terms of audio transmission capabilities, the optical connection is at the same time completely immune to electromagnetic interference, which makes it possible to achieve extremely high signal fidelity. The disadvantage of this connection is the fragility of the cable — it does not allow sharp bends and strong pressure, whic...h can damage the fiber.

— Balanced digital (AES/EBU). The AES / EBU standard itself can use different connection interfaces, however, XLR connectors are usually used in audio equipment. However, unlike the "regular" XLR output (see below), this interface transmits audio in digital format, not analogue. A common feature of these standards is a balanced connection, which provides noise suppression due to the characteristics of the cable itself, has a positive effect on sound quality and at the same time allows the use of fairly long wires. AES/EBU is considered a professional interface; such an output can be useful, for example, for connecting a CD player to a high-end external amplifier.

— Trigger. A service output used to turn on other components of the audio system (for example, an amplifier) at the same time as a CD player. When the player is turned on, this output sends a signal to the input of the controlled device and wakes it up, saving the user from having to press extra buttons. This is especially useful if the device being controlled is located in a hard-to-reach place.

— Headphones. Output for connecting conventional audio headphones. There is no single standard for such a connector, however, the vast majority of both players and “ears” use one of the varieties of the Jack type connector — full-size 6.35 mm or mini-Jack 3.5 mm. At the same time, in stationary audio equipment, including CD players, the full-size version is quite common, but 3.5 mm plugs are very popular in headphones — they can be connected both to the “native” jack and to the 6.35 mm jack, through a simple adapter (many models even come with adapters. Anyway, the ability to listen to music through headphones will be useful in cases where loud sounds are undesirable — for example, at a late time when others are sleeping, or if there is a small child in the house.

— Subwoofer. Separate output for connecting an active subwoofer — a specialized low-frequency speaker with its own built-in amplifier. The need to use subwoofers is due to the fact that general-purpose speakers do not cope well with low frequencies, as well as some acoustic features of these frequencies. And a dedicated output for such a speaker greatly simplifies the connection: this output is supplied with a filtered low-frequency signal, so you can do without crossovers and other external equipment (the only exception is a passive subwoofer, which will require an external amplifier for this connection).

— Control output (IR). Auxiliary output used in remote control systems. With this connector, the CD player's built-in IR receiver can be used to control other audio system components from the remote control, such as an amplifier in another room, out of range of the remote control. In fact, the player in such cases plays the role of a remote sensor, receiving commands and transmitting them through the control output to another device. Note that the very presence of control inputs and outputs does not guarantee the compatibility of various devices, especially if they are produced by different manufacturers; the nuances of sharing should be clarified according to the official documentation.

— BNC. By itself, BNC is a type of connector related to coaxial; similar in size to RCA, but differs in internal dimensions and mounting features. In CD players, a connector with such an output can be used both for outputting digital sound, similar to coaxial SP-DIF, and for working with special equipment for synchronizing digital sound pulses. The specific use case should be specified separately, there are both at once. Note that in the second case, the BNC output is responsible for switching the synchronization signals received by the CD player from an external clock generator to other devices in the audio system. For more information about synchronization, see "Inputs — BNC".

— Power output. This output is a power connector installed directly on the body of the player. From such a connector, you can power another component of the audio system — for example, an external amplifier or active acoustics; in some cases, this may be more convenient than connecting such components to the network separately. Please note that power plugs are usually different from standard 230 V sockets and are not compatible with plugs for such sockets.

Inputs provided in the design of the CD player.

Note that the specific use of the inputs used for audio transmission varies by model. So, in some cases, it is possible to process sound with the built-in means of a CD player (adjusting the balance, frequencies, etc.); in others — signal conversion from analogue to digital format or vice versa (for example, broadcasting sound from the optical output of a Blu-ray player to acoustics), in others — real-time recording of the input signal, etc. But for service connectors, the purpose is quite clear.

Specific types of inputs can be as follows:

— Mini-Jack (3.5 mm). A standard connector widely used in modern audio equipment and other electronics, mostly portable. Technically, the mini-Jack input can be used for different types of signal, but in fact in CD players it most often plays the role of a line interface and is mainly used to connect the mentioned portable equipment — for example, audio players.

— Trigger. Service input used to automatically turn on the CD player. If you connect this input to the trigger output of another audio system component (for example, an audio receiver), this component, when turned on, will supply a control signal to the player and wake it up. In other words, the control device and the player will turn on at the same time, at the touch of a button — this is more convenient than turning on th...e equipment separately.

— Coaxial S/P-DIF. Interface for transmitting sound in digital format. Allows you to work with multi-channel audio up to 7.1 format inclusive. Technically an electrical variation of S/P-DIF; differs from the optical one described below, on the one hand, by greater sensitivity to electromagnetic interference, on the other hand, by a less delicate connecting cable. Note that this interface uses RCA connectors and a coaxial cable. However, unlike the "regular" analogue RCA (see above), in this case, all audio channels are transmitted over a single cable, and the wire itself must be shielded — when connected through a regular wire, there is a high probability of distortion due to interference.

— Optical. A modification of the S/P-DIF standard (see above), which involves signal transmission via a TOSLINK fibre optic cable. Being identical to the coaxial interface in terms of audio transmission capabilities, the optical connection is at the same time completely immune to electromagnetic interference, which makes it possible to achieve extremely high signal fidelity. The disadvantage of this connection is the fragility of the cable — it does not allow sharp bends and strong pressure, which can damage the fibre.

— Balanced digital (AES/EBU). Digital audio output in balanced format. This format provides noise immunity even with a long cable length, which is especially important in professional applications; in fact, the presence of an AES / EBU input indicates a rather high class device. Technically, this interface can use different connectors, but CD players usually use XLR jacks and plugs. From the "normal" (analogue) XLR, such a connection differs, in fact, in a digital format.

— RCA. Similar to the RCA outputs (see above), in this case we mean an interface for transmitting an analogue audio signal in the “one wire per channel” format, and one input is a pair of connectors for the left and right stereo sound channels.

— Control input (IR). Connector for connecting an external infrared remote control receiver. When properly placed, such a receiver will allow you to use the remote control even in places where the signal from the remote control cannot reach the main (built-in) sensor — for example, in another room. Note that not only individual sensors can be used as external receivers, but also other components of the audio system that are compatible with the remote control — for example, receivers or tuners.

— BNC. A type of coaxial connector used for various purposes. However, in this particular case, the BNC input is most often provided for working with an external clock generator responsible for timing the digital audio signal pulses. The need to use such equipment is due to the fact that when transmitting a signal between the components of an audio system, for various reasons, deviations of pulses in time may occur. This phenomenon is called "jitter". Deviations, it would seem, are very small (measured in picoseconds), but even such a small thing can significantly degrade the sound quality and increase the noise level. To avoid this, premium audio systems can use an external clock generator: by transmitting service pulses to other components, it sets the “general rhythm” under which the data packets move, and prevents desynchronization. To connect such a generator, a BNC input is usually provided. However, in some models this connector can also be used as a digital audio input, similar to the S / P-DIF described above.

— XLR. Formally, XLR is the name of a connector that has a round shape, several pins and a retainer to hold the plug in the socket. However, in this case we are talking about a very specific interface: an audio input with a three-pin plug used for balanced connection of an analogue audio signal. The peculiarity of this connection is that the cable itself plays the role of an interference filter, which allows you to transmit an audio signal with high reliability even over a rather long wire. At the same time, such reliability is rarely required for ordinary consumer audio equipment, so XLR is considered to be a professional connector. Note that, like RCA, in this case, one channel of sound is transmitted through one connector, and the standard XLR input consists of two jacks (for a stereo signal).

The power consumed by the CD player. Usually, unless otherwise noted in the notes, this refers to the power during normal operation. Note that the actual power consumption at a particular point in time may differ from this indicator — for example, when a model with its own power amplifier (see "Built-in amplifier") is operating at low volume or vice versa, when playing a song with sudden volume jumps. However, when organizing the power supply of the audio system, it is necessary to focus on this indicator.

Note that the power consumption cannot be lower than the power of the built-in amplifier (if present, see above). However, some manufacturers may go for tricks — for example, indicate power consumption only in preamplifier mode. As a result, the power consumption stated in the specifications is significantly lower than the actual value when the amplifier is turned on (and sometimes even lower than the rated power of the amplifier alone). In such cases, the actual power consumption can be estimated by adding the claimed power consumption to the power of the amplifier and taking a margin of 20 – 30% for energy losses due to non-perfect efficiency of electronic circuits. For example, for a 50 W model with a 2x60 W amplifier, this value will be about 200 ... 220 W (50 + 2x60 \u003d 170, plus a loss correction).