@eladeb - I think @rsemedo is correct.
In fact, note what Darko mentioned in the review. He had connected the CXN to his Hegel amplifier in two ways, first digitally to use the Hegel DAC, then secondly analogue out from the CXN to the analogue inputs of the Hegel. In the first scenario, the Hegel DAC is in use, in the second scenario the Cambridge DAC is in use. He then states in the review that the Cambridge DAC sounds "somewhat warm somewhat rounded and somewhat burnished in the top end".
With the Phantom Gold - you do not have an analogue input, so there is no way of "benefitting" from the CXN's DAC. Or is there? I guess if you really wanted to, you could send the analogue output from the CXN to an analogue to digital converter (ADC), then send the output of this to the Phantom. This might give you a "warmer more rounded sound", if that is what you are after, but it would certainly reduce overall sound quality. As a suggestion, if you are trying to "fine tune" the sound of your Gold's a little, it might be a good idea to explain exactly what you are after in this thread, I am sure you will get good advice from other Phantom owners. You mention you want a "more precise sound", then quite simply the most precise sound you can get is with the Gold's own DAC.
If it is the warmer sound you are after, (is it a warmer sound you are after?) then maybe you could use some sort of software to provide DSP before the Phantom, say Roon with Parametric EQ sent via Airplay, although there are many ways to do this. If you are simply after best sound quality with a Phantom Gold, note that the DAC (ADH) is an integral part of how the Phantom's amplifiers work, you cannot bypass the DAC section, so you cannot do "better" that the DAC you have.
As a general point to those running an Expert or Pro, it occurs to me that you could use the CXN as Darko did in his review. Digital out to the Devialet and analogue out to the Devialet. Then if you stumbled across one of those "hard" recordings that does not go well with the Expert's "clinical" DAC, you could switch to the analogue input to add a bit of CXN DAC warm colouration and roundness. Maybe a crazy idea? Or maybe not? It might actually work quite well, you could switch between "warm" and "clinical" mode at a touch of the remote. Crazy or not, they were selling them for about £800 in the UK, which seems to be very good value to me, but it now looks like the model is discontinued? Maybe a V3 version is coming? Being as I am slightly crazy, I quite fancy trying one!
In fact, note what Darko mentioned in the review. He had connected the CXN to his Hegel amplifier in two ways, first digitally to use the Hegel DAC, then secondly analogue out from the CXN to the analogue inputs of the Hegel. In the first scenario, the Hegel DAC is in use, in the second scenario the Cambridge DAC is in use. He then states in the review that the Cambridge DAC sounds "somewhat warm somewhat rounded and somewhat burnished in the top end".
With the Phantom Gold - you do not have an analogue input, so there is no way of "benefitting" from the CXN's DAC. Or is there? I guess if you really wanted to, you could send the analogue output from the CXN to an analogue to digital converter (ADC), then send the output of this to the Phantom. This might give you a "warmer more rounded sound", if that is what you are after, but it would certainly reduce overall sound quality. As a suggestion, if you are trying to "fine tune" the sound of your Gold's a little, it might be a good idea to explain exactly what you are after in this thread, I am sure you will get good advice from other Phantom owners. You mention you want a "more precise sound", then quite simply the most precise sound you can get is with the Gold's own DAC.
If it is the warmer sound you are after, (is it a warmer sound you are after?) then maybe you could use some sort of software to provide DSP before the Phantom, say Roon with Parametric EQ sent via Airplay, although there are many ways to do this. If you are simply after best sound quality with a Phantom Gold, note that the DAC (ADH) is an integral part of how the Phantom's amplifiers work, you cannot bypass the DAC section, so you cannot do "better" that the DAC you have.
As a general point to those running an Expert or Pro, it occurs to me that you could use the CXN as Darko did in his review. Digital out to the Devialet and analogue out to the Devialet. Then if you stumbled across one of those "hard" recordings that does not go well with the Expert's "clinical" DAC, you could switch to the analogue input to add a bit of CXN DAC warm colouration and roundness. Maybe a crazy idea? Or maybe not? It might actually work quite well, you could switch between "warm" and "clinical" mode at a touch of the remote. Crazy or not, they were selling them for about £800 in the UK, which seems to be very good value to me, but it now looks like the model is discontinued? Maybe a V3 version is coming? Being as I am slightly crazy, I quite fancy trying one!
1000 Pro - KEF Blade - iFi Zen Stream - Mutec REF10 - MC3+USB - Pro-Ject Signature 12
