Cambridge 840C using it as a DAC with Ipod and laptop

[riceboy]

Hi all. Since I'm getting in the Cambridge 840C, I was wondering what type of cable should I get for connecting the my 840c to my laptop? The 840C has coax and my laptop has S/PDIF 1/8". I haven't done this before as I'm guessing that I could connect my laptop or Ipod to the 840C and use the DAC in the 840c? I was thinking about getting Blue Jeans to make a cable to do this. What would you folks recommend. Thanks in advance .

[Salt Peanuts]

You could just get a regular optical cable and a Toslink to mini adaptor for the cable. Something like this.

[deepak]

It looks like the 840c has coax and toslink. So the adapter that Salt Peanuts linked should work fine with an optical cable.

I assume the 1/8" SPDIF is optical and not an electrical connection on the laptop.

[riceboy]

It looks like the 840c has coax and toslink. So the adapter that Salt Peanuts linked should work fine with an optical cable.

I assume the 1/8" SPDIF is optical and not an electrical connection on the laptop.

Yup it is a 1/8: SPDIF optical.

I just looked at what Salt Peanuts suggested and that looks like what I need.

Thanks you guys for all your help. The head-case crew to the rescue. This is my first CD player obviously with digital inputs. I'll let you guys know how it goes.

[JimP]

I connect my macmini to the 840c using toslink optical (1/8" mini at the macmini end). You may be able to find the cable at nearby Apple Store. Works great! Then I have the 840c out simultaneously RCA-to-RCA to the Almarro and XLR-to-RCA to the Earmax AE. 840c allows for very flexible set-up. good luck!

[postjack]

I use a 15ft USB cable > HagUSB > Coax, it works great. I needed a long USB cable because I have to have my computer on the other side of the room in a different outlet to avoid a ground hum.

[Salt Peanuts]

I love my Squeezebox/840C combo, personally. Makes accessing all my audio a breeze and the combo sounds pretty darn good. I can't wait to unpack them again.

[riceboy]

Thanks for letting me know more options guys . I didn't know you could do all this with the 840C. This is very . Now I'm going to look at all these options to greater use the 840C.

[aardvark baguette]

Why dont you get the Esoteric masterclock as a playmate to the Cambridge. I'm still trying to decide what my next CD/SACD player will be, but I could always get the clock first...and pair it with an Oppo Digital

http://www.musicdirect.com/product/71883

[Dusty Chalk]

Why dont you get the Esoteric masterclock as a playmate to the Cambridge. I'm still trying to decide what my next CD/SACD player will be, but I could always get the clock first...and pair it with an Oppo Digital

http://www.musicdirect.com/product/71883

Not everything has a clock input. That Rega that was pictured was modified.

[aardvark baguette]

Not everything has a clock input. That Rega that was pictured was modified.

True. But supposedly the clock still offers upsampling, iirc.

[riceboy]

I use a 15ft USB cable > HagUSB > Coax, it works great. I needed a long USB cable because I have to have my computer on the other side of the room in a different outlet to avoid a ground hum.

Hey Jack I remembered you mentioning this a while back. I found out that guys lives in Hawaii so if I do decide to keep the 840C, I'm gonna try to purchase from him locally. Thanks for the input again

Why dont you get the Esoteric masterclock as a playmate to the Cambridge. I'm still trying to decide what my next CD/SACD player will be, but I could always get the clock first...and pair it with an Oppo Digital

http://www.musicdirect.com/product/71883

I'll look into it as well to see if it would work with the 840C. Thanks

[Dusty Chalk]

True. But supposedly the clock still offers upsampling, iirc.

Nope.

[4N6]

Aloha Riceboy,

I am glad you are getting the 840C. Let me know when you receive it. I think you will love it.

Give it 50-100 hours of playing to break-in and don't scrimp on the interconnect to your SP Dragon amp.

Have fun.

[aardvark baguette]

Nope.

I must be thinking of a more expensive one then. Im pretty sure there was a masterclock that offered upsampling to sources without the clock input (whatever its called) Maybe I'm dreaming. Speaking of which...time for bed

[riceboy]

Aloha Riceboy,

I am glad you are getting the 840C. Let me know when you receive it. I think you will love it.

Give it 50-100 hours of playing to break-in and don't scrimp on the interconnect to your SP Dragon amp.

Have fun.

Hey . I'll let you know when I get it in. It should be here soon. Will do on the interconnect as well.

Cheers

[riceboy]

Just ordered the HagUSB. He does live in Hawaii and shipping should be only one day. He said it will ship out tomorrow so I should have it by Friday. Can't wait to try it out with the 840C. I noticed there is a sticker on the 840C that says, "Ipod Command, this remotes product will control your Ipod via a compatible docking station". I didn't see anything in the manual yet, but I've been too busy listening to my music though. I'll post some impressions of the 840c later. Also, I'll post up some impressions of the HagUSB once I get it in. I have a DAC1 and a DA100 to compare it to

[riceboy]

Darn, didn't make it in time to edit. I did some research and saw that Cambridge makes 2 docks that would work with my 840C. I'm guessing the Ipod will work with the 840C and I could use the remote to control the Ipod. I found the two docks in their brochure.

Here is a short link about them. http://whathifi.com/mp3/archive/2007/06/21/cambridge-audio-doubles-up-on-ipod-docks.aspx

Here is there brochure in PDF format:

http://www.cambridgeaudio.com/assets/documents/English.pdf

Not much info on them though.

[purk]

Riceboy,

I highly recommend you to pick up the wireworld supernova 5++ to get the most out of your optical connection. I heard a very noticeable improvement over a generic toslink cable. Hope you are liking your new source and the R10.

Purk

[Salt Peanuts]

Darn, didn't make it in time to edit. I did some research and saw that Cambridge makes 2 docks that would work with my 840C. I'm guessing the Ipod will work with the 840C and I could use the remote to control the Ipod. I found the two docks in their brochure.

Here is a short link about them. http://whathifi.com/mp3/archive/2007/06/21/cambridge-audio-doubles-up-on-ipod-docks.aspx

Here is there brochure in PDF format:

http://www.cambridgeaudio.com/assets/documents/English.pdf

Not much info on them though.

There may not be much info out there since it may very well that they haven't been released yet. Cambridge Audio have had their 840 series power amp and preamp on their 2007 or 08 catalogue, even though they weren't released until just recently.

[postjack]

There may not be much info out there since it may very well that they haven't been released yet. Cambridge Audio have had their 840 series power amp and preamp on their 2007 or 08 catalogue, even though they weren't released until just recently.

Cool, I didn't know they were out yet.

[Tachikoma]

Riceboy,

I highly recommend you to pick up the wireworld supernova 5++ to get the most out of your optical connection. I heard a very noticeable improvement over a generic toslink cable. Hope you are liking your new source and the R10.

Purk

Well, even the generic-ish glass toslink was a pretty noticeable improvement over a generic plastic toslink. Some of the distortion I had with the plastic toslink just disappeared when I switched to glass.

[aardvark baguette]

I have a Nordost White Light optical cable that sounded great, the last time I used it. I'll be digging it up to use again soon, with a cheap transport I just ordered. Optical cable quality is a heated debate with many, but apparently the plastic is not transparent conduit, compared to glass.

[riceboy]

There may not be much info out there since it may very well that they haven't been released yet. Cambridge Audio have had their 840 series power amp and preamp on their 2007 or 08 catalogue, even though they weren't released until just recently.

Oh I didn't know that about the Ipod docks. I was wondering why I had such a hard time finding any info on them. Thanks for letting me know.

Thanks for the cable suggestions Purk and aardvark sandwich. I really appreciate it

[Contrastique]

Darn, didn't make it in time to edit. I did some research and saw that Cambridge makes 2 docks that would work with my 840C. I'm guessing the Ipod will work with the 840C and I could use the remote to control the Ipod. I found the two docks in their brochure.

Hmm, but would that mean you still use the DAC inside the Ipod? And when you can control the Ipod itself with a remote wouldn't that mean it actually still uses the amp inside the Ipod?

If only they made an optical out on the Ipod....