Bryston BCD-3 2.0 CD Player

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For many audiophiles, digital audio began with CDs - and even in today’s download-driven world, CDs remain everywhere. So why not hear them at their best? Bryston’s BCD-3 2.0 is built exclusively for CD playback. Unlike universal disc players, which involve compromises that can limit CD performance, the BCD-3 is dedicated to getting the most from your collection. And for many of us, those collections can still bring as much joy today as they did when we first bought them. 

The BCD-3 2.0 begins with a high-current, ultra-low-noise power supply. It adds an anti-vibration disc transport engineered specifically for ‘Redbook’ CD playback, the same dual-DAC circuit used in our award-winning BDA-3 2.0 DAC, and a high-precision master clock to keep everything perfectly synchronized. The result is jitter-free playback, wide dynamic range, and simple operation - making your CD collection easier to enjoy and better sounding than ever. 

Finally, for many music lovers, learning a new digital streaming playback method can get in the way of simply enjoying music. If that sounds familiar, the BCD-3 2.0 may be the last CD player you’ll ever need.

ADVANTAGE
One advantage of an all-in-one CD player, compared with a separate transport and external DAC, is reduced jitter. For optimal performance, the drive and DAC must share the same master clock. If their clock signals are not synchronized, timing errors occur. External DACs therefore need to re-clock the digital input to help reduce jitter, which is the mistiming of a digital signal. 

The timing of digital ones and zeros is critical. Accurate bits alone are not enough; they must be converted back into music using the same timing reference used when the music was first digitized. These timing errors, known as jitter, can compromise audio quality. In the Bryston CD player, the master clock and drive are precisely synchronized to prevent jitter from affecting sound quality. 

A two-box setup, with a player and external DAC, also requires two additional conversions: the I2S signal must first be converted to SPDIF, then converted back to I2S inside the DAC. Recreating the master clock from the SPDIF signal can introduce more jitter. A single-box design avoids these extra conversions - KISS !

DAC CHIP
DAC integrated circuits, or chips, convert digital signals into analog audio. The BCD-3 2.0 utilizes the AKM 4490 DAC chip. 

Like all DAC chips, the AKM 4490 applies a digital filter before conversion and an analog filter afterward. It is a hybrid multi-bit delta-sigma DAC - an advanced design that combines several techniques to optimize the conversion process. 

This DAC also oversamples the signal eight times, similar to the earlier up-sampling process, which places filtering artifacts beyond the audible range. Because the resulting analog signal is highly sensitive, the process must be tightly controlled by a low-jitter clock. 

SEPARATE DIGITAL AND ANALOG POWER SUPPLIES
For optimal performance, the DAC chip needs an exceptionally clean digital power supply. Noise in this supply can introduce jitter, noise, and distortion, while poor routing of the digital power or ground paths can allow digital noise to enter the analog circuits. 

The digital power supply therefore comes from a separate, tightly regulated, and well-filtered source. The DAC also requires a high-quality analog power supply, because the analog signal is weakest as it enters and exits the DAC; any added noise or distortion at this point will be amplified by later stages. For this reason, the BCD-3 2.0 uses a separate, heavily regulated, and filtered analog supply with carefully routed grounds. This attention to power-supply design is one of the reasons the Bryston BCD-3 2.0 CD Player delivers superior sound. 

DISCRETE CLASS-A ANALOG STAGE
Optimizing the digital side is only the beginning. Once the signal leaves the DAC, operational amplifiers buffer it and increase its strength. In the BCD-3 2.0, these amplifiers are built from discrete components - transistors, resistors, and capacitors - rather than integrated circuits. 

This approach lets the circuit be tailored precisely to the DAC’s needs, while integrated circuits often require compromises because they are designed for general-purpose use. Discrete components also support more powerful output stages because heat from the output driver transistors is kept away from the rest of the circuitry. In an integrated operational amplifier, that heat can affect nearby circuits because everything is contained on a single chip. 

Discrete Devices

• Discrete devices also allow key characteristics, such as input and output impedance, to be matched precisely to the circuit’s requirements. 
  
• Discrete operational amplifiers can also be designed to work more closely with their power source, helping reduce distortion and noise. 
  
• Discrete devices can be carefully tested, matched, and selected to meet tight tolerances when a design demands specific performance. Circuits are often engineered around closely matched components to achieve the best results. 
  
• Integrated circuits contain many components on a single chip, making it impractical to sort device characteristics beyond a broad level. Bryston sorts and grades its DAC chips, but discrete devices allow much finer matching, which contributes to better sound quality. 

Features

• Redbook CD Player
• Balanced XLR and single ended RCA output
• Digital out via AES/EBU or S/DIF RCA
• 8 times oversampling
• Network for firmware updates
• Rugged metal CD tray with support rails
• Large clear OLED display
• New 2U Chassis
• Steel chassis - low RF
• Remote