CD TRANSPORT THAT MAKES AN AUDIBLE DIFFERENCE

Asctim,

"That's fascinating. I wonder exactly what is going on there to make such a difference? The DAC must be getting a different signal, and I'd guess it has to be a more accurate one with the better transport, or at least one that is somehow better suited to that DAC."

Jays CDT2 Mk3, beautiful build quality and superior components: OCXO (oven controlled crystal oscillator), neutrik connectors, galvanic isolation, discrete linear power supply, milled aluminum bilet case (weighs 33 pounds), high quality isolated toroid transformers, I2S outputs, etc.

Apparently, a number of really good transports being discussed here.  I had a 47-Labs Flat-Fish transport with power supply and it was a good little transport.  I replaced it last year with a Jay's-Audio CDT2 MKIII and it certainly was an upgrade in sonics.  It's built like a tank and works very well via I2S with my Denifrips Terminator-Plus DAC.  Jay's also has their flagship CDT3 transport for double the price of the CDT2.  I don't feel the need to upgrade as I use a transport occasionally, otherwise I'd get the CDT3.  Good Luck in your search !

@cymivka 

Did you try unplugging waiting about 10 seconds then plugging it back in? Fingers crossed, it's nothing more than a blip in the internals

@vthokie83

So all those high quality components and the overall build quality is somehow getting better information to the DAC. What surprises me about this is the fact that cheap transports have reliably delivered photos, videos, software, and other digital data to my computer for years with rarely a case of corrupted data. So there should be a way to insert something between a cheap transport and a good DAC that would be able to buffer the stream off the transport, make sure it’s error corrected, and then distribute it cleanly to the DAC, which apparently cannot properly buffer and error correct the stream of data it’s getting on its own. It sounds like also doesn't have it's own internal clock for d/a conversion. Is that true? It seems the DAC is putting an unnecessary burden on the transport and perhaps cables and connection fittings by lacking some normal digital data receiving functions. I recently solved some glitchy sounds I was hearing in my online streaming playback by increasing the buffer time. There’s a tiny bit more lag now between when I hit play and when the music actually starts but it’s still too fast for me to notice.

tweak 1 and all

I never unplugged the RS2T. 

I am a bit embarrassed to mention that I put the transport on top of the dac on the floor and the cut outs stopped.  Placed the transport back where it was initially MINUS the Bright Star Audio super heavy, granite looking slab (about 25 lbs) and again no cut outs for several cd's.  I figured (wrongly) the heavy, stone like slab was a good vibration isolator as my Oppo sat on top for years with no hiccups.  So weird.   And I don.t want to jinx the happy outcome as I've only spent a lil time with the new set up but couldn't wait to correct my possibly mistaken perception/pronouncement (at least at this point) the transport needed repair. Quick morning check...no cut outs five songs in...happy.   Very odd that no one seems to have had a similar problem with a disc player?  The RS2T IS rather small and light weight (relatively dinky) and I guess vibration build up on top of the rigid slab proved too much for it. Now wondering how to best isolate the sensitive lil beast for even better sonics.