CD Transports

+1 on the bel canto CD2 with latest firmware as a REDBOX TRANSPORT 

I'd say get the best dac you can. CDs may be only one digital source. You may find you have other "digital" audio sources to benefit from hooking to a DAC and your rig. TV, DVD player or streamer or computer....

Important to note that you can count on voicing differences to exist between different brands and different levels or generations of products within brand even when the measurements are identical. Measurements tend to be a threshold upon which voicing is then done. This is explained nicely by MBL's longstanding chief design engineer on John Darko's YouTube channel. Posted yesterday. Recommended viewing. 

Of course there are countless transports, dacs and opinion givers with countless frames of reference. The Only way you will know is to LISTEN to the options available for the sound that sounds and feels right for YOU. 
 

@cavy
I did not buy the Jay Audio Transport to compare another, person in our group was looking for a transport. He was on a mission to try transports recommended I various audio site forums. First was the Cambridge and the NuPrime. Then an older Sim Audio with the Jay Audio. The Rega sounded the best overall (not in every area oh course) but was the one we all agreed presented the best sound or most musical. The older CEC TL5100Z used as a dedicated transport was above the Rega. Every system is different and everyone hears what they prefer in their own system which is good IMO.

Cavy, thank you for your input and detail. That to me is very helpful. IMO only, I would not say PS Audio. Levinson, Esoteric are musical sounding transports. The DAC that I build is used by a speaker manufacturer with an Esoteric as a transport because the Esoteric by itself does not sound musical although it is a very good sounding player.

I just a few days ago purchased an older Metronome Technologie T1A Transport with separate power supply (massive unit). It is way different sounding than anything I have heard before. Warmish sounding, but with excellent separation and placement. I am still trying to get a handle on it. I still prefer the Audiomeca but I am having issues with repairing the belt (actually a string on a spring) that works the transport mechanism. It is really pissing me off of all the crap designs.

Last point I will try and make. My friend who has a masters in electronics and my partner in building components, reviewed the scope of the waves on this thread. He said that unless the scope can show the shifts, it is not really measuring the jitter correctly. He said something about a resistor can make the wave square and something else about the DAC and how it re-clocks the input. So in his opinion which I hold in high regard, the scope is not really measuring jitter correctly. He did say that there is a machine that can measure the jitter correctly buy it is very expensive.

I almost forgot.  We had a little Olasonic NANO COMPO CD transport that I paid $400 for brandy new.  It held its own with all of the other transports in many ways.  I was not crushed but any of the above transports.  You can upgrade the little walwart which I did but I used the wrong voltage and fired the little sucker.  It you had just a few bucks to spend on a transport until you found something better, I would recommend trying one.
 
That’s all I have for today. Happy Listening.

Bigkidz,
What output did you use with the Jay's Audio transport? Using the I2s works best, if you have a DAC that can utilize that input. So if you used the spdif output you didn't hear it at its best, IMHO.
I compared it to the Directstream Memory player and it was much better in my set-up.
If you and Carl want to come over for a shoot-out with different transports that would be a fun day. I also have a First Watt SIT-3 amp which, you may want to hear. 

Joe

Joe, we used our DAC.  I would love to come by with Karl.  I would have to see when we are free to swing by.  We have bene really busy with our products so I will have to let you know.  Hope all is going well.

Pete