CD transports; do they really matter

If you can rip your CDs into a storage (could be a hard drive or a server) and either play directly via connecting to a DAC, or stream via a network, it’ll simplify things.

Transports mattering, or how more expensive devices are better is not the question - a transport is just a mechanical winder with a laser reader which then sends the bits to an external DAC.

A CD player itself is a transport, it just has the DAC within the same case. But step back and think - its more profitable for people within a specific chain if you buy two devices instead of one: manufacturers, distributors and sellers. Are two devices better than one? Could be. Could not be if the one device is made well, if noise is suppressed by ensuring proper shielding.

In certain ways two devices are worse for sure - more materials consumed, more power used, more space needed, more heat produced. Things add up.

First, does the transport matter… yes. High end manufactures take mass produced transports and isolate them and provide very stable current. They go to great lengths to get the best stream of bits out of them.

However, it is a stream of bits… which you can get from a local file, 0r a network drive, or a streaming service. If it was ten years ago one would look for a great CD player (Transport, Streamer, and DAC). But today it is old technology. Today and the future is about streaming. A good streamer and DAC completely replaces a CD player as a digital source. You can buy a combined streamer, storage, and DAC, or individual. But the future is streaming… not owning physical or digital media. My streamer (using Qobuz) sounds the same on red book CDs and vinyl and frequently better with high Rez. There is no longer a compelling reason to buy a CD player unless you love playing with physical things.

BTW, from a historical perspective it was physical media, then rip CDs (copy a digital file to a storage device… like hard drive), then copy files to a network drive. All historically interesting, but something in ten years folks will be laughing at… you did what? Why?
 

Coincidentally, Ayre Acoustics released a new CD player today, the CX-8.

Also apparently  Ayre's best DAC  is on board, and includes both streaming connectivity in, as well as digital and analog out.

Interesting....

Why not try listening to one in your system ? 

the transport matters. big time, interconnect too, defies logic, really wish it weren‘t so. Take @stuartk‘s sage advice and see for yourself.

If you can‘t hear a difference count yourself very lucky..