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Does the Transport make a significant difference?

Had been running a squeezebox with my Audio Note 2.1 Dac. Tried my basic Oppo dvd player as a transport and yikes what an improvement - even over my $3,000 invested Modwright Sony player (a little rough round the edges but dynamic and live-ly sounding). So wondering if the mantra of having a great source is the best place to start ... ie matching the Dac to a quality transport say CEC TL 51 or open the vaults and spring for a quality Audio Note, Esoteric, or even dcs transport will be worth the investment. How does this compare with say upgrading your amp or speakers or even cables? I know I should listen for myself but any good experience out there to draw on before I start getting crazy about checking out the used adverts?
ladavid
martykl
3,578 posts
 
May be my own hearing limitations or the limitations in my downstream components, but I've used several CDPs and a dedicated server hard drive as transports into my Benchmark DAC (it reclocks) and heard very little (if any) difference. So, IME I'd tend to agree with Shadorne - if you reclock at the DAC, the differences in transport performance (if any exist) will be hard to detect.
dcstep
1,518 posts
 
I bought a Playback Designs MPS-5 a few months back, a one-box CD/SACD solution with an Esoteric transport and a proprietery upsampling to DSD DAC and claimed "unmeasureable" jitter. When I use my Oppo or Pioneer Elite DV-58AV as a transport it's almost as good as using the MPS-5's internal transport. There IS a difference, but the removal of glare and digital uglyness seems to all happen in the DAC/clock. So, IMHO, transports matter, but the DAC/clock combination is the most important, by far.

Dave
chenc
23 posts
 
Watch out for the new PS Audio CD transport that's coming out in a few months. I'm saving for one now. It should be under $2k.
mykesinger
34 posts
 
i have a cec tl-2 along with a audio aero prima dac.

the older cec tl-1 and tl-2 is a really sweet transport. they are one of the few ones that can be repaired if needed
douglas_schroeder
3,281 posts
 
Shadorne, you are wrong in regards to your Jitter reduction theory, If the DAC is excellent at jitter rejection then it won't make a difference (one jitter immune input versus another should sound the same as it is all just bits). "

I addressed this very question in my review of the Benchmark DAC1, where I ran the Oppo 970 versus the Rega Saturn, both as transport to the Benchmark.

http://www.dagogo.com/BenchmarkDAC1-1of2.htm

martyk1, your honesty in being willing to admit your hearing might be compromised is refreshing.
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