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If you still spin CD's their is a reference level Transport for reasonable money

I just got in-house the Jay's Audio CDT-2 MK3 transport to review for hometheaterreview.com.  The build quality and physical appearance make it hard to believe that it retails for around $2,400.  Right out of the crate not even broken in yet, it's out performing my CEC double belt transport in the reference system.  It retains all the liquidity and analog smoothness of the belt driven transport but offers more details, tighter bass frequencies, and a larger layered soundstage with more air between the players.

Alvin, of Vinshine Audio set this review up with me, so if you go to his website you can get a lot more details/pictures on this transport.  The reason I was motivated to review a CD transport was I received scores of requests from my readers asking what is a great sounding transport, for a reasonable amount of money.  So far, in spades the Jay's Audio CDT-2 MK3 fits the bill easily.   
teajay
david_ten
5,480 posts
 
I thought there were at least two levels of each DAC, maybe three, with the SE being the top model. Has that changed? (I don't mean SE vs Balanced)
audiorevelation
15 posts
 
Check out the Woo Transport at, I believe, $1,200. I'd be quite surprised if anyone could hear  improvement over that. 
teajay OP
1,691 posts
 
Hey audiorevelation,

I actually reviewed the Woo transport a few years back and it was quite good for the money.  However, based on build quality and more importantly sonic performance it comes no were close as being in the same league as the Jay's Audio transport. 
audiolabyrinth's avatar
audiolabyrinth
4,555 posts
 
Hi teajay, The ps audio transport you reviewed is old,  The new ps audio direct stream memory player transport in my opinion will out perform the jay's audio transport hugely,  it's not even in the same league,  btw, liquidity is a coloration,  a live acoustic piano recital does not sound liquidity,  why should a system? 
teajay OP
1,691 posts
 
Hey audiolabyrinth,

I totally agree that you can speculate on which transport would sound better.  However, I have heard the latest generation of the PS Audio DS transport and I prefer what the Jay's Audio CDT-2 MK-2 does in my system with my DAC.

Your second statement is the old agreement between listeners who want for example a line-stage that is a "straight wire with a gain" not to "color" the sound vs a listener who wants the tonality/timbres and spatial qualities that a tube based line-stage provides to the music.  I use the term liquidity to mean a lack of grain or dryness without becoming euphonic at the expense of punch/macro-dynamics or details.  The Jay's Audio transport offers more of this then the PS Audio for my tastes on straight Red book sampling rate.  

Here's the most important question for you: Have you actually heard both transports?  If not you are welcomed to your speculation.  However, that's all it is, not a factually based conclusion based on personal experience.  I find it fascinating when people post that have never actually heard the piece being discussed or "know" that one piece of gear is better then the other, even though they never have heard the piece of gear to make the comparison. 


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