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

@ teajay

Thanks for the update! This is definitely on my radar and may order one very soon :)

Wig

Hey Snopro, i2s on transport comparing AES vs i2s will happen this weekend and will report findings. CDT 3/ AES vs Wavenet /I2s was indistinguishable. CDT3 teamed with Stello D700 comparing wordclock in and out gave me hope for outboard wordclock as it was audibly more pleasing with it in. @T.J. always amazes me how many people will speak like they know something when they have never personally heard both items. Today I got one of my clients to drop off a PS Audio Direct whatever DAC so I can finally talk about this thing which I dont like but never speak to that because Ive never had it in my rig. I am fully anticipating to be able to talk smack about PS Audio after my tests and Im hoping to drive my feeling home that PS Audio is Mid Fi at best. For some reason these PS users love to fight. They spout off at the mouth any chance they get using words like "best" ..lol so I want fuel for battle. I simply think they have not heard anything better. Now I just stuck my neck out and If I deserve schooling and a  slap for that little rant I will honor truth and give it to you guys with an apology.. Sheesh..
@DavidTen Signature Rockna is at least 30% better sounding than the regular. In fact I declined Rockna based on the "edition" model. Sig Balanced in 20 seconds had me rationalizing its purchase which was totally beyond my normal limit for a DAC. It has something that no other DAC to this day has had for me which is a level of realism, lucidity and presence that is utterly chilling. Its paradoxical because its seemingly a small difference in imaging. But that small difference bumps it into a level that disqualifies everything under $20K. Id really love to know where it goes from here. I know for a fact they could have taken this unit farther, because I sensed it then I asked the owner. This puppy is at the starting line of a different level. Clearly someone understood this level to place this DAC just inside it. and for $13,500 its admission into Uber DAC level. By the way Rockna developed the i2s for PS Audio..
As far as transport, I dont normally use transports to compare transport only, I can treport however one night things were sounding
forward and aggressive to the point, I went to transport for relief. I used AES to Rockna DAC. I was instantly slammed with density of tonality to a point that clearly defined those words to me. It was like sonic thickened up. She became zaftig and fertile from bony and stark. It was a heavy shift. I will try to recreate it because it was defining in nature, it was so noticeable.

I’ll say this one time and any other statement in opposition to this is just wrong or uninformed, or naive in my opinion.

Music will sound its best in its native recorded format PERIOD. Its why I own Reel to Reel tape players, so I can listen to Floyd on TAPE. Hendrix, Zeppelin, my faves.. Native format If you cant do the tape then do the original transfer rate or the digitally recorded master rate. Anything else is a stroke job to get you to buy something. 16/44.1 sounds so good in my rig, I am not even aware that another format exists and my rig plays them all indiscriminately whenever it comes across them in the library. so DSD and high bitrate PCM come in and out during listening without my knowledge.

I found myself digging for my old DAC/s and so my Wadia 16/44 DAC with AT&T Glass optical input and my TEAC VRDS 20 Transport will be brought into the mix along with my old MBL DAC.. lets really vet some of the old dogs.. I’ll net they are not as bad as we all thought
gotta sleep .. goodnight !

Today I got one of my clients to drop off a PS Audio Direct whatever DAC so I can finally talk about this thing which I dont like but never speak to that because Ive never had it in my rig. I am fully anticipating to be able to talk smack about PS Audio after my tests and Im hoping to drive my feeling home that PS Audio is Mid Fi at best.

How neutral and open-minded of you, Mike!  Seriously, if you really want to hear what the PS Audio DirectStream DAC is capable of, you need to make sure it has the latest "Redcloud" OS installed.  You will also want to change out the stock fuse for a quality after-market fuse, which is a PITA, but well worth it.  You also need to use the DAC's I2S input, which sounds worlds better than its USB input (if you do not have a source with an I2S output, try a Matrix X-SPDIF 2 D-to-D converter, which is what I use).  Finally, this goes without saying, but you should level-match the PS Audio DAC with whatever you are shooting it out against, as the PS DAC's output voltage is a good bit lower than standard.

If you do all of the above and go into the experiment with an open mind, you just might be surprised at what you're hearing.

@mikepowellaudio - I find your comments about PS Audio curious, since you’ve never "had it (the Direct Stream whatever) in your rig." You’re but another guy with an big opinion on the inter-webs....BUT I’d be interested in why you’ve come to the conclusion AND what your credentials are to make such statements. Do you have an engineering degree? What makes your opinion any better than mine. You like to type, so prey tell, give us an answer based on facts, and not opinions. There a whole bunch of people who might disagree with you.

For those of you who are still spinning those shiny discs [  :) ], has anyone else made the transition to Jay’s CD2 MK II?

Wig