Jay’s Audio CD Transport

The silver one being such a beauty on my rack, I can't imagine the black one being anything less, black being your thing. 

Looks mighty fine in black.

@no_regrets 

I own both a CDT2 and a CDT3 both in black and the finish is first rate. 

@tony1954  Now that's a great picture!  Thank you for sharing that with me.... As great as the silver looks, I think I would opt for the black to keep in fitting with the rest of my system.

@baylinor I appreciate you comment very much!  How have you been enjoying yours?  

How does it compare sonically with other transports that you might have experience with?

I would be starting out using the coax output.  Which digital output have you been using?  How would say the sound utilizing the coax output is?

I keep reading how the Jay's Audio transport is built like a tank!  I wonder how the display holds up though?  Any issues with the quality of the display at all?

Thank you and best wishes,

Don

@jackd "I own both a CDT2 and a CDT3 both in black and the finish is first rate."

Thank you! This is exactly what I was hoping to hear!

How have you been enjoying yours?

Best wishes,

Don

@no_regrets 

I have had the Jay's cdt2-mk3 for probably over two years. It has always worked flawlessly. For the future I also bought a backup CDM4/19 Phillips module so it will last me a lifetime. It is built like a tank and feels like one. The smoothness of the sliding top cd cover is amazing. I can only highly recommend it. I first used it with the I2s connection to my Gustard X26 PRO with excellent results but since then I switched to the AES connection once I used the I2s for my streamer. Went with the Snake River boomslang AES cable and the sound has a little more weight (slam) than the I2s with nearly equal clarity. I imagine a high quality coax would do as well. The display is no issue since you can opt to turn it off with the remote. In the end, I2s would be best with a darker sounding system and coax/AES with a brighter one. Of course it all has to do with the room acoustics too. Buy it and try different connections, they will all be satisfying.

@no_regrets 

I enjoy them both and as previously mentioned they are built like a tank.  Unfortunately the CDT3 Mk3 is noticeably better but for the price it should be.  With equal source material it still bests my Auralic Aries G2.2 streamer.  You would be happy with either one. 

I own the CDT3 in Black and yes it is built like a tank (and the finish is up to the same quality). I agree the slide top is as smooth as anything I have ever used. If you tilt the front UP more than about 5-7 degrees the top will open.

I have used both of the I2S connections (HDMI & RJ45) with great results, but my preference is still the AES.

Go with the CEC-TL5......

I have the CD3 Mk3 in black and the finish is first rate. I would describe the color as a deep navy blue, almost black. I have other black components that are more of a charcoal black. As mentioned above, the drawer is a pleasure to use and the fit and finish are excellent.

I also have a Teac VRDS 701T transport and I'll take this opportunity to give a brief review of both. I'm running two DACs - a Berkeley Alpha Reference MK II MQA and an Audio Mirror Tubadour IV.

The CD3 has several outputs including I2S which is a nice feature. I have it hooked up to my Berkeley with the AES output and I use the I2S output for the Tubadour. The Teac only has a Coax output so it is more limited if you are running more than one DAC.

The CD3 upsamples 4X (176) which allows your DAC to use a better filter. I run it at the upsampled rate all the time. If you don't use oversampling the CD3 uses dither which obscures the first bit of resolution. This would be fine except that it won't decode an HDCD. I collect HDCDs (I have over 100) and this format is one of the main reasons I bought the Berkeley.

The TEAC will pass the full 16 bit signal at no oversampling so it will allow the Berkelty DAC to decode HDCDs. It will also handle MQA CDs which the Berkeley will also decode. I've bought about a dozen MQA CDs and in some cases they are clearly better than their standard counterparts and in other cases I can't hear much of a difference.

Both transports are a pleasure to use and I expect them to last forever. Replacement drives are available for both but I doubt I'll ever need one. Regarding sound quality, I wish I could say that one is clearly better than the other but I doubt I could tell them apart in a blind test. My digital rig has made it to the endgame stage and everytime I play a well recorded CD I marvel at the sound.

The two DACs have more of an identifyable character than the transports. They are very close and one does not sound clearly better than the other but they are a little different. If I had to only have only one I would keep the Berkeley but I like having both to mess around with.

I bought the CD3 to replace a PSA PerfectWave transport which was a piece of junk. They used the cheapest $15 computer grade drive they could find in a $4000 transport! It felt cheap and I stressed out every time I used it because I was afraid it wouldn't work. I went through 3 drives until PSA wouldn't support the unit anymore. I mention this because the Jay's audio and the TEAC are magnitudes higher quality than the PSA unit for similar or less money.

@baylinor  Thank you for your reply!  I’m very excited to hear that yours has been trouble free and that you’ve been enjoying it so much!  I bought Acoustic Zen’s top coax cable the copper foil Absolute 75ohm 1.5 meter.   I use the AZ Absolute cables throughout my system and have really enjoyed what they do, so I’m hoping the digital coax will be great as well 😊

Thank you for sharing your experiences with me 👍  It helps push me in the Jay’s direction.

Best wishes,

Don

@jackd  Thank you for your reply!  It’s great to hear that you love both of the Jay’s transports even though you feel the CDT3 is better. 
 

Would you be able to share with us what you like better sonically about the CDT3 over the CDT2?  
 

Thank you for sharing your experiences with me!

Best wishes,

Don

@iflyhd Thank you for your reply!   It’s awesome to hear that you feel the black finish is great!   I think I will also choose the black as well.  
 

You had mentioned that even though the I2S works great, you actually prefer the aes output.  I’m curious if you had an opportunity to try the coax output?

Do you think that the quality of the cable is possibly more important than the actual digital output being used?  I’m just wondering 🤔 

Thanks again for sharing your experiences with me!

Best wishes,

Don

@mbmi Hello and thank you for your reply.  I’m curious why you say to go for the CEC TL-5?

Have you compared the CEC with the Jay’s Audio transport?

What is it about the CEC that betters the Jay’s?

How do they differ sonically?

I actually am very open minded and I genuinely want to understand everyone’s opinions. 
 

Thank you and best wishes,

Don

@8th-note I love your moniker 👍

 I truly appreciate your comprehensive reply!

It's interesting that you described the black finish as having a navy blue hue vs charcoal black. I haven’t heard that before. Regardless, as long as the finish is top notch, that’s what I’m looking for.  Does the navy blueish finish look out of place with your other black components?

I loved reading your comparison of the Teac and the Jay’s.  It’s interesting that there is not much of a sound difference between the two and that you find the dac plays a much larger role in the sound quality.  This makes me wonder if there would be much of a sonic improvement of using the Jay’s over me just using my vintage Rotel 955ax cd player as a transport?  I know this might be received as a silly question, but I’m just being honest and I admit that all of this digital stuff is new to me.  
 

Another sincere question… I have ordered a new LTA AERO dac.  It’s a NOS with no filters that I’m aware of.  Will my new Aero dac reap any sonic benefit by using the Jay’s 176 upsampling?

Thank you again for your comprehensive reply and sharing your very valuable thoughts and experiences with me!

Best wishes,

Don
 

I have a PS Audio Perfect Wave Memory Player, which I was able to acquire for a very reasonable cost as a used sale item.

I was quite new to Digital as Source when this Transport was purchased, and can't say how it performs in comparison to other Transports of the reputation discussed in this Thread.

A HiFi Dealership is based approx' 20 miles from my home, who as part of their product line, offers Jay's Audio Transports. I have been tempted on a few occasions to pursue the experience of Jay's Transports but do not see myself as a buyer, so did not want to Tyre Kick. Maybe I should be more open minded and present myself as potential future customer, the impression made from the experience might just create such a mindset.

As for the PW Transport, there is plenty of guidance that is discoverable, that directs an individual to successfully exchange the Transports CD Drive as a DIY Task. Spare CD Drives can be bought for back up for reasonable monies. 

Don....I have not heard the Jay’s Audio unit But I have owned a CEC TL-5 now for almost 3 years.The BELT drive is just like a turntable) I believe it is superior to a direct when it comes to motor noise and rumble. This is the quietest transport I’ve ever heard. Quiet Black backrounds are eerie in the way they present music. There is a magic there!....Just my opinion and I have never had to replace the belt yet. .. They give you an extra one)

I just picked up the Teac VRDS 701t Transport and it is great.    Top loader was a no go for me .  This machine is really nice, easily the best CD spinner I have owned. Solid build , super quiet , and sounds great.  There are only a handful of really good transports that are good and affordable and the Teac is one.  Its not cheap, right around the same as the Jays but definitely should be on anyone's short list.  

@mbmi  Thank you for your reply!  I appreciate you sharing your additional thoughts regarding the CEC transport. I’ve read some great things about CEC.  Oftentimes, people commenting on the “analog” nature of its sound.

Although  I have also read some people feeling that it might soften the transient attacks of the notes and smoothing it out too much. I’d be curious to hear your thoughts on that. 
 

What other transports have you compared with the CEC?

I would say, the Jay’s, CEC and Teac (in no specific order) are the only ones on my radar at the current moment.

Thanks again for sharing your thoughts and experiences with me. 
 

Bedt wishes,

Don

@oddiofyl Thank you for your reply!

I’ve been reading great things about the Teac, both here as well as on other forums.  I’m open to both top loaders and trays, but have heard some feel that the top loaders may be a little more reliable in the long run.  I personally have no idea, but I do know that Teac has a fantastic reputation!

I can honestly say that the Teac is definitely on my short list.  I’ve been basically always a vinyl guy over the last 50 years (and that is not going away for me) so I’m still trying to learn about the digital side of things.

A big thank you to you and everyone for sharing your thoughts, experiences and for helping me learn 😊

Best wishes,

Don

Yes it is true, the CDT2 is a great sounding CDT. But the CDT3 is in fact one of the best sounding sources available at any price. Never thought I'd say that about a Redbook format device, but it is what it is. Speaking as a fellow audiophile we have tried to beat it with many expensive streamers and such but have been unable to. Even with external Master CLK'ing, eg Esoteric, which BTW did improve the device(s) it was connected to but didn't improve the CDT3 IME.

If you're looking for the best sounding CDT, the CDT3 is it IME.

TK of TEKAudioSpecialties

@no_regrets

The combination of the more elaborate power supply and the upgraded drive unit give the CDT 3 Mk 3 a "bigger" sound. Fuller, deeper bass and "meatier" midrange come to mind off the top of my head. The CDT 2 Mk 3 is a great unit and if you don’t listen to it side by side with the CDT 3 in the same system you would be more than happy with it. Also I've tried upsampling with both units and it's just not for me.  I prefer the sound of the original sampling rate. 

There is a Gon Forum Member who has the TEAC VRDS 701t.

In their system it was coupled to a off board Esoteric Clocking Device? The outcome being the pairing transformed the Transports capabilities for an improved end sound substantially.

Not all, will be able to use a Clock as the one mentioned, it is costly, but Clocking Devices are to be found, as well as models that are now with DIY Tweaks that can be added. I am keen to dip my toes into the Waters to learn what can be achieved using the add on Clocks. 

Don.....I spent alot of $$ on a top of the line Marantz unit with a drawer. I've had it in for repair 3 times because the drawer won't open when a cd is in the unit or close ( I have to push the drawer in to close it.) The Top loader for me is the best. It also allows me to put a stabilizing disc on top of the cd and then the supplied "weight" goes on top of that. ( This is something you don't read about very often, but it changes the sound dramatically) ...If you love vinyl, the CEC will suit your taste very nicely. Good Luck to you.

@tekaudiospecialties1 Thank you for your reply!  I'm curious if the CDT2mkIII benefitted from the external clocking device?

Thank you for sharing you experiences with me!

Best wishes,

Don

@jackd Hello and thank you for your reply!  You have the unique experience of having been able to compare both the CDT2 and CDT3 side by side which is invaluable!  Thank you for taking the time to share your impressions with me and the others here.

Obviously, what you have heard are very desirable sonic traits to me.  On the one hand, trying to pony up the additional $2500 to get that is something to be considered and it's nice to know that if a person wasn't able to hear them side by side as you have that it is likely that person may be perfectly happy with the CDT2!

As I have mentioned.  I've been a strictly vinyl guy for roughly 50 years.  The thing that has kept me away from digital is that it oftentimes sounds hard and 2-dimensional to me. The performers have sounded like cardboard cutouts vs live human beings with flesh on the bones, so to speak.  Naturely, it is my hope that digital has improved greatly over the years, but if these are still the sonic attributes, it will be very difficult for me to throw much more money towards this medium.

I've have the LTA Aero Dac on order... should be here in about 3-4 weeks.  It is supposed to sound good for the $4000 outlay, some even say it punches above its weight class.  I have no idea... but I can say the fine folk at LTA are absolutely wonderful to work with!

So, I'm just trying to figure out which dedicated cd transport would be best suited for this dac.  Would the CDT2 be perfect for it?  Is this dac worthy of the CDT3 - meaning will it make much of a sonic difference spending the $5K vs $2500 on the transport?  Or would I need to have a much better dac to reap the benefits?

Also, taking a step backwards... will I notice a huge sonic benefit by having the CDT2 over that of just using my vintage Rotel 955ax cd player as a transport?

Thanks again for sharing you thoughts, experiences and any advice you can give me 

Best wishes,

Don

@pindac   Thank you for your replies!  Yes, I had also noticed said members discussion on another forum as well, regarding the Teac transport.  The external clock that he has used with the Teac cost multiples of that of the transport and just really doesn't make financial sense for someone looking for a relatively affordable cd transport solution.

Granted there must be more affordable clocking devices, but this is all so new to me that I wouldn't have a clue as to where to begin with this.  Ideally, I would just like to have an affordable cd transport that does it all without having to have multiple boxes or to have to spend multiple amounts of money.

Please share with us as you learn more as you continue on your journey!

Best wishes,

Don

@mbmi Thank you again for your reply!  I have also heard that a top loader may be more reliable in the long run and it certainly makes sense to me.  It’s interesting that you mention the stabilization and weight being instrumental in improving the sound as I have heard various Jays Audio owners make similar claims as well.  
 

Thank you for sharing your experiences with me!  I’d love to be able to have a home trial of both the CEC and the Jay’s but I’m not sure that is even an option?

Best wishes,

Don

@no_regrets 

The color difference is very subtle - essentially it is black. You have to see it in bright light to notice any difference in shade. I probably shouldn't have mentioned it but I did in case you are completely OCD about the color of your components. It's not something most people would notice.

Regarding sound differences, you should know that I'm one of those guys who can't hear any difference in interconnects. I'm sure that some people hear large differences between two CD transports but I'm not one of them. I've compared the two transports through the same DAC on multiple occasions and if there is a difference it's not significant to me.

As I mentioned earlier, I have put together my endgame digital rig and there was no doubt in my mind that I was going to buy the CD3 instead of the CD2. I wanted to be comfortable that I had bought the best sanely priced transport I could find. If I had bought the CD2 I didn't want to always wonder if I would have been happier with the CD3. I have over 4000 CDs and I'm committed to the format.  I'm pretty sure it's the last transport I will ever buy (along with the 701T). The Jay's is so nicely made and works so smoothly that it's a pleasure to use. That's a very important factor to me.

Good question regarding the LTA DAC. It's a NOS Ladder DAC which does not use a filter so I would think that oversampling wouldn't make any difference. If you decide to get the CD3 it will be interesting to try it to see if oversampling makes any sonic difference.

@no_regrets I myself have had my own thoughts on the addition of the expensive device used as the Clock.

Where I settled was that there are always going to be add on devices that will be very beneficial, and keeping an eye out for discussions being had that cover such devices that can be acquired for much more reasonable monies will hopefully prove good for the VFM factor.

I am at present picking up on the DIY element of tweaking devices outside of a Warranty Period.

The PS Audio Perfect Wave used with my Bespoke Built Valve DAC, has changed my thoughts about a Digital Source being used forever. I see the Clock side as a investigation worth investigating and maybe could get access to a loaner model at some time.

I know and know of individuals who are modding Mutech MC 3 Models, whose reports are claiming a lot has been achieved on betterment.

A Proprietor of a HiFi Dealership who I do not know, has compared modded Mutech MC 3's to very very expensive Digital Source devices and is certain the Mutech MC 3 modded, is a great VFM venture, and should not be overlooked.

I thoroughly encourage the use of the owned CDT's but as always in Audio Equipment Ownership, the 'What If Moment of Thought' very close to surfacing. There is no harm in learning cost effective ways to further investigate options on sound being produced.  

Hi Don. We didn't try the master CLK with the CDT2 but I assume it might have some slight benefit from it. The CDT3 has about the best CLK already, assume that is why no gain from the master CLK.

In my system I generally use a Gaia DDC, which also sounds very good and has very good CLKs. Usually I feed USB into it from streaming and take I2S out of it. When I play the CDT3 I sometimes run AES into the Gaia and keep the I2S out connection to my DAC.. We can also run the I2S straight from the CDT3 to the DAC. Both ways are great sounding.

And @Jackd, that is exactly right re: the CDT2 vs the CDT3 and was my experience as well. At the end of the day the CDT2 is a great sounding CDT that most everyone would love. Basically it beats most everything except the CDT3. For those who want the absolute best sounding, the CDT3 is the one.

Re: upsampling, it might be a benefit in a system with an NOS DAC. But we generally don't want to double upsample in a system.

TK

Just sharing an anecdotal story, a few years back I needed to audition several Focal speakers. Thankfully we have a Focal/Naim store in my area (great store). But I kinda knew I that I would need to have the best possible source to really hear the speakers could do (and coming from many decades background of Linn/Naim), and the shop was probably using a garden variety streaming setup. Soo I lugged the heavy CDT3 up there, and fortunately the kind sales person was receptive to hearing it.

My hunch proved (very) correct and the sales guy was a bit slack jawed at the magnitude of the improvement vs the streaming they were using. Had I not brought it I probably would have been a bit "meh" on the gamut of the Focal's, but with it, and a few of my fav disks one pr stood out for me in a big way. Couldn't have heard it that way without the CDT3 sourcing and those spkrs are still playing here now in my system :)

TK

@tekaudiospecialties1 

I appreciate your replies!

So the CDT2 and CDT3 utilize different clk’s?

Please forgive my ignorance… I don’t understand when you say “you generally don’t want to double up sample in a system”. The LTA AERO is a NOS Ladder type dac and as far as I am understanding, this dac does not upsample.  So wouldn’t it only be the CDT2 or the CDT3 doing the upsampling?

I loved your anecdotal story, by the way👍

Do you offer in-home trials for the Jay’s transports?

Thank you and best wishes to you!

Don

@no_regrets 

I think what Todd is saying is that if you have the option to do it at both the source and DAC level don't do both. In your case with the Aero your only option to upsample would be with the source so try it and see if you like it. 

I have owned the CDT2 for 4+ years. Mine is black and the finish is excellent. I’m very happy with my purchase. I connects to the original Terminator and the pair are great. 

@jackd Thank you for your post.  What you say makes sense to me.  So, in my case it would only be if the transport would offer the upsampling, which both the CDT2 (via remote) and the CDT3 (via switch on the back panel) do allow.  I appreciate you helping me understand!

@tekaudiospecialties1 Do you offer in home demo' or trials of the Jay Audio transports?

Thank you and best wishes to all,

Don

@sgordoxyz Thank you for your post!  It is excellent to hear that you are getting great results with the CDT2 and you Terminator!  I'm also glad to hear that you are loving the black finish.  After reading all of theses post regarding how nice the black finish is... I will opt for the black as well as it will fit in nicely with the rest of my components.

I'm curious if you have tried the various digital outputs and if you noticed any sonic differences between them?

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experiences with me!

Best wishes,

Don

@no_regrets   Your DAC on order does not have AES/EBU inputs which is a downside for users of that connection. It only has USB, Coaxial and optical. 

Here's mine

I'll be honest the Technics black I like more and the now LTA Aero metal finish is better IMO. Jay isn't bad by any stretch there just a couple manufacturers that do black metal better.

@fthompson251 

Hello and thank you for your reply.  

Yes, you are absolutely correct. Not only is the Aero missing aes, but also the IS2 output that many people enjoy.  

However, even with that being said, the Aero has been highly thought of by many, and it has been said that its sound reproduction punches well above its weight class. 
 

Im thinking I will use the coax for cd playback and the usb from streaming at some point in the future.  
 

Also, at least in my case, digital will be my secondary source of music, so I’m not too worried about not having every available input connection type. 
 

Thank you again for your post 👍

Best wishes,

Don

@no_regrets Yes the Aero doesn't upsample, the Jay CDT 3MK3 does, and the Aero just takes the digital (172.4kHz).

@ja_kub_sz 

Hi! Thank you for helping me understand that only the Jay’s Audio transports do the upsampling and the Aero simply receives that 172khz and does not upsample any further.  
 

I have learned that both the CDT2 (via remote) and the CDT3 (via switch on the back panel) upsample to 172khz 👍

Im curious, I noticed in your photo that you have the Jay’s on a middle shelf.  Does that make it difficult or inconvenient for you when switching out cd’s?

Which Jay’s transport are you using?

How does it sound with the Aero and which digital out are using?

Best wishes,

Don

@ja_kub_sz Noticed you have a Dac 200 sitting there. How do you like it vs the Aero? I like LTA stuff so imagine their Dac is no different. I just added the Teac 701t to go with the Dac 200 and really like it. 

@no_regrets I've been moving gear around and was demoing CD players and transports, so the Jay CDT3/3 was there just because. It'll be too shelf eventually.

Speaking of transports the Teac VRDS 701 is stellar and I have the CG-10 clock and like it more then the Jay. DAC is excellent, preamp functions as well make it a better value.

The DAC200 is great and again preamp functions as well make it a great value all around, but I love above all else sound stage depth and expansive music rendering. The Aero (Tung Sol 1945 6SN7) is excellent. To my ears detail isn't lacking compared to the DAC200, but the sound is much "larger" front to back and side to side, and I'm not embellishing this when I listen to my headphones with the Z10E and Aero, I'm literally looking over my shoulder sometimes hearing an all encompassing and 3D soundstage like nothing else I've heard before. It's just incredible (Meze Empyrean 2 and pure silver cable). The Aero has a little less snap and immediacy compared to the DAC200, but I sold the DAC200 and the Aero is my dedicated headphone DAC.

I just got the Grimm MU2 and waiting the Matrix Audio MS-1. I have the Mola Tambaqui, which I love, but I'm really interested in DAC's as of lately it seems. I want to get my two systems flushed out and then maybe look for tube Monoblocks.

@ja_kub_sz 

Thank you for your comprehensive reply!

That sounds like some impressive praise for the LTA AERO dac!   You’ve got me pretty excited for me to receive it 👍

I also appreciate your comments regarding the Teac and additional clock. Lots of good for thought.  
 

Best wishes,

Don

The TEAC CG 10 Clock is a new one to me to ass to the list. The model has been seen for £800 as a used sale item. I will be looking into this model further.  

Some OCD Mikey input on outboard clocks…I agree 100%

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=S8kAJfbUtqQ