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Resolving CD Transports Crowd Sourcing

Hi everyone! A couple of years ago I purchased my endgame CD transport- a Pro-Ject CD Box RS2T. Loved almost everything about the unit--highly resolving presentation, dead quiet background, balanced placement of instruments in a believable 3 dimensional soundstage, and  the synergy it had with my components. In fact I loved the transport so much I had two of them because Pro-Ject quality control and customer service is the pits. After almost a year of hassles, I'm swearing of Pro-Ject.

I'm in the market for a replacement CD transport that has the same qualities of the Pro-Ject minus the quality issues and customer service.

PS Audio, Jay's Audio, CEC, Audio Research (which are CD/DAC units) come up in my search. What are your thoughts? With all the bells and whistles the Pro-Ject was around $3300, so that gives you an idea of my budget, though I could go higher.

Thanks in advance!

128x128wharfy
wharfy's avatar
wharfy OP
241 posts
 

Transport search update-Will be auditioning an Audio Research CD6SE this coming weekend. While I have been specifically focusing on transports, the CD6SE has an onboard DAC utilizing PCM1792 dac chips (which are Delta Sigma), that can stream my Aurender N200. I It is a top loading CD player using a CDPro2R drive. I already have an ARC power amp and line stage and the ARC house sound leans towards neutrality with a bit of tube warmth.

 

jl35
3,713 posts
 

CD6SE is a great machine...

ghdprentice
5,655 posts
 

I happily own a Audio Research Ref CD9SE. An absolutely wonderful DAC and CDPlayer. I compared it with a Berkeley Reference Alpha DAC ($22K) for a couple weeks and the difference was miniscule… the ARC was a tiny warmer and the Berkeley a tiny more detailed. I was prepared to buy the Berkeley… but surprisingly the ARC sounded better to me. 

charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,191 posts
 

@wharfy 

Transport search update-Will be auditioning an Audio Research CD6SE this coming weekend

Terrific!

Looking forward to your  listening evaluation thoughts.

Charles 

scottya118
123 posts
 

Just chiming in as another former Sim 260D owner who had transport issues.

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