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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
lalitk's avatar
lalitk
5,516 posts
 

@wharfy 

Very interesting analogy! I am not surprised by the outcome of using CD6SE in your system, given the synergy with other ARC pieces. Looking forward to your impressions with other players. And thanks for sharing the art, I loved them both! 

charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 

David,

I have returned to look at those pictures of art several times now. The Vermeer painting is more detailed, vivid and nuanced. The Singer Sargent is also appealing but more subtle and suggestive of mood perhaps. Hey, I’m no art critic for sure. Thanks for the artistic introduction.

Charles

jetter
3,033 posts
 

Regarding the ARC CD6SE, are replacement lasers available from ARC or eBay/other, or is it destined to be an expensive boat anchor when the current laser goes bye bye?

ghdprentice
7,004 posts
 

OP,

 

Thanks for your impressions. I use my Ref CD as a DAC 99% of the time streaming with my Aurrender. The higher resolution of much of the material from Qubuz sounds better and the CD is there as a backup in case the network goes down.

wharfy's avatar
wharfy OP
327 posts
 

@charles1dad 

I would agree with your assessments of Vermeer and Sargent. You have a good eye!

I agree about Lee Morgan. I always "liked" him. Sidewinder was one of my first jazz purchases. And then one afternoon I was listening to Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers-First Flight to Tokyo: The Lost 1961 Recordings on an Art Blakey birthday celebration radio broadcast (WKCR). I was blown away by the trumpeter-Lee Morgan. Deeper listening helped, me really appreciate his expressive lyricism. "Here's Lee Morgan" is a terrific CD. Morgan as a 21 year old is playing with Morgan with Clifford Jordan, Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers and Art Blakey. 

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