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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
ghdprentice
6,879 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
316 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. 

wharfy's avatar
wharfy OP
316 posts
 

@jetter 

Good question. I should check as I am considering purchasing the CD player.

@ghdprentice 

I can see that. The DAC on the CD 6SE is terrific. I haven't made the effort, yet, to listen to HI REZ. I have TIDAL, which has MQA. People on A' Gon boards regularly have back and forths about the superiority of Qobuz and TIDAL. 

charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 

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

David, you are a kind gentleman .😊

Lee Morgan and Jackie McLean did some collaborations on the early 1960s “Blue Note”. However knowing you it’s likely  you are probably already aware of these recordings. They work very well together.

Charles

jetter
3,033 posts
 

ghdprentice brings up a great point I hadn't considered in mentioning using it mostly for its DAC.  It would be nice though to have a spare laser assembly in a cabinet somewhere.   Just like I will now buy a spare remote for my electronics to have on hand as spares.

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