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What CD player/transport has the most stable mechanism?

I was wondering if someone out there could help me with this question. What CD player/transport has the most stable mechanism? By that I mean, what player/transport isolates the player from external bumps and vibration?
For years I have owned a SOTA sapphire turntable. Not that I've tried it, but you can drop a bowling bowl on it and not cause a skip. Is there a CD equivalent? No one talks about this, but for me, it's hugely important. I'm asking about vintage equipment, new stuff, cheap, expensive, whatever. BTW, I'm not asking about isolation equipment or racks or anything like that. Just the intrinsic stability of the player itself. Thanks in advance!
hgonzal
folkfreak's avatar
folkfreak
1,349 posts
 
@hgonzal Bear in mind that other manufacturers such as DCS use Teac VRDS drives as well. For example there’s a Paganini just listed today that has the Teac VMK-5 drive. Teac have stopped selling drives to third parties unfortunately so there will be less of these in the future

also think about the DAC you are using this with as all these manufacturers have their own proprietary interfaces that will be superior to plan vanilla connections

Finally additional isolation will help no matter how good the drive.. many DCS and Esoteric users use Herzan platforms under their transports for example
hgonzal OP
5 posts
 
Yeah, I noticed that part about proprietary interfaces.  I understand why they do that, but that's not going to work for me.  BTW, thank you for pointing out belt-drive systems.  I didn't know such a thing existed.  That is exactly why I started this thread, to find out about stuff like that.

I used to be really into this stuff, I remember when Stereophile was just a pamphlet, but I lost interest some time ago.  I listen to music every day, but I'm just not that interested in the gear anymore, at least not enough to keep track of the latest new thing.  It's funny, I think a lot of time people are more into the gear than the music, which is fine of course.  I've always had an interest in astronomy, but mostly it's because I love messing around with mirrors and the other optical components.  It's strangely addictive.


dave_b's avatar
dave_b
3,159 posts
 
The one that doesn't have a drive at all! I've found that ripping my discs to my BSOUND Vault 2 and sending the data via an MIT Magnum Digital Coax to my amp has improved what I thought was already superb sound.  I had a Krell Cipher but the sound now is actually better...sounds like a mike feed from the studio!!
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
What CD player/transport has the most stable mechanism?

Teac Esoteric VRDS can't beat it supports the whole disc.

http://usr.audioasylum.com/images/0/1191/p03_vrds_neo.jpg

Cheers George
hgonzal OP
5 posts
 
Hi dave-b.  I don't have any idea what you just wrote.  It's Greek to me.  BTW, I once worked with a Greek fellow and asked him what they said in that circumstance.  He said Greeks say that's Chinese to me.  I don't know why, but I always found that funny.
Thank you to everyone for their input.  I'm going to check out that Esoteric transport.
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