Using my Bryston BOT as a CD transport clearly bests my Bluesound into the same DAC
CD Transport VS Streamer
I recently purchased, and returned an Audiolab CDT 6000, because compared to my Bluesound Node 2i, the highs were rolled off and the bass wasn’t as strong. Im comparing 16/44 tracks to a cd. I figured it was just the Audiolab CDT 6000 so I returned it and bought a Cambridge CXC instead. Well, it appears that the CXC is doing the same.
To clarify, I am using the same dac and the same digital coaxial cable. I am actually unplugging the digital cord from one device and then plugging it into the other.
The high hats and cymbals seem pretty set back and harder to define on the transports vs the bluesound. The bass isn’t quite as full on the transport either.
I don’t think I would have ever thought that the CDT or the CXC sounded inferior until I switched back to the bluesound and noticed a difference. The bluesound really puts forth these high frequencies and allows me to really hear high hats and cymbals as well as putting a pleasant sheen on vocals. The bass is slightly fuller on the bluesound as well. The sound through the CDT and the CXC is slightly dull.
This is a bit disheartening because I figured that a $600 transport playing hard copies of an album should match if not surpass a $500 streamer / dac playing files from wifi.
Has anyone else experienced this? Im to the point where I’m questioning if the transport needs to be burned in or if It is possible that streamed files (cd quality, not high res) just actually sound better than cd’s.
My only reason for buying a transport and buying cd’s is because I don’t want to be reliant on an internet connection or my phone, in order to listen to music. If my internet goes down while in a listening session or if I ever lost my phone for an evening, I’d have no music. But, and this is a big BUT, I don’t want to spend $600 on a transport and hundreds on CD’s in order to end up with something that sounds inferior to a $500 streamer streaming music.
Any shared experiences with this will be helpful so Thank You ahead of time!
-Bruce
To clarify, I am using the same dac and the same digital coaxial cable. I am actually unplugging the digital cord from one device and then plugging it into the other.
The high hats and cymbals seem pretty set back and harder to define on the transports vs the bluesound. The bass isn’t quite as full on the transport either.
I don’t think I would have ever thought that the CDT or the CXC sounded inferior until I switched back to the bluesound and noticed a difference. The bluesound really puts forth these high frequencies and allows me to really hear high hats and cymbals as well as putting a pleasant sheen on vocals. The bass is slightly fuller on the bluesound as well. The sound through the CDT and the CXC is slightly dull.
This is a bit disheartening because I figured that a $600 transport playing hard copies of an album should match if not surpass a $500 streamer / dac playing files from wifi.
Has anyone else experienced this? Im to the point where I’m questioning if the transport needs to be burned in or if It is possible that streamed files (cd quality, not high res) just actually sound better than cd’s.
My only reason for buying a transport and buying cd’s is because I don’t want to be reliant on an internet connection or my phone, in order to listen to music. If my internet goes down while in a listening session or if I ever lost my phone for an evening, I’d have no music. But, and this is a big BUT, I don’t want to spend $600 on a transport and hundreds on CD’s in order to end up with something that sounds inferior to a $500 streamer streaming music.
Any shared experiences with this will be helpful so Thank You ahead of time!
-Bruce
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- 30 posts total
Thanks everyone! I know, the transport should better the bluesound, thats why I’m at a loss here. Do you think this cxc just needs to burn in? I’m thinking about the vault. Is it a streamer as well? Whats the best way to rip files to the vault? I’m going to let the cxc play constantly for the next 2-3 days and see if it opens up on top. George, I was comparing the innards of the CDT to the CXC. To my untrained eye, they look comparable. What are you seeing / whats your oppinion. The CDT felt slightly better. The case feels more solid and the buttons feel of higher quality. None of that matters much, what matters is the sound, but from memory, they sound very similar and the CDT is $200 less. I had also considered moving up to the next level with regards to the transport but I’d more than likely have to buy used which scares me a bit with a transport. |
Do you think this cxc just needs to burn inQuality of the digital link cable maybe. George, I was comparing the innards of the CDT to the CXCAudiolabs insides, just a slot load "DVD rom drive" and no special servo's like the CXC says it's got. https://www.novusaudio.nl/files/merken/audiolab/audiolab-6000cdt/audiolab-6000-cdt-binnekant.jpg Cambridge CXC insides dedicated CD drive, and Cambridge's "special" servo? https://jam-media.com.ua/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Cambridge-Audio-CXC-3.jpg Cheers George |
@georgehifi, so what I’m hearing you say is the cxc is a better transport? I was thinking about the digital coax cable as well. In my comparison between the node and the cxc I am using the same cable... I’d like to be able to get this sorted out on the cxc and keep it but if I can’t get it to match the bluesound I might return it. I will let it burn in some more. I have an upgraded pc coming from Patrick Cullen soon so with that, some burn in time and perhaps a different coax cable maybe I can get those highs to pop. Do you have any recommendations on a coax cord that will be more revealing? I am currently using a signal cable silver resolution... |
- 30 posts total