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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

128x128b_limo
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
No ideas left, except maybe it’s a faulty CXC. As I found the opposite to what you hear between A/Bing streaming and a cd transport.

A real guru on digital hooking up was a guy named Joko Homo a telecommunications genius, who is also an audio nuter, a real pita with attitude that had him banned from many forums including diyAudio. He said bad "jitter" introduced from spdif outputs and/or inputs, and cable impedance, type of connection also the length linking the two, it’s important to get the impedances right of all three or you get digital reflections that cause the "jitter" and manifests itself in sound by softening and rolling off the highs.

Cheers George

mahler123
3,412 posts
 
If you like Bluesound, then just stick with it.  Many people prefer ripped files to files actively extracted from a spinning CD.  I would avoid the Vault2 and just stick with the Node.  That way you won’t lose your files when the Bluesound units die.  Also, if you decide eventually to get a costlier and better sounding streamer than Bluesound you will find it easier to move your files if they aren’t stuck on the Vault.  If your Node does dies after a few years And you really want another you can pay for it with savings achieved by buying the Node instead of the Vault
lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57
5,417 posts
 
Bruce,
I can't understand your findings, although I believe you.
The Node has a small power supply vs. a good sized toroid in the CXC. The transport should be playing back music with authority across the spectrum. Are these two components on the same AC circuit? Are they running through power conditioning?



soix
9,795 posts
 
The only thing I can think of is jitter.  I’d contact Schiit and see if they have any thoughts on what you’re hearing. 
b_limo's avatar
b_limo OP
2,288 posts
 
@lowrider57 , what a coincedance you mention that...

I’m wondering if the power supply on the node is fine with a crap little cord but that the cxc needs better.

I’ve got a crap power strip plugged into a crap a/c outlet (for both the bluesound and the cxc, so no difference).

I’ve got my amp and dacplugged directly into the wall (porter port) with Cullen Crossover snd Cullen Gold PC’s.

I have another Cullen cable coming and also a Pass & Seymour outlet for that other crap outlet...

I stillwould think that stock cords, plugged into a stockoutlet, the cxc should outperform the node.

I’ve tried toslink and coax out of the cxc.  
I would also think that the cxc wouldn’t have more jitter than the bluesound 🤷🏼.

The only 2 things it could be now are insufficient clean power going to the cxc or more jitter in the cxc.

It’s so strange because no one would think that my cxc and gungir multibit sound good, yet I’ve got to believe that domeone else here is thrilled with that set-up.
I’m almost certain though that a good cd player running analogue out into my amp will sound much better than the cxc into my gungir, which shouldn’t be the case at all either.

I’m going to see if I can demo a decent to good cd player tomorrow from one of b&m’s here.


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