I'm no engineer, but just from a simplistic standpoint:
The transport has to spin a plastic disc around at high rpm and simultaneously track a laser across the radius of the disc while picking up the information contained therein, translate that information to the zeros and ones you mentioned, and then spit it out in a continuous stream. Just the mechanics of accomplishing that task should give some idea of where there is room for making one better than another. To make those mechanisms stable and accurate would seem to be the name of the game. I have no idea what it takes to do that, but certainly some tranports seem to do better than others. Like all the other connections, the link between transport and DAC can also play a roll, again, just speaking from experience and not from knowledge of how it all actually works. I've used a cheap Tohiba DVD player as a transport on my Muse DAC hooked up by S/PDIF. Comparing it to the dedicated Model 5 transport and propietary connector it is not a subtle difference. The Toshiba was not very engaging, it seemed to suck out all the PRAT..the toes stopped tapping. How's that for vomiting forth some Audiophile rhetoric, eh? Seriously, it does make a difference to my ears.
Marco
The transport has to spin a plastic disc around at high rpm and simultaneously track a laser across the radius of the disc while picking up the information contained therein, translate that information to the zeros and ones you mentioned, and then spit it out in a continuous stream. Just the mechanics of accomplishing that task should give some idea of where there is room for making one better than another. To make those mechanisms stable and accurate would seem to be the name of the game. I have no idea what it takes to do that, but certainly some tranports seem to do better than others. Like all the other connections, the link between transport and DAC can also play a roll, again, just speaking from experience and not from knowledge of how it all actually works. I've used a cheap Tohiba DVD player as a transport on my Muse DAC hooked up by S/PDIF. Comparing it to the dedicated Model 5 transport and propietary connector it is not a subtle difference. The Toshiba was not very engaging, it seemed to suck out all the PRAT..the toes stopped tapping. How's that for vomiting forth some Audiophile rhetoric, eh? Seriously, it does make a difference to my ears.
Marco