Bang For Your Buck Best Value CD Transport

I have always felt that the Theta Data Basic II transport was a great value. I think used they are going for about $600. Has both SPIDF and AES/EBU outputs.

I tried my cheap little Pioneer DVD 563A as a transport with my DAC...(just for the heck of it really). Strange when something so cheap does something so well...it doesn't stand out at anything else it does?

Dave

I had the Northstar Model 192 DAC for about 1 year and never had any problems with it. It is an excellent performer and value. The used price varies but mine was around $950. It is extremely versatile with inputs and outputs.

I have tried using the Pioneer 563A as a transport and thought it was less than decent compared directly to a Panasonic RP91. Admittedly, the RP91 was a lot more expensive, but it wasn't even close.

If you are into modded stuff, I am a big fan of the Empirical Audio transport mods to the Sony S7700. I use this one as my reference transport with a Dodson DA-218 DAC. Have compared it to transports from Mark Levinson, 47 Labs, Esoteric, and have found it to be "in the ballpark" with all of these.

Hi Phil

Sure, it is very good at $150 retail though...at least in my system. It beats a $1,200 retail and $500 retail units I tried before it IMO.

He did say...bang for buck. The Empirical audio mods plus the price of the Sony are what?.

Dave