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older CD transport vs newer ones.

I added a fairly inexpensive CD transport to my DCS Rossini DAC/Clock and am shocked how much better it sounds spinning a disc vs streaming it.  It's not even a close call.  I was thinking of bettering my CD transport and was looking at options such at the Jay's CD transport.  There are also options such as Mark Levinson 31.5 which was a 10K unit in it's day.  Any thoughts on the best way to go?  I get a little worried about one of these older units breaking and not being able to get it fixed.  
128x128ejlif
amadeus888's avatar
amadeus888
21 posts
 
https://www.esoteric.jp/en/technology/vrds_atlas
This is the best transportation in the world that Esoteric only uses for its products. Not even $ 80,000 Dcs Vivaldi can have it since Esoteric won't give him. minimal distortion and the triumph of modern digital engineering. if you find a used k03xd at a good price yoy might give it a try.
edbrux
2 posts
 
Try a Studer D 730 from the 90... that is the best I ever had - Mark Levinson nr. 37 is good but..... not in  the same league. I have both.
A good transport and you don't recognize your CD's.
majorc
78 posts
 
I tried several transports connected to my dac, including a friend's mega $ transport  (can't remember the make/model). I agree with sns: my cd rips played from my computer's hard drive sound better than the cds played from the transports. 
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
my cd rips played from my computer's hard drive sound better than the cds played from the transports.

Sorry that's impossible if the same transport and CD!!!! was used to do the copy with, and both were using the same dac, and exactly the same digital link up to the dac. 

CD!!!'s are not the same here is the one and only album by these guys re-released over time.
 (red compressed) (green uncompressed) 
https://dr.loudness-war.info/album/list/year?artist=Traveling+Wilburys

https://dr.loudness-war.info/album/list/year?artist=Bruce+Springsteen&album=Born+To+Run

Cheers George
 
sns
3,305 posts
 
Don't agree with Georgehifi, tons of info on this very topic all over the place, many reasons why rip could sound better than cd played over transport. Doesn't mean it always will, but its not unusual that it does.
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