CDP or Transport and DAC? Recomendations?

Have a Audiolab 6000 cdt with a Benchmark DAC 3B. Very pleased. Opened up everything. CD's have never sounded better. DAC with USB sounds GREAT too. Robert TN  30 days free in home trial, made in USA!  Enjoy  Have their line amp also.

SACD is the decider,  I believe the only legal way to get it is with a built in DAC, analogue output, not a pure "transport".  Otherwise separate DAC all the way.  I have SACDs that are the best sound available on my system (e.g. Norah Jones "Come Away With Me") but inferior recording/mixing kills the difference from regular CDs.

old_ears is correct about playing SACD’s, with few exceptions such as PS Audio has a setup that you can play a SACD on their transport and i2s it to their DAC. But the final output is still locked up by a chip.

All the best.

JD

I am a Transport and DAC guy. Always have been.

I do not do any of this ripping stuff but I only have a couple hundred CD's and prefer WAX.

I am an Analog Bot in a digital world.

@curiousjim, ericsch:

Ah-- you didn't see my thread. . . 

I found its diminutive proportions and light weight  a pain in the arse in terms of practical utility it but so far, no-one else has reported the same response. All I can conclude is that my arse must be unusually sensitive for an audiophile ;o) 

I ended up making what was a better choice for me-- bought a Hegel H390, which not only provided a large improvement in resolution but also, dramatically enhanced bass focus/control. I very much doubt a transport upgrade would've provided the latter, which is more important to me than squeezing out the nth degree of detail.  

And now, someone else gets to pick up the RS2 for a better price!