CD transports

@jasonbourne52 Keep and use your Luxman CD player as a transport until the laser gets too weak to read a disc.

Hang on. I recently replaced my 14 year old Rega Saturn laser mechanism box type thing (by a qualified tech, he also took the opportunity to fix some flaky solder etc etc) when it started having issues.

Mechanism USD$10 from Ali. That is ten bucks. Note for Rega folk - the most recent Saturn Mk II is a different mechanism from Mk I.

The internal DAC (Wolfson) was pretty decent, but antique. Yeah, 14 years old. Hooked up new Topping E30 external DAC.

Like @mdrone I am most impressed and surprised.. I was also playing with the idea of a dedicated transport. Nah, not anymore.  Not going there for the foreseeable future at least.

Op, if you want to degrade your sound take this advice proffered above:

"Any competently-designed player/transport (including DVD) will work just as well as a high-priced transport. Digital is not like analog where more costly turntables sound better. Bits are bits! The old analog ideas do not apply to digital! I use a secondhand JVC DVD player"

I had been using my moded Oppo 105 (LPS, Furutec IEC with silver tail to the power supply and jumper to bypass the 110/220 switch). I play SACDs direct to my Audio Alchemy DDP-1 + PS 5, but I use a Pangea XLSE digital coax ($169 from AudioAdvisor) to the DDP 1 internal dac for redbook. I have/had a Marantz HD CD-1 as a backup, but recently decided to reinsert it as redbook transport. It is/was quite a it better, but quickly started making a scratching sound. I took it apart and located the problem, but it isn’t a simple fix, requiring a new mechanism @ $150+ shipping. No bueno

I started investigating reasonably priced transports and read the attached review of the Audiolab 6000. I found a slightly used one on Agon (at a great price): it should arrive this Thursday

hth

@facten Op, if you want to degrade your sound take this advice proffered above:

From the OP - 

I recently started running my CD player ( Luxman D380) through my external DAC and have found a significant sonic improvement.

 I'm now tempted to see how my antique Panasonic DVD player goes with an external DAC.