CD transports; do they really matter

They absolutely make a difference!

I have tried four options and can hear the difference between all four when used as a transport feeding my Bel Canto E1x integrated amp/dac -

Bel Canto CD-3T CD transport (best sounding)

Marantz SA-K1 Ruby SACD player (next best)

Oppo BDP 103 BluRay player

Yamaha CD-S1000 SACD player

@mdrone 

You initiated this thread with a sincere question and naturally you can expect a range of different replies/opinions. However I feel that although well meaning, people posting saying transports do not much matter are really doing a disservice to the inquiring OP. I can't think of a single example where a cheap CD Rom based unit sounds anywhere near as good as a well engineered, high quality and well implemented CD transport. 

If someone can cite an actual example I'd love to know what it is.

Charles

I would have to agree that all transports are not created equal. Take in consideration that a CD spins at nearly 500 rpms at the center of the disc and decreases to appx 200 rpms at the circumference producing a constant linear velocisty. No easy feat. In addition very high EMI/FRI and Jitter build up at the Digital output and input jacks. Some use Ferrite Chokes to remedy this. The better players treat their digital outputs as a forethought rater an afterthought. Some Engineer (Naim) hand wire their digital out circuitry as closely as possible to the output Jack’s. Cut down on any long internal circuitry runs to reduce jitter/noise.

Niam uses a CD magnetic puck to hold the disc in place and hand wires their output circuitry very closely to the digital in/output conditions.

N

I always tried to separate components in order to free to improve step by step my beloved music system. The DAC is becoming as much as important as the Preamp: let's say that DAC is a sort of Digital Preamp: I have an Esoteric D03 with 2 different digital sources: CD (Esoteric P03) and Streamer / Internet Radio Auralic Aries 2.1.

I'm thinking to connect my PC and watch stream video files (HD monitor) and pass the digital signal to the DAC then to my preamp. How many input an integrated CD/DAC machine could have?

In my opinion it is matter of flexibility other than quality etc.

I distribute CEC.

Jitter is going to be the lowest with a belt drive transport. The noise level will be lower with a belt drive because the motor is farther away from the noise sensitive laser head. Suspension system of the transport, you usually can not see the suspension system if there is one, are important to keep the noise down. It turns out CD playback is sensitive to vibrations. The lower the vibration sensitivity of laser head / disk turntable, the lower the noise in the data stream to a DAC.

Turns out the basic design of the transport makes a difference to the playback of a CD. Belt drives will always outperform a direct drive transport in my opinion as an engineer.