BEST CD TRANSPORT

This is a question that actually deserves more consideration in this era of streamers. In short, I have always found physical media (cds / sacds) played directly on a physical drive superior. But, unfortunately, the era of the CD transport is pretty much dead.

With that said, I have used 20+ transports in my system over the years, and a baseline question is always "what DAC"? Many Dac / transport systems are designed specifically to be used together. For example, I would never use an EMM transport with a non-EMM Dac.

If I had to pick a best "non-DAC specific" transport, it would be some variation of the CEC TL-0 - it was so far ahead of its time when it first came out in 1992 or so its not funny. The next best in my experience- and highly underrated - was the Altis Centauri. I would easily pay 50% more than what I sold it for to buy one back again. For transports I have not heard in my system but experienced at shows, the Metronome Kallista ranks tops.

But if you want to get into transports designed with specific DACs in mind, the best I have heard are the Stahl Tek, the MSB Signature, and the CH Precision.

bigkidz

PM sent.   Happy Listening!

Charles 1DAD, Is spot on with the RS2T transport.  I have 2 systems,  the smaller and less expensive one uses a Audiolab 6000CDT and sounds great with an Benchmark 3B DAC. The more expensive one uses The RS2T with a Meitner Ma1 V2 Dac  and sounds superb. It is of course much more money.

    All the transports mentioned, as Charles stated are very good and no one would be disappointed to own any one of them. But, for the money You'll be hard pressed to come close to the RS2T in sound. I have also added A LTA audio LPS. All I listen to is R&R at about 90db , and always leave smiling. Of course,  a couple of glasses of Buffalo Trace  never hurts. Robert TN

The MSB Signature Data CD transport has two features which make it an outstanding transport. The first one works with all the outputs. While playing a disc it is actually ripping it, storing it on cache and then it plays it back. The second one works only with an MSB dac. Using the i2S output, the transport will be synced to the dac’s internal clock. You can hear the laser turning on and off and in a dark room see it doing it.