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Resolving CD Transports Crowd Sourcing

Hi everyone! A couple of years ago I purchased my endgame CD transport- a Pro-Ject CD Box RS2T. Loved almost everything about the unit--highly resolving presentation, dead quiet background, balanced placement of instruments in a believable 3 dimensional soundstage, and  the synergy it had with my components. In fact I loved the transport so much I had two of them because Pro-Ject quality control and customer service is the pits. After almost a year of hassles, I'm swearing of Pro-Ject.

I'm in the market for a replacement CD transport that has the same qualities of the Pro-Ject minus the quality issues and customer service.

PS Audio, Jay's Audio, CEC, Audio Research (which are CD/DAC units) come up in my search. What are your thoughts? With all the bells and whistles the Pro-Ject was around $3300, so that gives you an idea of my budget, though I could go higher.

Thanks in advance!

128x128wharfy
facten
2,882 posts
 

@wharfy  - Sorry that you didn't get a thumbs up from them, but glad that you at least got their honest responses.

charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 

@wharfy 

Onward and upward. Waiting for the Urd and Teac 701T to be released. Am going to give them attentive auditions

Agreed!!

Pro-Ject RS2T is a home run sonically but let down by questionable management actions/decisions. Onward indeed. David I am looking forward to your listening impressions of the Schitt and the TEAC transports. Sonically the ARC CD6 SE and RS2T have set the bar high.

Charles

ja_kub_sz's avatar
ja_kub_sz
273 posts
 

https://imgur.com/a/on2stS3

Just a follow up. So I have in house the Jay Audio CDT MK3 and their new Clock 2.

Head to head against the Teac VRDS and clock (as transports). I’ve listened to the Jay in 24bit/176kHz upsampling and native 16bit/44.1kHz of the Teac and these two transports are excellent, but honestly the Jay can sound ever so slightly etched with certain high frequency sounds. Vocals more present and up front with the Jay, bass more weighted and palpable with the Teac, both extremely detailed. Maybe ever so slightly more depth with the Jay do to vocals being more forward, but the Teac is just that good. Maybe even better considering there isn’t anything that sounds strident on it. My speakers are the Focal Sopra 3 and Mola Mola Tambaqui DAC with Riviera Levante IA.

Teac VRDS 701 CDP and CG-10 Clock coming in at $3,800 + $1,800, Jay CDT3 MK3 with Clock 2 at $5,000 + $700. So both essentially the same price.

I honestly have to give my overall nod to the Teac yet again, however the Jay Clock-2 is a better value. If you want to try a diffenr clock with the Teac (cheaper) keep in mind you need a 50ohm clock and cabling to make it all work, which is harder to come by, then say a 75ohm clock.

Just a recap

Teac Pros
Tray load
DAC, CDT, Digital Inputs, Preamp
Better low frequency control and weight
Trigger functions
Better value

Jay Pros:
Tank build
Better Visibility for the screen
Upsampling (best with R2R or smoother more rolled off DAC IMO)
More vocal presence

https://imgur.com/a/on2stS3

ja_kub_sz's avatar
ja_kub_sz
273 posts
 

JAY CDTMK3 and TEAC VRDS 701 https://imgur.com/a/on2stS3

Again been playing duplicate CD's and just sinking and volume matching them both switching between the Teac and Jay. They’re both excellent, but I’m gonna keep the Teac.

charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 

@ja_kub_sz 

Congratulations!!!

Appreciate your time and effort to share your listening comparisons.

Charles

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