Dedicated CD Transport vs DAC

@no_regrets - I can'y give you the whys and wherefores as to why transports may have optimized outputs but for instance my SimAudio 260DT is optimized for AES/EBU. I got that 1st hand from SimAudio. I also read that for instance the top of the line Project is as well; certainly there are others. I don't see how any transport that has multiple outputs limits their market by optimizing one; the rest aren't poor sounding just not optimal.

If anything the LTA Aero potentially doesn't allow users to match it with the best capabilities of a transport because of its limited inputs.

@facten My apologies! I think I may have miss understood what you were saying about the optimization of one output vs the others. Totally my bad.

I was thinking that they optimize just one output; meaning the remaining output’s would not sound good. So, in other words, don’t bother with that transport if you can’t use the optimized output.

Im sorry I misunderstood, but appreciate you helping me understand better!

Yes, the Aero may indeed limit some people due to the relatively few inputs that it has. However, based on what I have heard from it so far, I’m enjoying what it’s doing with the RCA input 👍

Best wishes,

Don

Thanks for your thoughts on the LTA and not surprised it sounds great. I’ve also got a full loom of AZ cables so we’re definitely on the same page there. I also have an LTA MZ2 pre (with upgraded LPS) and know what you mean about their stuff not sounding overly “tubey.” The positive traits are there but just doesn’t scream tubes, which is what I really like about it and exactly why I bought it.

Anyway, I forgot to mention another cheaper option that would be to get DDC to improve the performance of your Rotel rather than buying a whole new transport. I bought a used DDC to try it out and kept it because it produced very significant improvements. Here’s a Denafrips Hermes that I believe you can return if it doesn’t transform the performance of your Rotel — my guess is it would with its excellent OCXO clock. Just another option again FWIW.

https://tmraudio.com/components/d-a-converters/denafrips-hermes-ddc-d-d-converter-4/

Strange the LTA has balanced out but no balanced in. That would be a more optimal choice if it did!

@soix  It would seem that we may have similar tastes with us both having AZ cabling and LTA products 

I appreciate you bringing up the DDC as an option and sharing the link for the Denafrips Hermes with me as well.  I'll have to try and learn more about that as a possible option.

Thanks again and best wishes,

Don