What is the best transport?

From my experience, if a computer system is properly configured, it's always superior to a CD transport.

- Asus MoBo with Z77 chipset and a quad core 3-rd gen i5 that has NO built in graphics to contaminate the memory/controller.

- 32GB RAM.

- 3TB mirroring Hitachi HDDs.

- Plextor and Samsung SSDs.

- PCIx to USB3.0 converter using the latest Renesas chip.

- Fanless Asus video card.

- External custom-made, all-linear power supply with 12V, 5V and 3.3V outputs.

- Win 8 (x64) with all available "audio tweaks" + Fidelizer running.

- JRiver MC19, Foobar, JPLAY audio players.

Whoever auditions it says they've never heard a computer sounding so good.

Still my DTR-M digital transport beats it in terms of richer and more analog presentation, totally lacking mechanical sound, and much similar to my reference Kuzma/Dynavector vinyl rig.

This is the case with both PCM (CD) and DSD (SACD) formats.

Hope this helps!

Best wishes,
Alex Peychev
APL Hi-Fi

you missed my point with the analogy.

I understand your point/analogy and it's flawed IMO.

Blanket proclamations aren't persuasive, just another personal opinion.

I guess you missed the part "From my experience ..."?

For the sake of discussion, let's say I agree one cannot rip a bit perfect CD copy (There are protocol, error handling and checksum so it will read and re-read until it succeeds. CS 101).

If can't succeed in a batch ripping process, what are the odds of succeeding in REAL TIME with CD transport and a 5 to 10 seconds window DAC buffer? So with CD transport, it never processes a Xerox copy of the CD? Data just dropped? GIGO?

CD is probably the worst medium to use in Real time compare to other mediums such as HDD, SSD ... Some CD transports realize this problem so it buffers a track before play. Checkout Lamporizator website, Lukas published statistics accessing different mediums and it's very interesting.

Dvavc, I'm not a customer of Audiogoner but base on his post, he knows his stuff. I've yet to hear anything negative regarding his products. Plus if you ever need service, no need to issue an international man hunt to find him. GL!

Alex, if you really want to hear whats possible from your computer upgrade to Windows Server 2012 and implement the Audiophile Optimizer. The Fidelizer just gives you a hint of what's possible.

When all is said and done audio decisions are (should be) based on actual
listening as opposed to theoretical predictions. So with my ear-brain
processing I simply don't hear the superiority of computers. I understand
other listeners have drawn different conclusions from mine, so it goes with
subjective circumstances. I'm glad we have choices.
Charles,

Hi Hew, thanks for the tip!

Will try this and report back.

BR,
Alex Peychev