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How important is the transport when using a DAC?

Hello,

I've been thinking lately, if my transport is extreme low-end, is having a nice DAC a waste of time? In other words, if I am using a $60 Sony DVD/CD player to deliver the digital signal through a coax cable to my Arcam r-Dac, is that not doing it justice? Do you recommend I upgrade my transport to better meet the quality of the DAC or does it not matter?

Thanks!
learyscott
krell_man
827 posts
 

I guess that all depends on what and where you want to take your system.

This has been discussed many, many times here, and the answer is always that the transport makes a big difference.

What that means to you, you'll have to decide.

Chuck
hotmailjbc
571 posts
 
maybe borrow a better transport from a friend and spend a sat. afternoon investigating.
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 
Krell man,
Ditto.
branislav
405 posts
 
Well...if there ONE thing you can get away with not having to spend loads of money (unless ultimate musical reproduction is a must), inexpensive transport it is...but experiment with few inexpensive dvd players and you might hear a difference too...
gumbydammit
186 posts
 
I would really welcome someone demonstrate this difference in sound for me. I have yet to hear it.
Many fairly high end CD players used to use 29 dollar computer transports.

Then again, they are selling Cardas Gold CAT5 cable now for music servers...so go figure...
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