CD Player/Transport Recommendation?


Hi all,
I'm looking for a used player/transport for my Krell HTS/KAV-1500/Thiel 3.6 theater/stereo system. I'm currently using a Rotel 965BX as a transport into the HTS digital, but I consider the Rotel to be the weak link. I'm considering the analog bypass option on the HTS when it becomes available. How much would I gain with a better player? or transport? or player with analog volume directly into the amp and forget the bypass? I live about 5 hours from the big city, so I don't get to audition much equipment. Any suggestions and/or equipment recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
railaudio
Well if you have the money I suggest going for a Mark Levinson No. 37 !!!! I have had a Toshiba DVD/Cd player , a Theta basic , and a Proceed transport in my system and the No. 37 just blows them away so much that it is not even funny !!!! The Levinson is like a Turbo Porsche 911 for your system , you do not know what you are missing till you test drive one !!!!!!!! JB
Joe, THANK YOU for posting that info. My brother had been looking for either the Parasound 2000 ( player or transport ) to feed his EVS DAC for a while now with no luck. The used ones were typically more money than what they want for these units, which do come with a warranty.

Others may take note that i too posted info about Yahoo Shopping on another thread about PLC's. There are some REAL bargains to be had by using this search engine on the Yahoo website. Another nice thing about this is that many of the dealers that participate in the Yahoo program are actually rated by previous customers, so you can see what others think of their service BEFORE finding out for yourself.

When doing a search on Yahoo Shopping, you might not come up with the exact item that you are looking for, but it is the same brand. I've found that if you check some of the dealers websites that have posted that brand of product, you MAY find the item that you are looking for. In other words, even though it may not be a direct match, you may be able to find an astounding deal. It simply requires doing just a bit more than digging on the surface. Sean
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I stumbled onto this the other day.
If you search the web (try yahoo shopping) for an outfit called the "Refurb Warehouse" you should be able to find where they have a closeout special on B stock Parasound CBD 2000 cd player/transport for $600. While I have not heard this particular unit, I own an earlier version of it which is a transport only. I have tried several transports priced under $2k and the only one that I have found will give the Parasound competition is a Theta Data Basic.
Rail- Certainly, an improvement in your transport will be beneficial. However, the transport system needs to be consider in total: this includes the platform/isolation equipment, the transport itself, power cord/conditioning, and the interconnecting cable. You might find that a better platform (perfectly leveled) can give you the extra improvement you're looking for. However, for audio, a dedicated CD player is probably your best approach. I've found that few DVD players are really up to the task, and those that are, aren't inexpensive. Check out a used Cary 303, or better yet, a used Electrocompaniet EMC-1 or Audio Aero CDP if the budget fits. If you were still inclined to use the DACs in the Krell, then look into a used Sony XA7ES. I've tried the Sony 7000 and the 7700 as a CD transport, and they weren't even close to the Sony XA7ES as a CD transport. Just MHO. Good luck.
I agree with tacs. Probably best to use a DVD transport or player if you are planning on havoing one system for Ht and Audio. However, there are some audible improvements to be had with a better quality transport. Couple of suggestions, Theta carmen or david transports available used for $1200-$2500. They would match well with your Krells digital inputs. Good luck with your search.
Why not use a DVD player as your transport, say a Sony 7000 or 7700, both very reasonable on the used market, both very good CD transports, and of course double as CD players. However, I would not expect a vast difference in sound quality. Cheers