CD Transport

Try to find a Proceed CDD. It is great and is all that the levinson is without the huge price tag. Madrigal uses alot of the same components that the levinson has without the heavy case. Cosmetically not as solid, but still classe A

I am using a Pioneer DV-525 DVD player that I purchased for $200 new and modified myself to further boost its performance. In fact, I have modified a number of these players for audiophiles with great success. I would highly recommend the Pioneer DVD players because they output a true 24/96 signal when reading a source capable of outputting this signal, e.g. Chesky audio DVD's, Classical Records audio DVD's and others. I have been charging $170 for the complete mod - see www.themorque.org/audio/pioneer-dv525 for details - and am currently working on an upgraded internal 5V PS for the digital IC's that I hope will even further boost its performance. The DVD players REALLY do perform amazingly well, likely even better than your old transport. The new DVD players utilize better jitter reduction circuitry and improved lasers to produce amazing results. The mods are really a must IMHO to get the most out of the players for a price still under $500. The current offering from Pioneer is the DV-333 and can be had new retail for $230 at most mass-market electronics stores. If this intersts you, let me know. I am really not pushing for business, I have enough work as it is. I just want people to know just how affordable great audio can be. Take care, Dan W.

Oops, I misspelled the link in the previous post: www.themorgue.org/audio/pioneer-dv525 Dan W.

I'd certainly confirm excellent results using a DVD player - you can get a new Sony DVD-S7700 for under $1K, which has been widely lauded as a transport and as a top-notch DVD player. If 24/96 output is important to you, the Pioneer suggestions are probably better for you, and if the DVD playback is to be used, you probably want to buy a unit with progressive scan output (which the 7700 doesn't have).

I posted a reply to a similiar request last night so you may want to try and find it. I listed several transports I had tried, all of which sell for less than $1,000. My personal favorite is the Parasound CDT 2000 which I purchased new for less than $700. It is not available new any more, but you should be able to find a used one. I would love to try a DVD player as a transport but have not had the time. I would only do so if I could return it. I have read a lot of good things about them but have read about some problems such as noisy tranports, clicking noises between tracks and sound quality which varies from unit to unit. I wonder if Mr. Wright developed his mods, in part, to address some of these issues.