CD Transports a relic or a good option? Aune/AN

It's a little too much to search out a pricey transport as my use has really been by far mostly computer based for a year or more. The size of the AN works well for me....as does the Aune.

I think the Music Vault Diamond using JRiver will really be a rocking nice source with the pro AES/BSU and the recommended inputs on the AMR. I'll post it later when it comes together.

Thanks for the notes

Budburma,

I will be interested to hear how the Music vault with an AES/EBU output works out. I sue a Bryston BDP-1 digital transport to a new PS Audio Direct Stream DAC, using a Stealth Sextet AES/EBU digicable, which produces awe-inspiring sound, but I do like to go back to the CEC every now and then. Like taking a warm bath.

Neal

Hard luck on the loss of your old CD-77.1 Bud. Yeah i've heard that is a musical sounding player. The EAR Acute III is similarly well regarded as a musical sounding valve spinner. I was seriously considering buying one as my temporary player at one stage, but ended up being offered a 6 month old Aesthetix Romulus instead. Sounds like you've got a plan to achieve good sound notwithstanding.

Thanks for the information and suggestions! I picked up an Audio Note One transport....although I still have some thoughts that the Aune/Hifidiy CDPro2 may be better.

@Cable Designer-I have many after market cables and will be using the Stealth Varidig or RAL from the transport to the AMR DP777SE.

@NGlazer-I hear you. I actually picked up a Lessloss Ref for my DAC to be and a Sig for my transport based on your posts. My new server is the MusicVault Diamond with direct studio connects to AES/BSU. Should sound pretty good, but it will be another couple of months before I'll be able to tell. I'll post once I have it all in place, broken in and evaluated.

@Kijanki-That's some serious tech talk a little beyond my ken. I will listen closely though and am thinking my new set up will pay attention to those measurements between which I can hear a difference. The MusicVault diamond obviates USB....on the other hand I have used the iFi cables and iUSB with good sonic success in the past.

@Melbguy1-I had the CD77.1. It is by far the best player I have ever heard. The USB DAC onboard was also phenomenal. My machine was wrecked in transport back from the distributor after repairs and I am waiting on the DP777SE's release as its replacement. I was looking at the EAR Acute III as a one box replacement....it's a long story, but suffice it to say that if I could afford another CD77.1, I would buy it in a second.
Look at the Music Vault for a server. If you are using the CD77 as a DAC, you won't need the diamond as it's upgrade in in the AES/BSU connectivity.
On the other hand, I have a Mojo Audio modded MacMini that is pretty great for USB with the iFi USB system that I will be parting with in the next month or so....

Why not just get an AMR CD-77? I plan on buying a reference CD player in
the next 2-3 months. I am also planning on adding a server transport next
year, and plan to use my cdp as dac for the forseeable future. Servers by
and large are not set up for casual playback of cds. And if friends come
over for a get together, it's good to have a cd player to spin discs, if only for
old times sake. My view may change at some point, but that is too far off to
care.

DVD players have inherent ability of decoding MP3 but play standard CD as it is - without compression. They offer pretty good tracking but got bad rap for sound because their analog output stage was often pretty bad.

Digital cables can add substantial amount of jitter (translates to noise in frequency domain) by reflections (on characteristic impedance boundaries) or by system noise that affects edge transition. High quality transport can often be a curse when they have coax output slew rate in order of few nanoseconds instead of typical 25ns found in common CDPs. Such fast transitions require very careful cable impedance matching. On the other hand fast transition is less susceptible to system noise providing better timing (lower jitter). Optical cable, often much worse when system has noise affecting either transport or DAC but can be a blessing in the system that has ground loops.

They are a good option to have even if you mainly use computer audio. A good transport, e.g., CEC TL-1X, with a good digital cable, will give a warmer, more natural and realistic sound to the music, as opposed to the cold sterile sound produced by much computer audio, especially with USB connections. One man's opinion.

Neal

The main component in CD playback is the DAC which is going to digest the 1's and 0's and transfer that data into analog. The Main function of the CD Transport is the pick-up laser which picks up what is written on the Disc ,the motor mech to spin the CD and the most important part IMO is the DAC is the sampling rate and error correction it has and compensation of the Jitter.

high-quality CD transports—reduce jitter—improve soundstage depth and low-level resolution, contributing to a sense of spaciousness.

It's still a very mind blowing thing what a CDP does,but the quality of those players have gone from bad to worst due to Compression and the GIANT's of industry cutting cost by incorporating everything on the smallest chip Supercomputers can come up with leaving we the diggers of buried treasure searching for the Best transports from days gone by or else spending Zillions to perhaps get to what is as close to CD Nirvana we can afford.

I'd rather have a Grade "A" Transport and forget about that equation for years and test as many DAC's as possible,I still do not know where the Cabling comes onto it as I tend to believe one Optical Cable is not going to differ than another due to the fact that those 1's and 0's due not differ once they have been through the DAC stage. There is no variable I see to contend with after it has gone through that stage,but Cable's will make a big diff when they are dealing with analog signals .

For those who do not think cables make a diff I put forth the scenario that all equipment has a sensitivity just like Digital recordings had when they first went from Vinyl to Silver Platter. Another words if your system(esp.Spkrs.)are sensitive to changes then when you intro something new then it shall have a tonal effect for better or worst.

If your not looking for sensitive equiptment stay with lower graded mass produced Craig,Fisher etc. stuff. I use to tell people that were gonna spend $3K on Car Audio take a CD and Record it onto a Cassette then get into the car and have your girl or whoever change back and forth.You won't be able to tell the diff. Now that does not go for components such as a top of the line player and speakers,but recording and spending to much on Car Audio you can get away with
Another thing is Bass Cables.You don't need Garden Hose to transfer the easiest signal in the Audio spectrum to re-create Bass.You'd need larger cable if you were sending the signal longer than say 5ft..Monster sure is making enough off the fallacy along with BOSE and their bunk idea's.I'll buy a KLH system and save $1000 Thanks,but we all need to feed the dream.

Ag wire cables also don't need cost $1000\ft. to get some really great sound. I am not in the Biz right now so I am just sharing and I hope good things for those little manfactures who sell a good product for an affordable price and the giants who sometimes create a great product to.

Back to CD Redbook Players
I have an old Phillips which can't seem to misread CD's ,but I use an external DAC which is more modern and can translate the 1's and 0's better when translating it into analog.

By the time your 50k DAC reaches your door it is obsolete due to the parts and topology structures figured out by engineers and the latest tools used to create CD Playback. Better components and smarter circuitry along with isolation of what is being read such as .cda

To answer your question "NO"! Separates are best for several reasons and Transports are not a thing if the past IMO. Look at the leading manufactures like Ayre and newer cos. like Shiitz who I bet would not have a good biz if it were not for those who want and can afford the best for their Biz and Hobby.

parameters measured include data error rates, ability to correct (rather than conceal) data errors, and jitter. All are being overcome with each incremental step taken by designers. The closer they come to absolute 0 readings the closer we get to perfection.SO much is being done in the way of Caps, Resistors, Transformers, PS. Designers using high grade parts with Mil tolerances is what I have to see

I cannot believe how many people can be satisfied with mass market DVD Player which incorporate Chips which use the compression of MP3 and make the average buyer lose out on what CD Redbook has along with so-called CD's which were not Re-Mastered into quality Digital formatting. There are artist who go through their catalog and seek out the finest engineers to transfer the Analog tapes into HD Sound. Look at the Supergoups who did it and the Old Classical Recordings which really sound like orchestra's playing under the sea.

In the end it comes down to the Recording Mastering-Separate Units to recreate the sound into analog.

It is best to purchase the Best Transport then every couple of years upgrade the DAC IMO. Lastly I will add synergy between components.

The most sensitive system I ever put together involved using a Passive Preamp as it was and still is a great way of testing individual Cables and audio equipment. I am thinking of getting another system together using one.The BIG downsides is if the Recording is Bad it shall be there in all it's nakedness and finding the right synergy of upstream components.

Hope that helps and hope my memory is right in components in the Audio community. And some of my best friends still love BOSE so I do not leave the room when listening to their components I just smile and laugh at what they have to say as I still love my old Pinto and I can fit more people in it then a Linclon. It can out run a Porsche also when the Porsche has the engine out for an overhaul.

I recently saw a set of say 22ga. Ag wire put in normal Clear Tubing with the asking price $700 I think which is sad as I tried so many different designs and tested many along with exotic plating and Metals until I struck upon combinations which were worthy of being brought to market or which I felt proud of what I produced, One leading manf, could not tell me the difference in the Bells tolls at the 1812 overture as in my testing there are certain recordings I use as Audible Benchmarks.

Many favorite recordings like David Gilmore's Solo LP had a distinct chord and it is really hard for a system to catch each individual chord being struck and not having it muddled.

So when looking for the best make certain it performs particular challengers to what you listen to and measurement are not the whole story.

An example was having a great Krell Intergrated did not work well with my Reference Speakers,but their Monoblocks and Dual Channel Amps did.

When I start my next co, I want to have as many types of speakers along with differing Electronics to watch for synergy condition which may come about.
I look forward to the challenges I once over came and the positive reactions I had by those who owned what I developed. This time I want everything right. Everything made in house including the Connectors.

Good Luck!