I have the CEC TL 5. It needed something shortly after I got it and Audio Union here in the States serviced and returned it to me in a week. The remote is a cheesy plastic job, but you can buy a heavy aluminum one that is more appropriate. Have not compared it to the Jay's--. I'm more of an LP guy who uses the CD transport as necessary. No complaints, solid unit in my estimation.
CEC Belt Drive CD Transports vs Jay's Audio CD Transports
Hello,
I currently have a new LTA Aero Dac on order. I have a feeling that I will be soon be ordering a new CD Transport to go with the new Dac and am trying to narrow down the options.
I am strongly considering either the Jay's CDT2MK3/CDT3MK3; but would also like to hear more about the CEC TL5 and the CEC TL-2N belt drive transports.
I'm curious if anyone has had the opportunity to compare CEC with the Jay's?
I would love to hear your thoughts and experiences - whether they be good or bad before I decide to pull the trigger.
Thank you and best wishes to you all!
Showing 3 responses by whart
@no_regrets I'm a lousy test case- I used an Oppo briefly as a transport and my CD listening is probably 5% of what I hear- I usually only fire up a CD of something that is impossible to get on LP or is crazy expensive and use it as a basis to decide whether to spend on the LP. You are smart to ask questions of owners, though. Audio Union, the US distributor, has been solid. Fast turnaround, I replaced a belt, simply b/c I hadn't used the thing in a while. It was shipped fast. Ask me about private label jazz on LP and I could probably ramble on. But, here, that's all I got for you. Good luck. I know people respect Esoteric, high end TEAC, but my question is service. Is that an issue or time consuming? I think it is important to have somebody knowledgeable on the ground where you are located. That's been my experience with a lot of gear. |
@no_regrets - yes, I think the CEC sounds better than the Oppo as a transport. I have a principal residence in Texas, so having somebody local to me is good. I really can't help you decide between the two decks. For a long time, I wasn't a digital guy. LPs sounded better. But I learned from archivists how effectively they were able to restore old, lost recordings. And, there are things that are only available on CD or crazy money on LP. So, I added digital to my main system very late in the game. I do have a more modest vintage system that is tied into my home theatre- so I can play SACDs there, but still, I'm basically a vinyl guy. I can't tell you much more. I think you need somebody who has had the CEC and Jay's to give you the answer you are looking for. I tend to buy gear long term, and don't swap out for the next "greatest" thing. Having gear that is enduring and can get fixed easily is key. In the many years I've done this as a hobbyist, I guess I've been lucky-- I have had issues over the years, but nothing that could not be solved quickly and easily. Best of luck in making your choice, |