Thanks for the suggestions so far. I was hoping to avoid going the music-server route at least for now even though I know it's the wave of the future (if not the present) and may very well give me the quality I'm seeking. Since I'm a former managing partner in a local CD store, I'm still pretty attached to the physical objects, and I think my collection approaches 1200 discs. Also I'm at that point in my life when I'm getting resistant to having to learn whole new technologies. I'm aware of the PS Audio PWT and how good it is (from the reviews, at least) but even in the used market, it's over budget.
Considering buying a CD transport
My current disc spinner is a Cambridge Audio 751BD which I'm now mostly (except for SACDs) using as a transport, as I vastly prefer the sound of my Bryston BDA1 DAC to what comes through the CA. Even through the Bryston DAC, CDs can sound shrill. The CA works extremely well for DVDs, Blu-ray discs and SACDs, but I don't think I'm enjoying my rather extensive CD collection as I should. Would a separate transport make enough difference to be worth considering? I've been reading reviews of the Cyrus CDt which are tempting, but I'd like to hear some real-world opinions first. Unfortunately, there are budgetary constraints, so I would like not to exceed about $2K.
The rest of the system: Hegel H200 integrated, Proac Response D2s, REL S2 sub, Clarus Aqua analog interconnects & speaker cables, Nordost coax.
The rest of the system: Hegel H200 integrated, Proac Response D2s, REL S2 sub, Clarus Aqua analog interconnects & speaker cables, Nordost coax.
Showing 6 responses by cooper52
Thanks again for the opinions and advice. I'm actually pretty fond of my Bryston DAC with its pure class A output circuits. It's a huge step up from the DACs I've had (including a PS Audio DL III with mods). (I may even someday consider a BDA3, as it also has HDMI inputs and DSD capability). The CA universal player is a really good for video, especially with Bryston doing the heavy lifting for sound. That's why I'm thinking transport rather than a CD player--just to lift the sound of CDs that one step higher. The weight of opinion seems to favor PS Audio's PWT, and I'll certainly keep my eyes open for that, but I'm still interested in any opinions about Cyrus (the availability of which seems pretty limited in the US), if anybody's actually experienced one. The reviews are very positive. |
Here’s the present hookup: Nordost digital coax between the CA and the Bryston DAC, Audioart XLR between DAC and amp, plus Clarus Aqua RCAs between the CA and the amp for the express purpose of playing SACDs (the Bryston DAC doesn’t handle DSD). Per your suggestion, Al, I’ve done some experimenting with different combinations of the above, including disconnecting the RCAs. If that made any difference, I couldn’t hear it, but just for fun I did some A/B testing between XLR and RCA (those same Clarus Aquas) connections from DAC to amp, and I suppose it’s no surprise that the XLR won that contest hands-down. Next step, I guess, is to try some other digital cables and see if that has the desired effect. That’s an experiment that has the potential to get pretty expensive. |
Nutty, thanks for the information. I did some poking around and couldn't find any reference to a twin-laser assembly in my 751BD in the owner's manual. The very detailed 6 Moons Audio review (http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/cambridge/1.html) makes no mention of it either, but does briefly refer to the signal being read by a "modified universal Sony drive." One assumes that if it did have such a feature, it would have been loudly touted in the literature. On a different subject, my Wyred4Sound reclocker arrived yesterday and I've had only a little time to listen to what it does. First impressions are extremely favorable though. I'll detail this in a separate thread in the next few days, after some more thorough listening. |
That promised review of the Wyred4Sound reclocker is now posted in the Member Reviews section. It's been up for a while now, and it does contain a bit of misinformation (sorry!) that I acknowledge in the subsequent discussion, but as it stands, this little gadget has, for now, put my search for a new transport on the back burner. |