DAC and CD Transport Question

The short answer is that the unit you use as a transport, as well as the digital cable you use, will make a difference in the sound quality you hear through the external DAC--how important that difference is to you can only be answered by you after auditioning. By the way, since not all old NADs had them, you will need to make sure that the player you use as a transport has a digital output, and one that is in a format (i.e., coaxial, AES/EBU or optical) that is compatible with your DAC. FWIW, the Rega Apollo, which may be better by itself than running through the Benchmark, is reported to make a superb transport.

You can find a lot of info in the archives about this. My advice is save your money. Buy a Mac Mini or something similar and use its HD as the transport. Find a USB DAC and forget about digital cables. You'll be much happier without the hassles. I wish I'd done it sooner!

Welcome aboard!

Different transports and digital cables can sound completely different.

The differences can be so profound, you really have to hear it for yourself.

That said, many similar transports, DACS, and digital cables do sound similar.

It all depends on the particular sound the designer was going for.

In other words, designers who are attempting to achieve the same sound, with similar designs and parts, do tend to sound more similar.

Hope I didn't confuse you...

gmood1 is correct. I've used an oppo 871 as a transport as well as others, but pc sounds better by a long shot. Use a mac, just about anyone will do (the one I am listening to at the moment is a 7 yr old imac dedicated to my system. The scuttlebut is that you'll have to spend upwards to 10k to better one. If you really need a transport, the $20 cyberhome dvd player beat the pants off of the oppo with a stereovox dig cable...

I recently acquired a Benchmark DAC1, which has a circuit that makes it immune to jitter. Even so, I can hear a small difference when I use my Alesis Masterlink versus Sony 999ES as a transport. Although the Masterlink uses a cheap computer-type CD drive, it actually sounds better with some recordings than the much more-expensive Sony transport. I have no idea what is the source of this difference. It can't be jitter. By the way, the Benchmark DAC1 is the best digital source I've ever heard playing through a Modwright tube preamp.

Excuse me for interupting but...
This is along the same line and has been hinted at .
I understand synergy and was wondering if it applies to transports and DAC's . In other words , does my choice of a dedicated transport dictate what DAC's to consider using with it ?
Thank you .