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If the DAC is the same, how different do CD transports sound?

One interesting topic of discussion here is how audible the differences are between CD players when they are used as transports only — or when they are only transports to begin with.

In other words, in a comparison which keeps the DAC the same, how much difference can be heard between CD transports?

This recent video by Harley Lovegrove of Pearl Acoustics provides one test of this question. It may not be the ultimate test, but he does describe the experimental conditions and informations about the qualifications of the listeners.

He comes to the main conclusion here: https://youtu.be/TAOLGsS27R0?t=1079

The whole video is worth watching, I think.

hilde45

Showing 2 responses by newbee

newbee
4,794 posts
 

jasonbourne, Why don't you tell us exactly how you do your blind a/b testing, including all of the details of set up etc? Then we could copy your methodology  and see if we agree with your conclusions. 

newbee
4,794 posts
 

I’m a little late on this thread, but going back to OP’s original question -

I have been using a dedicated transport to drive a DAC. I got out an old(er) CDP of the tubed variety, but I drove the DAC with the digital output which bypasses the tube section (of course!). The difference was substantial which kinda surprised me as the dedicated transport gets high reviews for a, relatively, inexpensive transport. The dedicated transport (an Audiolab) had a very good but somewhat clinical sound, whereas the CDP (a Raysonic) sounded like it had tubes (but it didn’t, they were removed), a much smoother, full bodied sound. The signifies not much except it certainly displayed a clear difference.  I much prefer the old CDP for the CD I was playing, an older, laid back, jazz piano piece . I guess it pays to keep an open mind on this subject. 

Oh, FWIW, all wires were the same for both units.

 

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