Is it worth upgrading a CD player?

How much time will it take to upload 7,000 CDs?   That maybe the bigger issue.

@vthokie83 @mitch2 @charles1dad  I an considering the Jays two transports as well.  The digital cable is also important to consider in separates.  Not just any cable will do (unless maybe it's a balanced digital cable).  

The Project transport is only 6 lbs and requires another $800 linear power supply to make it outstanding per reviews.  The Jays looks so good and has the option of an improved clamp, transport springs...for about $400.  The question I have is the quality of Jays regulators, power supply caps, filter caps, etc.  Are they lower quality computer grade or better/top grade audiophile types?   Can they be made better?

I've gone through over a dozen transports for my three $3K to $9K DACs I tried (and kept 1).   I upgraded the caps and regulators in most.  All with IEC power cables (my high end A/C cables).  The Cambridge (sorry) was among the worst.  Maybe the Audiolab is better but an Emotiva CD player (2 and 4 tested) bested the Cambridge by a large margin (latter was thin sounding, minimal bass and minimal depth).  The PS Audio latest transport was also a no-show.  Great concept but not good sounding (bad execution-possibly the fault of the tranport itself).  

I am currently using a very souped up Philips CDM9 transport unit which has new power, filter caps, regulators, etc.  It just sounds great but is long in the tooth, could fail anytime (1 unit had a blown fuse resistor on the power board with floated diodes-trying to repair it).  

I also played with many digital cables.  I ended with Synergistic Research Atmosphere X Euphoria SPDIF/RCA for $1500.  Just great!!!  Ate up all the others.

Second SR cable I've tried (Foundation digital first). 

I don't recommend the Foundation series unless you try it with your system first.  It had a weird frequency response, warm bass, full mids with instruments going in and out, peaky (not shrill) highs with virtually no soundstage/depth.  

@charles1dad Thank you. Have you heard the Jay’s Audio CDT3Mk2 or Mk3? How does it compare with the Project is what I want to know. For a short time, Steve Guttenberg/Youtube preferred the Project to the CDT2Mk2, then did a newer video just extolling the virtues of the CDT2Mk3 as I recall. What is it that would make the CDT3Mk2 or 3 at least equivalent to the Project unit. I could buy either but prefer the sonically better unit. Thanks.

Just saw this Youtube  He states Hi, its a customers drive who has the QStab RST...Projekt with LPS comes close but has no OCXO clock...but its way to expensive...cheers Mike He thinks that the Project is overpriced considering it's cheap power supply which he acknowledged can be upgraded and lack of extra clock.  Still not a clear cut answer.

@charles1dad Thank you for your knowledge. I didn’t know anything about the Project transport mechanism which apparently is used in three high cost (high end) units.

The primary reason that my extreme modified Arcam Delta units sound good is their Philips CDM 9 transports (Jays uses a cheaper version curved CDM 4 for the CDT2 and straight line CDPRO2 LF modified for the CDT3).

It is probably why my living room Kyocera CDP sounds so good with it’s ceramic chassis spacers/guide shafts and sapphire spindle for the transport. Not as good as my separates though.

Have you heard any CDPs that compare at under $10K or above to your system? Such as the Luxman 03X, Accuphase DP450 (or more expensive DP550), Audio Note 4.1 (expensive too), Ayon CD10 or CD 35 II. Could it be better purchasing an equally good or better sounding CDP for $4K to $15K than adding a $5k transport to my system or are symbiotic matched separates (like yours) better in the same price range?

I grew up with analog for over 45 years before serious digital sound consideration. It’s only been 17 years when I bought an EAR Acute that I appreciated CDs (yet I now have 7,000). It’s only been 3 years that I purchased digital separates and this year found a great cable and all round good sounding transport.

@arcticdeth Thank you.  I tried a Pioneer elite dv-59avi as a transport after upgrading caps in 2020.  It was mediocre as a CD player and transport.  Just one of 15+ transports I tried from the PS-Audio down to the Cambridge (Pioneer was slightly above).  

@charles1dad Well, I really appreciate knowing that they are all good choices.  If only I could try them in my system without paying for them first.  The two that have opposite technologies don't bother me and I've known about them.  My Benchmark HDR1 DAC uses asynchronous oversampling which maybe part of way it sounds good once radically upgraded ($400+ in parts alone, regulators at $50 each versus the computer grade 50¢ ones inside).  One thing, the Jays Audio transports are rarely is found used in the U.S. and I could try one and if it didn't fit the bill, I could sell it for less than a $500 loss.  I live in Los Angeles and dealers just don't want to lend out CD players or transports (they rarely have good ones) on a trial basis.  I'd pay for shipping to the East Coast for trial purposes.  My best friend also would like to hear the Luxman 03X for himself as he does not want separates (and has a more limited budget).  

Among my CDs are about 2,000 which are not going to be streamed (1000 Marston, Romophone and Biddulph CDs alone, ethnic and minor label/limited distribution labels).  Same with my LP collection with 5,000+ LPs never to be streamable (or most of my 78s).   Yes, many are cherished CDs.  

My best friend just sent me another transport only unit to consider, the NuPrime CDT-10 for about $2,250 weighing in at 9.9 lbs.

What I find disconcerting is the conversion of the initial data stream is achieved by up-sampling to mega hertz before down converting to one of 13 selectable sampling rates for the CD format to higher sampling rates. Did they just plug in a chip which they programmed to alter sampling rates? This sounds like something is wrong to begin with.

Does anyone have experience with this unit? The ad copy is great, but how good is it musically, compared to Project and Jay’s?

My best friend is interested in purchasing the best sounding CD player for under $4,000.  He considered the Luxman 03X and now the Bryston CDP3.  The latter has a similar or same drive as the Project and the other aforementioned high end CDP from StreamUnlimited.  It is also a CD only dedicated player.  Has anyone heard this player?  He is friends with a Bryston dealer and can buy it for 40% off.  

Yes, I noticed that too but the transport is made by Stream Unlimited.  Bryston states that it is a professional model transport.  I don't know anything else about it, how it compares with the top loaders.  

Just found another high end player using the StreamUnlimited JPL-2800 transport which the Bryston CDP3 uses, the DCS Rossini.  It's not the CD Pro-8:Blue Tiger top loader.  Could it be equally good?  Apparently the Optics and Traverse are the same and it is a Tiger version.  Here are the available details I found:https://www.suos-hifi.com/ and https://www.suos-hifi.com/_files/ugd/a83b4d_bd03da721f94481582667f1ab980f2c5.pdf 

The Punter review of the Jay's Audio CDT3Mk3 specifically states that it achieves superiority with different footers, in his example, the Stillpoints Ultras. SS V2.  I use the SS V1 under my pre-amp/phono-pre and my Bryston Bit-20 isolation transformer.  It is the best under my pre-amp after auditioning over 12 isolation companies devices and the Stillpoints Ultra-minis.  For an extra $900, it appears to be worth the cost for the CDT3Mk3.  

Yes, my pre-amp/phono pre are custom built in an industrial (non-audiophile) box. The builder used soft spiked feet. It resulted in vocals having a covered sound, light a blanket. I already owned two of his pre-amp only units in 2000 and his phono stage. Those chassis were audio build type. So, I tried everything from Magico Qpods (the worst, dark, slow and muddy) to Isoblocks, to original and Ultra mini Stillpoints. Ginkgo, Herbies, Isoacoustics, tungsten carbon balls, etc. I stuck with the Ultra SS as the best for that unit through the years.   That pre-amp sounds better than an EAR 912 which is saying a lot for something handbuilt back in 2000.  It uses 6 subminiature tubes in the pre-amp and 8 in the phono stage.  All voltage regulated.