Jays Audio cdt2 mk3 burn in and user experiences


I got one to replace my Audiolab 6000cdt that was scratching discs. The Jays was disappointing sounding out of the box, wondering if I had made a good choice, the Audiolab sounded better at that point but after 24 hours the Jays is sounding much better. Jays Audio recommends burning it in for 400 hours, what is your experience with burn in? Just using the rca dig out right now. Wondering about the upgraded cd clamp. Anything else to know?

dafox

The whole process of burn is in concern to all of the electronics within the unit itself.  Not just the crystal oven. Burn in has been a controversial subject for many people…but I have heard improvements first hand time and time again. If a respected audio manufacturer recommends it to their customers why not give it a fair shake! You can let a transport run 24/7 to log hours for the burn in process. That will only take 3 weeks not 1/2 a year…

As quoted from above...

"The Mk 3 is using a SC OXCO, which is to be found in off board Master Clocks.

The SC Crystal is housed in a casing referred to as the OXCO ( Oven Controlled Crystal Oscillators ). Oven Controlled being the regulator to keep the SC Crystal at a optimum Temperature."

Maybe I'm misunderstanding what is being said above?  If the OXCO is Oven Controlled by the use of a regulator; shouldn't that keep the crystal at the optimum temperature?  Therefore, why would it take up to 500 hours to "burn in"

If someone were to average 3 hours of listening consistently every day; 500 hours of burn-in would take almost a 1/2 year!  That just really seems like a really long time to me.

Hence my honest question... does it really take a 1/2 year for the Jay's to "break-in" or is it possible that it takes our ears that long to acclimate to whatever the Jay's is doing to the final sound and therefore the Jay's really isn't changing that much from the get go?

Best wishes,

Don

 

The Mk 3 is using a SC OXCO, which is to be found in off board Master Clocks.

The SC Crystal is housed in a casing referred to as the OXCO ( Oven Controlled Crystal Oscillators ). Oven Controlled being the regulator to keep the SC Crystal at a optimum Temperature.

The output frequency fluctuates from the optimal operating at 10MHz when the Ambient Temperature the Crystal is exposed to has changed. The SC Crystal is the most stable of Crystal Cuts when exposed to Temperature Fluctuation.

I would imagine, not the best way to describe what is occurring during burn in, that as the OXCO has been exposed to an extended period of consistent temperature. The advantages of this environment being in place in conjunction with other components having a period of current run through them, will become discernible as an end sound, to the recollections of the earlier periods of using the Mk 3.     

Hello,

I'm currently in the market for dedicated cd transport and the Jay's Audio is one that is currently on my short list.

However, when I consistently read that it takes 500+ hours and months of play time for this transport to "burn-in"; it is concerning to me.

It makes me wonder... does it really take that long to break in, or does it just take that long for a person's ears and audio mindset to accept the transport for what it is?  So, in other words, is it our ears breaking in to the sound of the transport and the sound of the transport really isn't changing all that much in reality.

Just honestly wondering?

The other transport on my shortlist is CEC TL-2N twin belt drive. I'm sure the same could be about the CEC or for any other transport for that matter.

Any thoughts???

Thank you and best wishes to all,

Don

I believe I've finally found an answer to the HDCD question. According to Stereophile Jay's may be using dither with 16/44. The HDCD signal is passed only if the information on the HDCD encoded CD is passed in its original form. So, if dither is applied, or if the 16/44 signal is upscaled, the HDCD encode won't pass. 

Sometime back I replaced my GeerFab with an Audiopraise Vanity Pro. The APVP was a game changer. The HDMI signal sent from my Oppo to the APVP, then to my Berkeley DAC via AES/EBU, resulted in better CD sound quality than from the Jay's directly to the Berkeley. It makes no sense, but it did. I sold the Jay's. 

I purchased the Jay's Audio MK3-CDT3 back in August, after continual listening it's just begun being broken in now... 😂

With the Oppo I’m using HDMI, with the Jay’s AES/EBU. In addition, the Jay’s goes directly to my Berkeley whereas the Oppo goes through a GeerFab HDMI converter. Given there are differences, CD’s sound better through the Jay’s. I bought the Jay’s just for CD and I’m thrilled with it.

Regarding HDCD, at the time I bought mine their website didn’t address HDCD. I asked them about it, and I really didn’t think they understood what I was talking about. While they gave me a bunch of double talk, they finally did address it on their website.

 

This was listed in the specifications section of the Jays website.


“** Redbook CD transport only. Doesn't support HDCD/SACD/DSD”

Glad to hear you're so pleased with the Jay's transport! You might try contacting Berkeley Audio Design about HDCD recognition, bet they'd know what it takes for their DACs to recognize and decode an HDCD signal.

bill-k,

I got my CDT2 Mk3 from Tek Audio, thank you for the heads up.

So far I'm thrilled with what I'm hearing. I've only burned it in for 48 hours and it already sounds great.

One odd thing. My DAC is a Berkeley Alpha 3 which is HDCD capable. I realize the Jay's isn't, but neither was the Oppo 203 I was using. But with the Oppo the HDCD signal was recognized and decoded by the Berkeley. With the CDT2 Mk3 the Berkeley doesn't recognize the HDCD signal. All the research I've done indicates that the transport doesn't make any difference with HDCD. As long as the DAC is HDCD capable you should be able to take advantage of it. 

I've asked Jay's about this and am waiting to hear back. Anyone have any ideas? 

 

 

I want to buy a Jay's CD transport but have been leery of importing one as I can't figure out how much the duty/tariff is. But, I just learned they have a US connection, TEK Specialists in Buda, TX. 

Does anyone know how to contact them? 

Dafox

Sorry for the late response . I am using Wireworld Starlight 7 aes/ebu . I purchased it  to test the performance between aes/ebu and Pangea I2s/hdmi cables I had laying around the house. The Wireworld Starlight 7 on aes/ebu sounded better to my ears. I not sure how the Wireworld Starlight 7 compares to other aes/ebu but for a reasonable price it's working fine for me and is musically satisfying. Hope this helps......

 

@chuckie

I too am planning to get a Pontus II, which type and brand, model cables do you use now?

dafox

Happy to hear you are enjoying your Jay's. Yes, it does take time to burn-in . I am still extremely excited about mine. It's my endgame transport for sure. I wish you many hours of enjoyment 

Chuckie

This unit takes a long time to burn in, after 30 days and 500+ hours it is sounding great.

Stuartk 

Glad to hear that you settled on the Jay's and have up to this moment 200 hours accrued. Hopefully it's smoothness isn't the only thing to win you over. Remember I wanted to connect my Pontus II to the Jay's with the I2s  which I thought was the better connection. Well with my current state of components the AES/EBU sounds best to my ears. As far as "sibilance" on vocals I cannot agree to that on the system I am using.  Could the sibilance come from a connecting cable? The Qstab is quite  a  expensive tweak and I think it  does make music sound much smoother compared to the OEM disc stabilizer. Your mileage may vary but worthwhile it's your choice to decide.  If you don't like it I am sure you can sell it. Enjoy your Jay's for me it's a endgame transport.

@chuckie 

My Jay's is still breaking in. After roughly 200 hours, it sounds smooth, not clinical but it doesn't sound tonally "rich", as some users have reported. Perhaps that will still occur.

One change it's brought that's not welcome is vocal sibilance, something I've never experienced before. Have you noticed this?

I'm still debating whether or not to get the QStab. . . 

 

 

 

dafox

Yes, the Jay's was sterile upon first plugging it in. Really only you can decide if you made a "good choice". My experience in the beginning ,it took roughly 300 or so hours to get the Jay's to really open up and show some of it's amazing characteristics. I kept a log of the hours that's how I determined when it was opening up to reveal itself. Hopefully you are patient enough to hang tough and give it the necessary settling in time. As far as how you are connecting the Jay's it could be the "RCA" out . I have not connected my Jay's with the "RCA" out so I really can't comment on that particular connection. I purchased the Jay's to mate with my Pontus II using the I2s connection. So with the Pontus II I started initially using the I2s connection but found the AES/EBU sounded much better and smoother after break-in . So, with the AES/EBU connection it has really been a revelation and that's  how I am enjoying the Jay's. I also purchased the Qstab and it's expensive for such a tweak but  your mileage may vary on it's effect. I have noticed that the music sounds " locked in"  on discs and sound "faster" with the Qstab.  Vocalists are more present and background singers aren't just hinted at to make the performance sound if I may "real". I hope this helps.....it's a endgame transport for me a excellent choice. I wish you the best.....

 

Chuckie

Mark 30 days on your calendar. Part of it is the component and part is you.  Sometimes we just need to get used to a new presentation. It’s a shame that buying blind seems to be the norm now, jut the Jay’s is so universally praised, that it’s hard to believe it won’t work out well for you. But whenever you upgrade to something more high end, it can expose other flaws in your system. There’s an old hifi saying- the more you open the window, the more crap flies in.