After my NAD CD player crapped out, I bought a Marantz 6006 player. Even though it sounded pretty good on it's own (more lively sounding than the NAD) I bought a Denafrips Ares ll DAC and liked the sound even more, still using the 6006 as a transport. Then I got an Audiolab 6000 transport and noticed a slight improvement in a few areas - more distinct soundstage, tighter bass, smoother sound all around. It even read CD's that the Marantz didn't, notably ones with scratches and skips.
The anachronistic CD Transport? And do I really need one.
CD Transports.
This is a machine that in my early audiophile days I could not afford. I appreciated, philosophically the advantages of it. Thinking of this device in 2021 seems strange. Yet they still exist and, maybe more importantly, they are still manufactured.
Just a few years ago (I dunno...maybe 2015) I remember thinking Redbook CD sounded great with the right DAC, and underlying system of course. But today, I don’t know this to be true. It is starting to seem that the compact disc is riding in the third row of the vehicle, with vinyl and non-cd-digital vying back and forth, musically for the driver’s seat.
So, my listening habits are
Vinyl 65% of the time
Digital 40%
CD 5%
I do have a small collection of CDs. They are things that I cannot easily or actually hear on other mediums.
I have a great DAC and it made an old (2005) Rotel CD player sound pretty good. The Rotel CD player's remote is dead with no easy replacement, and it does have progressive optical reading disease--...it drops in and out with less than perfectly clean discs.
Can you please evaluate the following options for me? Or tell me to piss off!
1. Buy a Transport
2. Buy a CD player (maybe with SACD ability)
3. Dump the discs and stick with your better sounding vinyl and digital.
4. Are you insane for listing as no. 1 "Buy a Transport"? You must be old.
Fire away.
This is a machine that in my early audiophile days I could not afford. I appreciated, philosophically the advantages of it. Thinking of this device in 2021 seems strange. Yet they still exist and, maybe more importantly, they are still manufactured.
Just a few years ago (I dunno...maybe 2015) I remember thinking Redbook CD sounded great with the right DAC, and underlying system of course. But today, I don’t know this to be true. It is starting to seem that the compact disc is riding in the third row of the vehicle, with vinyl and non-cd-digital vying back and forth, musically for the driver’s seat.
So, my listening habits are
Vinyl 65% of the time
Digital 40%
CD 5%
I do have a small collection of CDs. They are things that I cannot easily or actually hear on other mediums.
I have a great DAC and it made an old (2005) Rotel CD player sound pretty good. The Rotel CD player's remote is dead with no easy replacement, and it does have progressive optical reading disease--...it drops in and out with less than perfectly clean discs.
Can you please evaluate the following options for me? Or tell me to piss off!
1. Buy a Transport
2. Buy a CD player (maybe with SACD ability)
3. Dump the discs and stick with your better sounding vinyl and digital.
4. Are you insane for listing as no. 1 "Buy a Transport"? You must be old.
Fire away.