Modern Day Good Transport

I really like my Accustic Arts Drive 1. There's one listed right now for $2,500.00, http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?dgtltran&1146888967

have read good things about the northstar top loader & cec tl5100 for less than $1k

$1k to $1.5k - cec tl2x "belt drive", metronome ta-1, or a theta jade..

$2k and up - cec tl1x, accustic arts

there are some off beat brands out of china that look well built but no idea on sound or relaibility

I continue to use the Pioneer PD65 as a transport and it has performed incredibly well with a variety of DACs including the Counterpoint DA10 (awesome unit for the price), ARC DAC3 II (somewhat bright and fatiguing), ECD-1, VTL Ref and now the Manley Ref DAC.

I have since added the Genesis Time Lens which brings on a significant degree of clarity and added space between the notes. I had to struggle to hear differences between the PD65 and transports much more expensive, Muse and Audio Aero, and so I quit trying. But the Genesis was a marked improvement. Interestingly enough is that digital cables also show a significant difference in sonics.

From all of these experiences, I have yet to be convinced it is necessary to spend a fortune on a transport. My reference source is still the Clearaudio Ref TT.

John

Modern day huh? Well I would say a computer hard drive with uncompressed files.