USB CD Transports


I'm interested in purchasing a CD transport with USB output. Schiit has just released their URD transport, has anybody compared this to the Shanling ET3 transport with USB output?

grigory

I thank all of you that have responded. It was not my intent to start a discussion about the relative pros and cons of having ones CDs stored on a HDD/SSD versus streaming versus playback from a transport, that topic is like a black hole. I use ROON as my main playback tool running on a NUC/ROCK server, I have a library of 46,000++ albums, all redbook or hi-res, files are stored on a Synology NAS and I use Sonore products as ROON endpoints. I also subscribe to Qobuz for streaming. In my setups the sound of a particular Album is different depending upon whether I play the actual CD on a transport, play it from my library, or play it from Qobuz, (this is  even when I take care to play the same mix/version). I also enjoy playing CDs directly, it's good exercise. I'm interested in acquiring a CD transport with a  USB output and I would appreciate any feedback about the new Schiit and Shanling products.

Esoteric disc players come with a USB port. If you do to like the DAC that is inside you can turn it off and just use it as a transport.

I am considering an URD to use almost solely between a Roon Nucleus and Schiit Yggy Unison USB.  I still have lots of CDs, so the ability to play them is a bonus.  I am mostly interesting in hearing (probably from others first), how much if any of improvement there is when outputting USB from the Schiit Unison chip in the URD, to the Unison input chip in the Yggy, coupled with adding a USB-C to -A converter, as there are not many good audiophile USB-C cables available (Audioquest is the only one I know of).

The DH Labs Mirage USB cable can be had with USB-C connectors from their website, and is highly regarded.  And the URD may turn out to be a very cost effective way to get high quality CD playback, given that it uses the Stream Unlimited drive and support electronics.