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 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. 

I haven't compared and don't own the Schiit URD. I just set up my new Shanling ET3 purchased from from MusicTeck and paired it with my Pro-Ject DAC Box RS2--and I must say I am really impressed with the ET3's build quality and ergonomics. Great little remote that matches the on-unit controls. Of course, it's a top loader, and the drive cover is glass and aluminum. Overall, the ET3 feels like a higher-priced unit. It's sitting here running now. There's really no drive noise to speak of, nor do I sense any vibration. I'll let it burn in for a few days before I do any serious listening and then try the I2S connection (waiting on a cable from The Cable Company). I have a 2006 ROTEL RCD-1072 CD player that I just took offline and I can tell you the ET3 sounds a bit less polite than the 1072 but so far, not too forward or bright. More to come...