How important is the transport when using a DAC?

Audioengr, What is an Empirical Audio DAC/Pre?

The new DACs, using the latest digital input receivers, are far less sensitive than the DASs designed a few years back.

If only your player has a bit perfect output, I think you will get a bigger improvement by adding a quality linear power supply to your rDAC. The Teddy Pardo one, which is based on a super regulator solution, takes this DAC to entirely different level. Having had a lot of experience with this DAC, I cannot recommend this solution highly enough.

I also highly recommend using the rDAC via the USB in as it sounds best This way.

I recently went from a Marantz SA11S2 to an Ayre C5mp , being used as a transport only ( except for SACD's ) and found the improvement striking to say the least . There was such a big improvement in all aspects of the sound that I had to re-evaluate my long term preconceived ideals .

Rrog - see
http://www.empiricalaudio.com/products/overdrive-dac

and

http://www.empiricalaudio.com/news-and-reviews/overdrive-dac

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=108715.0

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

Elberoth - I recentky had the opportunity to do a shootout of several liner and switching supplies powering digital, USB converter, reclocker and DAC. In all cases, the switching supply followed by a fast regulator beat out the linear. I feel now that liners are just too slow to respond to be interesting for digital.

I have also had customers try various linear supplies for the Synchro-Mesh reclocker, all with dissappointing results.

Steve N.