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CD transports ...

130.253.4.1
Posted on March 11, 1999 at 13:00:09
Mike K


 
The thread below on this subject was extremely interesting. Obviously
many people have look closely at the subject. Now, could we get
some recommendations on which transports/players perform better
than others? That would be great.

 

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    ...
Re: CD transports ..., posted on March 11, 1999 at 13:22:27
David_M


 
See, thats the problem, everyone seems divided into 2 groups:

Group number one that thinks every transport sound differt (I fall into this group) and

Group number 2 that thinks all transports do the same thing and because of error correction they all sound the same.

So there's more to work out before you can ask for specific recomendations.

I think there must be more going on.

 

Interesting readings/reviews on CD player/transport, posted on March 11, 1999 at 13:45:16
Spike


 
For the multi-box camp, the reviews on the Sonic Frontier transport 3/
processor 3 using the I2S link is quite interesting. The articles can
be found in the review section of the Sonic Frontier webpage.
On the single player side, see the review of the Meridian 508.24 in
www.sdinfo.com
I believe these are the front runners from each camp.

_Spike

 

A direct link to Meridian review, posted on March 11, 1999 at 14:01:14
Rod M


 
FYI

 

Meridian transports, posted on March 11, 1999 at 15:01:23
Keith


 
I have never used the Meridian 200 or 500 dedicated transports, but I have to say that using the Meridian 506.20 as a transport proved to be a very unique experience. Out of the various cd players that have passed through here as transports, and even now using a CAL Delta transport (which is supposed to be pretty good), the Meridian had a sense of swing and rhythm which is unmatched (maybe other than Naim, but I have never heard the cd3.5 as a transport only).

I'm going to take a risk as a newbie and make a comparison, so here it is: When I compare a Cardas cable to another one, say, DHLabs, it seems like the Cardas cables add not only a hint of warmth and a bit lessening of clarity and details, but instead, also instill a sense of life and magic in the music. The Meridian did the same; compared to other cdp's/transports, their transport mechanisms appropriates a mood to all my music; it conveys to me the emotional color of each song that I have yet to find in the other, "just-give-you-what-is-on-the-disc" transports.

 

Re: CD transports ..., posted on March 11, 1999 at 17:59:25
mtrycrafts


 
The more doing on is how a test is conducted or how the answers were arrived. Audio perceptions can be biased, easilly, and fooled.

 

Re: CD transports ..., posted on March 11, 1999 at 18:47:33
Bryan F.


 
~~~C.E.C. has gotta be the best bang for the buck period IMHO. With the older TL-1 and TL-2 series being what I thought to be some of the best transports available. Until they came out with the TL-1X and TL-2X. They are even better and forget the black finish go for the champaign! Oh, and not because the champaign is more asthetically pleasing but because it sounds better...heeheehee....I couldn't resist on this one! Oh, and if you use a a Anti-jitter device with your DAC/Transport, you may not need it with the CEC's. I am serious about this.

 

This is a thread on recommendations for transports..., posted on March 11, 1999 at 19:14:17
Dave VH


 
after discussing possibilities of differences earlier. How is your comment relevant here?


 

I'll second that..., posted on March 11, 1999 at 19:27:09
Joe S


 
The CECs have always been beautiful sounding units. Hard to go wrong with them & I've heard good things about (though I havnt heard) the less costly belt drive Parasounds, if funds are tight.

Joe

 

Re: CD transports ..., posted on March 11, 1999 at 21:19:59
Rodney Gold


 
Mark Levinson 31.5 - superb , obscenely priced , very marginal improvements over cheaper products but the reference and the one to beat.

Theta Jade , Very good , detial and air , decay exceptional , lack VERY low bass

Theta Pearl - reasonable value , middle of the road

Theta DataII basic , data universal , data II universal , very good , ML and Jade beat em on the nth degree of air etc , but the overall balance is great

Meridian exceptional overall performers , 508/500 series the best , 200/600 series almost as good , new 508 is better as a x/port than old 508/500 , 586 DVD player best of all

Sony Xa7es , excellent , Theta stuff is slightly better in the bass

Denon DCD 3560 - similar to sony , excellent x/port at cheap rice if you can get one (flagship Denon )

Nad, Arcam , Cyrus , Marantz - dont bother

Rotel x/port , reasonable , but nothing exceptional

Cambridge Audio discmagic , good , great budget buy

Proceed - excellent

DVD players - havent really tested any - no comment

Philips/Pioneer LD players - Pretty good , better than the cheaper dedicated CD players , not up to Theta standards

Krell Md10 - exceptional - as good as as they get ML still has the edge

There are many out there I havent tested or heard , Micromega , Forsell , SF, Classe and so forth

If you are looking for cheap , the 2nd hand thetas are good , however at the sub $1000 range , they tend to be old , 2nd hand x/ports are mechanical and do fail (My Data II died on me and isnt repairable via Theta )


 

Anti jitter devices, posted on March 11, 1999 at 21:24:40
Rodney gold


 
I am not sure the "anti-jitter" properties of these devices are effective , however most of the good ones have other properties that modify the sonics far more than the anti jitter , such as wordlength matching , digital gain/attn, noise shaping (dither) , format conversion ,forcing pre-emphasis , better digital output stages etc. Some strip timecode , SCMS and other spurious info from the signal as well.

 

Re: Do you know of company named Linn ?, posted on March 12, 1999 at 00:33:19
Michael Malits


 
Sondek beats all these Krells, Mark Levinsons and Thetas and Karik is
way better than Meridian. Ivor is hooligan but great designer and
beats his competition 100% of time. I am owner of Karik - great player
and after antivibrating treating simply unbeatable even at twice of
price.

 

Ivor does not design, posted on March 12, 1999 at 03:25:59
Werner


 
he sells.

And the LP-12 is NOT unbeatable.

And Linn amps are not unbeatable.

And Linn speakers are not unbeatable.

But Linn advertisements are unbeatable :-)

 

Re: Ivor does not design, posted on March 12, 1999 at 04:48:13
Michael Malits


 
Werner! I read your website very carefully(i founded it ~1 year ago).
It's very good and obviously you know what you say in common case. But
careful reader easily see that you have two popular ills:
1) Anti-Linnizm
2) Quad/Meridian-lovizm

And it is not important how wonderful or crappy will be Linn/Quad/Meridian
gear: Linn is bad and other camp is good. Most bad ,people in place to
listen and decide beleive to you-they don't know about your illness.
Additional funny thing at your website is anti-DSD campaign.And why?
Same ill: Meridian's Stuart is DVD-Audio supporter so DSD is crap.
Here you even didn't hear nor DSD neither DVD-Audio and latest reports
say that SACD is better(see Positive Feedback site). What can i think
on your credibility after that?

 

Re: Ivor does not design, posted on March 12, 1999 at 05:02:45
Werner


 
TO my ears most of Linn's gear sounds less than wonderful,
and is sorely overpriced. Want an example? See how much
the entry-level LP-12 costs these days. In addition,
Linn has been rather offensive in the recent pasts with
its general politics, as well as perhaps a few things
I saw/experienced when I was still writing for the
belgian hifi press. Oh, and add to this the rather
disappointing performance of my Axis turntable.

This said, I am sloooowly recovering now.
1) I haven't had to deal with Linn in a long time :-)
2) Some of their recent products are interesting,
and even affordable again
3) The CD-12 just looks cool. (BTW: I was the
first person ever to report on the CD-12, on my
website one day after it appeared at the Ramada in
London two years ago.

DSD: DSD is a blanket effort by Sony (and its servant
Philips) to link the future of audio to their older
CD patents, driven by $$s. The fundamental thinking
behind DVD-A, or rather behind the ARA and Meridian's
proposal for DVD-A, is much sounder (pun intended).
The problem is that the present DVD-A draft is not
quite what Bob Stuart intended years ago.

A missed chance.

Probably the last chance for real good audio.

So, in short, I kicked Linn because they kicked me,
and because they're not that good at all.
I kicked DSD because it was, compared to full-blown
Meridianism, more than a bit short-sighted.

 

Re: Do you know of company named Linn ?, posted on March 12, 1999 at 05:31:17
Rodney Gold


 
Yes , its in the Untested section under Etc.

Joking aside , Linn is Sooooo grossly overpriced in this country that it is not an option to many , it lists here as about 2-3 x the Uk price (taking exchange rates into account)
Linn here dont sell componments , they sell the "system" , much like B&O is marketed here.
I seem to think you took my ommission of Linn as a snub , it wasnt.
I can only comment on items I have tested or am able to audition , linn isnt one of those (Tho I have a LP12/Ittok/asak/K9)

As to Unbeatable , well I dunno , but Ivors statements about the CD-12 are blatantly false (About removing recorded jitter etc) and the price of
$20 000 is basically unreachable.



 

Warner what's your sites URL? thanks nt., posted on March 12, 1999 at 13:31:17
GTF


 
.

 

Re: This is a thread on recommendations for transports..., posted on March 12, 1999 at 20:29:19
mtrycrafts


 
Most appropriate as the differences being audible has yet to be established, only speculated. And the repors that are put forth seem to have poor testing procedures.

 

Most of us accept that there are differences..., posted on March 12, 1999 at 22:02:23
Dave VH


 
and want to know why they exist. Those of us who love music want to create a special musical experience - something you call euphonic. Accepting blind accuracy to an un-proven (in commercial execution, not the lab) audio medium as "good," even when it cannot convey positive musical emotions, is a strange philosophy.

Welcome to the world of music lovers. Even you may learn to listen and enjoy someday. You should try it. For probably 99% of the visitors to this forum, that's what audio is all about in the end.

Euphonic means pleasant and harmonious, and not necessarily "colored." This is the definition I am referring to when I say that I prefer subtle euphonic coloration to nasty, painful-to-the-ear accuracy. I cannot understand why you or anyone else could prefer something that is unpleasant as long as science tells you it is "accurate" to the data on the medium!!

And if experience is any guide, any response you make to this post will be probably be a one liner that demonstrates that you do not understand what I have said.

But I digress. I have a CAL Delta transport, got it for a good price, and am anxious to fear it with the CAL Alpha DAC when it arrives. I have already heard significant differences between DACS, and want to compare transports in the near future, just for fun, even though I expect to be fully satisfied with my own gear for some time to come.

Dave VH

 

Check the FAQ, above. nt., posted on March 13, 1999 at 14:56:19
Stephen


 
.

 

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