Hello longing,
Three highly praised CD transports that are 'reasonably ' priced I'll list them as how they are ranked by people have heard them.
1Pro-Ject RS2 CD BOX Transport.
2 Jay's Audio Lab CD T2 MK 3
3 P.S.Audio Perfect Wave CD/SACD Transport.
According to quite a few the Pro-Ject RS2 Transport is superb sounding and improves further with an optional linear power supply. I currently use an older generation P.S. Audio Perfect Wave Transport which has served me beautifully for 8 years. I will very likely purchase the Pro-Ject unit.l
Best of luck,
Charles
Hello longing,
Three highly praised CD transports that are 'reasonably ' priced I'll list them as how they are ranked by people have heard them.
1Pro-Ject RS2 CD BOX Transport.
2 Jay's Audio Lab CD T2 MK 3
3 P.S.Audio Perfect Wave CD/SACD Transport.
According to quite a few the Pro-Ject RS2 Transport is superb sounding and improves further with an optional linear power supply. I currently use an older generation P.S. Audio Perfect Wave Transport which has served me beautifully for 8 years. I will very likely purchase the Pro-Ject unit.l
Best of luck,
Charles
I had the Jay's cd t2 mk3 and it is not at same SQ of the Avatar that I replaced it with.
When used with Tplus to sync to its oxco clock with i2s, it will jump a few several big steps further.
Not sure what upside on further upgrade that the Project transport has against all the rave of Denafrips dac when this listing did not even included denafrips' and comparison to even the likes of Esoteric K-01x is not without reasons.
PS: my friend has the Jay's audio cdt2 with Rubidium clock as comparison
Not sure if Denafrip Avatar that is cheaper than Jay is still available ... I had both.
The Avatar allows you to have SINGLE higher quality clock when synced to suitable Denafrip dac or ddc like in my case the Denafrip Terminator Plus with its high quality oxco clock.
I sold my Jay at a bargain but had enuff to get the Avatar. Just take note that both uses oled display that dies if you left them 24/7 .. within months.
Even at the time I received my Avatar transport just over a year ago, there were already hints that something was amiss at Denafrips, as they had really struggled to produce and deliver the batch they finally shipped out (after a long wait). I'm really not sure what the issue was - whether it was related to assembly, tooling, component sourcing, logic bugs, supply chain woes, profit margins, or whatever - it's a mystery. I have not followed the news flow, but my guess is that the Jay's Audio CD transport has been filling the unfilled latent demand for the Avatar.
If I may lay down my assumption. I got my unit last June so I would say I was among the first ones or at least in the first batch who got it. Reading at that time there was an info that they managed to source limited number of Philips NOS CDM 4 transports but the fact is as well that at least my unit had issues with reading and skipping at normal CDs so I got a replacement transport which is thanks God working flawlessly. Linking limited number of sourced transports with having some stock for the issues like I had I guess they quickly sold what they had (and the pricing was also a bit "odd" in the beginning) which they corrected later.
Of course I might be totally wrong but still I'm super happy I managed to grab a unit for myself as it performs great.
I had both .. by themselves, they do not differs much.
However, magic happens when you have denafrips dac that you can sync its clock to the Avatar.
Jay's was more expensive but I am glad to have sold it at a substantial loss after barely 6 mths but still had enuff to secure the brand new one.
I will keep my Denafrips cd transport .. for simple fact it is so much cost effective for the sound quality that I can achieve with it.
My 7x more expensive server/player, excluding 2x Uptone EtherRegen with external oxco clocks, for hires Qobuz streaming and music files, including hires dsd, on 2x 4TB internal ssd are the oladra upgraded Antipodes CX/EX to my upgraded Denafrips Tplus.
My Avatar tranport is synced to the upgraded oxco clock of the Denafrip Tplus for my more serious listening session that I revert to spinning the silver disc.
I believe Denafrips is still selling them in China market via their distributors.
These are being offered by such distributors.
If my Avatar fails and not repairable, I will get it replaced by the one in ebay in a heartbeat but my case is because I have the upgraded Denafrip Tplus dac to sync to the Avatar for magic to happen.
I had both .. by themselves, they do not differs much.
However, magic happens when you have denafrips dac that you can sync its clock to the Avatar.
Jay's was more expensive but I am glad to have sold it at a substantial loss after barely 6 mths but still had enuff to secure the brand new one.
I will keep my Denafrips cd transport .. for simple fact it is so much cost effective for the sound quality that I can achieve with it.
My 7x more expensive server/player, excluding 2x Uptone EtherRegen with external oxco clocks, for hires Qobuz streaming and music files, including hires dsd, on 2x 4TB internal ssd are the oladra upgraded Antipodes CX/EX to my upgraded Denafrips Tplus.
My Avatar tranport is synced to the upgraded oxco clock of the Denafrip Tplus for my more serious listening session that I revert to spinning the silver disc.
Most welcomed but do note that for both, you cannot have them switched on 24/7 as the seemingly same type of oled display will burnt out ... after 6 mths in my 24/7 system.
IMHO opinion, the Densfrips Avatar is a giant killer!
If not using a Denafrips dac to clock it, the Denafrips Gaia or Hermes DDCs can enable it to perform with other dac in top form.
The Jay Audio cd transport is wellbuilt, but I would suggest to get the ocxo internal clock version instead of the rubidium clock version.
It's bcos most China-made hifi components with rubidium clock modules employ refurbished ones due to cost consideration. Reliability is an issue.
IMHO opinion, the Densfrips Avatar is a giant killer!
If not using a Denafrips dac to clock it, the Denafrips Gaia or Hermes DDCs can enable it to perform with other dac in top form.
The Jay Audio cd transport is wellbuilt, but I would suggest to get the ocxo internal clock version instead of the rubidium clock version.
It's bcos most China-made hifi components with rubidium clock modules employ refurbished ones because of cost consideration. Cost consideration. Reliability is an issue.