Are Transports Obsolete?

It surprises me in this day and age that transports continue to be developed, and presumably sold. I know this has at least been in part to the physical media aspects of spinning one's CD library. Also, Transports, particularly of the cost no object variety, can be more 'sexy' than servers.

We 'know' that server technology has, for all intents and purposes, eclipsed transports in the last few years, but the best of the best transports continue to garner enthusiasm if not raves from some reviewers that I really respect.

Are there any out there that, having bought a server, have recently been drawn back or towards the world of transports?
What is your server and why and what transports have you or are you reconsidering?

 

how do redbook silver discs generally hold up against Extreme streaming higher rez (not 16/44) with the recent boost from the Roon update and Emile's massaging?

Hi Mike,
None of my Extreme owner frds in HK has a top cdt+dac syatem to do a direct comparison.
Their audio systems either are using solely CAS or having an additional vinyl frontend.

I remember a gathering several years ago which may be a partially useful reference.
During that gathering a now-discontinued SGM EVO server was compared with a Kalista top cd transport (I forgot the exact model but it's the beautiful triangular acrylic body series). Both sources went to a Trinity DAC.
The Kalista transport was slightly better than the EVO, even though the EVO got internally stored high rez files.
The diff was in the musicality and continuousness. Simply speaking the Kalista was more natural and real-lile.

Certainly the current Extreme is a completely diff animal.

 

Hi Mike,
None of my Extreme owner frds in HK has a top cdt+dac syatem to do a direct comparison.
Their audio systems either are using solely CAS or having an additional vinyl frontend.

I remember a gathering several years ago which may be a partially useful reference.
During that gathering a SGM EVO server was compared with a Kalista top cd transport (I forgot the exact model but it's the beautiful triangular acrylic body series). Both sources went to a Trinity DAC.
The Kalista transport was slightly better than the EVO, even though the EVO got internally stored high rez files.
The diff was in the musicality and continuousness. Simply speaking the Kalista was more natural and real-lile.

Certainly the current Extreme is a completely diff animal.

thank you. makes sense that either the commitment at the top levels is to an Extreme or 'uber' transport....but not both.

likely the music focus is really the issue, since it's all so good. where are you now? where do you want to go?

of course; it would be a very 'HK' thing to do for a top level CDT owner to take it to an Extreme owner's system (at the appropriate safe time to do it) and get us an answer. top notch disc? or tip top streaming hi rez?

but maybe no one really wants to know it.

more fun to talk about it.

 

Hi Mike,
None of my Extreme owner frds in HK has a top cdt+dac syatem to do a direct comparison.
Their audio systems either are using solely CAS or having an additional vinyl frontend.

I remember a gathering several years ago which may be a partially useful reference.
During that gathering a SGM EVO server was compared with a Kalista top cd transport (I forgot the exact model but it's the beautiful triangular acrylic body series). Both sources went to a Trinity DAC.
The Kalista transport was slightly better than the EVO, even though the EVO got internally stored high rez files.
The diff was in the musicality and continuousness. Simply speaking the Kalista was more natural and real-lile.

Certainly the current Extreme is a completely diff animal.

Thanks CK, I think you are talking about the Metrome Kalista Transport, certainly among the most highly regarded transports, if not the 'best' of the current transport offerings.

Nonetheless, unlike Mike who has the best of all worlds, In my digital only system, I will no doubt buy a SOTA server, quite likely the Extreme, AND a disc spinner in the near future.

 

Thanks CK, I think you are talking about the Metrome Kalista Transport, certainly among the most highly regarded transports, if not the 'best' of the current transport offerings.
Nonetheless, unlike Mike who has the best of all worlds, In my digital only system, I will no doubt buy a SOTA server, quite likely the Extreme, AND a disc spinner in the near future.

Hi musicfirst100,
Yes, it belongs to the Kalista Series of Metronome. There are a few generations but every one of them are very top cd transports for sure.

BTW very itchy an audiophile you are!
Please update us the progress of your building up a dual digital frontend system.

 

Thanks CK, I think you are talking about the Metrome Kalista Transport, certainly among the most highly regarded transports, if not the 'best' of the current transport offerings.

Nonetheless, unlike Mike who has the best of all worlds, In my digital only system, I will no doubt buy a SOTA server, quite likely the Extreme, AND a disc spinner in the near future.

Hi musicfirst100,
Yes, it belongs to the Kalista Series of Metronome. There are a few generations but every one of them are very top cd transports for sure.

BTW very itchy an audiophile you are!
Please update us the progress of your building up a dual digital frontend system.

Scratch, scritch, I've got an itch !!
Well to be completely honest, based on what you said about the 69.000 euro Kalista only just besting the Extreme's little brother, it wouldn't surprise me that eventually and ultimately, the Extreme will be my only dance partner....

 

Thanks CK, I think you are talking about the Metrome Kalista Transport, certainly among the most highly regarded transports, if not the 'best' of the current transport offerings.

Nonetheless, unlike Mike who has the best of all worlds, In my digital only system, I will no doubt buy a SOTA server, quite likely the Extreme, AND a disc spinner in the near future.

Have a look at the JMF 3.7 universal transport. I always loved the big brick Wadias from the 90s and 00s, and this looks like the steroid-injected mutant offspring of those. From what I can see of the construction and mechanism, I don't think this unit can be touched.

 

Scratch, scritch, I've got an itch !!
Well to be completely honest, based on what you said about the 69.000 euro Kalista only just besting the Extreme's little brother, it wouldn't surprise me that eventually and ultimately, the Extreme will be my only dance partner....

Don't know about Taiko servers, but my $ 1,800 Simaudio Moon Transport (model 260 DT) gives computer audio a hard time. So much so that, as I mentioned, a friend of mine bought one, after having spent lots of effort over the years to optimize his computer audio (including ethernet and a dCS Network Bridge). And yes, its very high resolution and natural sound through my DAC, with both connected through an AES/EBU cable that costs more than the transport, made my investment in a $ 15 K preamp (Octave HP700) perfectly worthwhile.

 

Scratch, scritch, I've got an itch !!
Well to be completely honest, based on what you said about the 69.000 euro Kalista only just besting the Extreme's little brother, it wouldn't surprise me that eventually and ultimately, the Extreme will be my only dance partner....

My mint condition Metronome's will go on sale soon - just waiting the end of the current confinement period. If someone wants a cheap Kalista, there is an original Kalista integrated - great transport with a separate power supply fitted with an outdated DAC- for sale close to me.

IMHO the choice depends on DAC - there are no absolutes in digital. I could live forever with the Metronomes spinning CDs without regrets.

 

My mint condition Metronome's will go on sale soon - just waiting the end of the current confinement period. If someone wants a cheap Kalista, there is an original Kalista integrated - great transport with a separate power supply fitted with an outdated DAC- for sale close to me.

IMHO the choice depends on DAC - there are no absolutes in digital. I could live forever with the Metronomes spinning CDs without regrets.

hey; i loved my Linn CD12 too........in 1999 it was awesome!

 

hey; i loved my Linn CD12 too........in 1999 it was awesome!

Yes I savoured the CD12 too!-it bested my ANote Dac5/CEC TLO combo--

until I did a shootout with a Naim CD555-- the CD12 was toast RIP to a still pretty good player

-I'll always wonder if it's SMPS Power supply was the Achilles heal from greatness.

BruceD

 

This debate reminds me of the turntable is better than digital debate. It depends on several variables most prominent being budget. This group being "What's Best" gravitates to 5 figure servers and transports. But the majority of audiophiles are investing in 3-4 figure components. Digital servers / streamers are just breaking out of their development infancy but accelerating at a rapid pace. So to date the price / performance ratio is good but getting better quickly. The same was true for CD players starting in the 80s (defining digital = bad, shrieky, tinny, etc). So only the best (and most costly?) servers yield high quality at this point in time. That isn't to say they're better or worse than similarly priced transports only that transports are 40 years old and servers ~10, give it time and servers / streamers will likely surpass transports and $ to $ in many cases likely already have.

In my case, I owned an Esoteric K-03 and the CD/SACD built - in transport trumped my USB attached DIY music server. As I continued to make improvements to the music PC it got closer and closer in quality to the internal transport. When I purchased the Berkeley USB -> SPDIF converter in series with the Music PC the quality was essentially on par, yet I knew further improvements to my Music PC were available. This convinced me that a Music PC can equal or trump a transport ceteris paribus. In my case - same DAC (ok, different inputs), same system and reasonably similar budgets (transport portion versus my Music PC/USB converter). And keep in mind - the K-03 is about 10 years old. Music servers have come a long way since then and transports have mostly fizzled out with few new products relative to other type sources.

Here' another example: My DIY Music PC with 4 LPSUs and SOTM Neo connected to my Aqua Formula xHD DAC handily destroys my Oppo BDP103 CDP connected to the Aqua DAC. Can I then declare streaming quantifiably beats spinning discs? Equal $ footing. Same with analog, tape, pick your source. The best of the best for each source component is a moving target. YMMV and all that fun stuff.

 

For me the digital transport is Ll about convenience. I'm only willing to have one physi medium in the house and for me it's records. Streaming with Qobuz or Tidal or local files is good enough and sometimes can exceed vinyl depending on the recording so it's a no brainer and it's so convenient. I have thousands of cds stored away which I should really get rid of someday.

 

This debate reminds me of the turntable is better than digital debate. It depends on several variables most prominent being budget. This group being "What's Best" gravitates to 5 figure servers and transports. But the majority of audiophiles are investing in 3-4 figure components. Digital servers / streamers are just breaking out of their development infancy but accelerating at a rapid pace. So to date the price / performance ratio is good but getting better quickly. The same was true for CD players starting in the 80s (defining digital = bad, shrieky, tinny, etc). So only the best (and most costly?) servers yield high quality at this point in time. That isn't to say they're better or worse than similarly priced transports only that transports are 40 years old and servers ~10, give it time and servers / streamers will likely surpass transports and $ to $ in many cases likely already have.

In my case, I owned an Esoteric K-03 and the CD/SACD built - in transport trumped my USB attached DIY music server. As I continued to make improvements to the music PC it got closer and closer in quality to the internal transport. When I purchased the Berkeley USB -> SPDIF converter in series with the Music PC the quality was essentially on par, yet I knew further improvements to my Music PC were available. This convinced me that a Music PC can equal or trump a transport ceteris paribus. In my case - same DAC (ok, different inputs), same system and reasonably similar budgets (transport portion versus my Music PC/USB converter). And keep in mind - the K-03 is about 10 years old. Music servers have come a long way since then and transports have mostly fizzled out with few new products relative to other type sources.

Here' another example: My DIY Music PC with 4 LPSUs and SOTM Neo connected to my Aqua Formula xHD DAC handily destroys my Oppo BDP103 CDP connected to the Aqua DAC. Can I then declare streaming quantifiably beats spinning discs? Equal $ footing. Same with analog, tape, pick your source. The best of the best for each source component is a moving target. YMMV and all that fun stuff.

The Oppos are not good as CD drives, i know some people think they are, but in direct comparison they loose every time to decent (even old) dedicated CD drives. Even the Oppo as dac sound better with an external drive than with its own drive.

 

IMO, a very interesting upcoming CD transport will be from Schiit Audio. Interesting because it will have an USB output, not AES or SPDIF. According to Mike Moffat they managed to get a higher SQ from their own USB host controller than from the more common other interfaces.

https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/...-upgrade/page/7/?tab=comments#comment-1052669

Matt

 

The Oppos are not good as CD drives, i know some people think they are, but in direct comparison they loose every time to decent (even old) dedicated CD drives. Even the Oppo as dac sound better with an external drive than with its own drive.

Is that also your experience when an Oppo is fitted with a quality linear power supply?

 

Is that also your experience when an Oppo is fitted with a quality linear power supply?

I own a stock 105 D connected to a Ps Audio P500 regenerator and use it every day, for playing Netflix ! I am sure linear power supply will improve it, but the only combination drive that does redbook as good as a dedicated CD drive is probably Esoteric's top drive.

 

So your answer is you don't have any experience with an LPS. While I have a dedicated transport for my 2 channel audio, a high quality LPS significantly improved my BDP-203's performance as a digital transport feeding my DAC. The level of improvement brought about by a high quality LPS shouldn't be discounted.

 

So your answer is you don't have any experience with an LPS. While I have a dedicated transport for my 2 channel audio, a high quality LPS significantly improved my BDP-203's performance as a digital transport feeding my DAC. The level of improvement brought about by a high quality LPS shouldn't be discounted.

I have only compared non modded Oppos, i’m sure modding will improve it. But in general dedicated CD drives do a better job with redbook. Someone i know visited the MBL factory and wanted the best drive for his system, at the time they offered their top of the line drive in a combination sacd/cd version and he likes sacd. He was told it was a compromise when playing CD and the dedicated CD drive was better. He kept his Emmlabs combination player for sacd and got the MBL dedicated redbook drive for CD playback. They have since discontinued the combination drive.

 

I have only compared non modded Oppos, i’m sure modding will improve it. But in general dedicated CD drives do a better job with redbook. Someone i know visited the MBL factory and wanted the best drive for his system, at the time they offered their top of the line drive in a combination sacd/cd version and he likes sacd. He was told it was a compromise when playing CD and the dedicated CD drive was better. He kept his Emmlabs combination player for sacd and got the MBL dedicated redbook drive for CD playback. They have since discontinued the combination drive.

I wouldn't consider using an LPS to be "modding" but you are correct in that a few screws have to be unscrewed and cables unplugged on the Oppo to make the swap.

I'm a little bit confused by the rest of your post. It doesn't sound like your friend is using an EMM Labs DAC because if he was it is unlikely that linking another brand's transport m via AES/EBU to an EMM Labs DAC would outperform the ST fiber connection between an EMM Labs transport and EMM Labs DAC in respect of RBCD playback. I have an EMM Labs TX2 transport and DA2 DAC and the ST fiber connection improves the performance of both units as being greater than the sum of the already very high performance parts.

 

I wouldn't consider using an LPS to be "modding" but you are correct in that a few screws have to be unscrewed and cables unplugged on the Oppo to make the swap.

I'm a little bit confused by the rest of your post. It doesn't sound like your friend is using an EMM Labs DAC because if he was it is unlikely that linking another brand's transport m via AES/EBU to an EMM Labs DAC would outperform the ST fiber connection between an EMM Labs transport and EMM Labs DAC in respect of RBCD playback. I have an EMM Labs TX2 transport and DA2 DAC and the ST fiber connection improves the performance of both units as being greater than the sum of the already very high performance parts.

No he just kept his EMM Labs combination player for sacd and used his MBL dac and transport for redbook. I think your EMM Labs uses the Esoteric combi drive. How does it compare to the modded Oppo ?