CD Transport vs Music Server

Lampie519

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K3RMIT

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My advice is simple. buy a CD player that is a steamer and cd transport. in this way you can use your own dac but also the CD players internal. while one can beat a CD player in a few ways it’s not strait forward. one should consider the design in building this device. a given cd transport has a given sound if used as a transport. if this device has a streamer inside the world is now in one box for you. next is if you use a cd transport what outputs are available to use to your dAc. while many will have various alternative views spidif in AES or BNC are fine up to there bandwidth limits IE no dsd.
I don’t know if any transports that allow dsd streams at above 24/192 to be sent to a dac unless it’s same brand in a combo.
 

Lampie519

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Or buy a transport with multiple inputs...and choose a seperate streamer...
I am a Chord fan so a Chord Blu MK2 transport would be my choice but i have limited experience with other transports....
A Hugo M Scaler is on my wishlist at this moment, also an option if you cannot decide....
 
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thedudeabides

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You are making a split here that doesn't entirely make sense to me though.
Nothing wrong with that. Streamers don't makes sense to me given my music listening habits. We all have our decision making criteria and our personal biases and objectives.
 
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rando

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Nothing wrong with that. Streamers don't makes sense to me given my music listening habits. We all have our decision making criteria and our personal biases and objectives.

Streaming, which he does quite regularly, is a combination of software and industrial infrastructure delivering these files to whatever solution the end user applies. Downloading music... passes through this exact same framework and again his own personal network environment. If he uses a NAS (network), if he uses a rent-a-copy playback software (network), Roon (network). A substantially high amount of server behaviors are or will be biased towards networked functionality. Rewind this conversation back to where the person asking for help stated adverse thoughts on dealing with their home network and...

I stated my thoughts lead towards a used market transport, associated pieces, and source material. Then recognized there might be wisdom in getting both transport and server. Nothing wrong with that so far as I can ascertain. Even suggested a more modern brand of transport I knew a search here would turn up positive discussions of.
 

thedudeabides

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Thanks for your post rando. Having a hard time understanding your point within the context of my post.
 
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RikkiPoo

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I'm on my 3rd music server over the last 4 years. First think I noticed with the first server was CD's sounded better played from the server vs the CD player. Moving up the server food chain it just gets better.

For 6K I would look at a used Antipodes EX CX, the price is falling due to the new line.

The server also likely supports streaming Roon & Qobuz and needs an investment in good networking gear to sound decent and while it won't sound as good as playing locally from the server, its a nice rabbit hole to have in the back pocket.
 

marslo

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I play mainly local files from my W20 to Pacific Dac connected with unpowered usb cable with the power in usb audio board switched off on Aurender side . In my setup Studio Master PCM files and native DSD outperform regular cds and sads as well as their ripps . The other DAC I am using is La Fontaine ( BB 1792) fed from W20 but this way I can play only PCM files up to 24/192 , the conncection is Fadel Art Ref II AES/EBU cable.

Then I play cds using LA Fontaine as a transport ( VRDS neo UMK 5 transport from Esoteric ) connected to Pacific DAC with Stereovox BNC cable . Last but not least I play sacds from La Fontaine as a player , most of my sacds are also ripped to DSD files and can be played with Pacific DAC, so I am able to compare both sources.

In my personal ranking I give best native DSD/DXD and PCM Studio Masters 9/10 , best cds and sacds 7-8/10, ripps from cds and sacd the same level , streaming with Tidal 6-7/10. I tried also hires streaming from Qobuz for 1 month but it was audibly worse than local playback so I decided to keep less expensive Tidal for streaming and continue to buy hires PCM and native DSD/DXD albums as a main source of music.

I give 10/10 for best vinyls like modern direct cuts or old analog recorded . Regular vinyls 5-9/10, depending on their quality.
Just my 2 cents.
 
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Addicted to hifi

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I designed my own NOS dac with dual mono SPDIF inputs so it can handle the upscaled data from the Chord transport. I am still tweeking it here and there but the sound can only described as "no signature" (it is just not there).
I have build some for a couple of people and they do not want to part from them ever ;-)
For the final "product" i would like to make use of handblown glass as makes each unit unique and a peace of "art" so to speak.
Well done.
 
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Lampie519

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Thanks!
 

DasguteOhr

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Foobar Ramdiskplay then Mutek 3+usb Reclocker two bnc cable resampling off to the Soekris DIY Nos Dac 28bit resolution with SSB01 Sjöström super buffer.
not far away from wadia 7 transport with 16bit/44.1k sound.
I'm happy with that configuration.
 
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lesacre

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We have had 3 transports in our showroom that are yet to be beaten by any streamer. Those are MBL 1621A, Jadis Calliope and Gryphon Ethos (although it’s a player, not a dedicated transport). The most compelling comparison was between MBL 1621A connected to MBL 1611F DAC via Stealth Octava-T AES/EBU cable and an absolutely brilliant Roon card inside the very same 1611F. The Roon card is incredible - Jürgen Reis of MBL used all his knowledge and expertise to make it sound close to his reference transport, and in all fairness, it does. And yet, 1621A came on top every single time.

I do realize that those transports alone cost more than most digital rigs based on streaming. Interestingly enough, they all have some version of the Philips CD Pro top loading transport mechanism.
 

Theburbster

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Speaking as someone who made this choice a year or so ago, by selling my CD player and going all in to the server/streamer route, I have little hesitation in saying, based on your specific question, a CD transport would be your best choice!
Do I regret my decision then? Perhaps, a Little, I do enjoy the convenience and music discovery a server set up gives you, but it gets very expensive and can easily lead to a somewhat convoluted audio chain as you chase the ‘emotion’ that a good cd transport can bring. Throw into the mix that your £6k audio server will probably be worthless in 4 years, whereas ,it appears CD transports are having a mini resurgence and residuals are strong, the case for cd gets more compelling.
all this is based on your specific comments and requirements, 6k budget, convenience not a factor, and a natural, engaging musical presentation. Change any of those and I may give a different answer.
 

taww

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Fascinating conversation. I have neither an optimized server (a lowly Intel NUC running ROCK) nor a great transport but had left my CDs in storage for the last few years. I recently pulled out a cheap Pioneer Blu-Ray to try an old CD, Reiner/CSO Mahler 4 on XRCD. It didn’t even work at first - I couldn’t open the tray, so I popped the top and figured out that the flimsy plastic bridge that suspends the disc clamp had sagged and the clamp wasn’t letting go when the transport dropped to open the tray. I literally bent the plastic and held it there for a while to reform it, and voila it worked again. I hooked up an old silver coax cable from Monarchy Audio to the RME DAC (then later the PS Audio), popped in the CD and sat back with zero expectation.

I was absolutely floored by how amazing CD sounded. Easily the best sound I have ever heard in my system. My wife was also shocked how vivid and full of life it was. My steaming setup has never sounded like that, even with hi-res. So now I am scouring for CDs and transports again. I picked up an old Sony DVP-S7000 that was pretty good back in the day, but it didn’t sound nearly as good as the crap Pioneer Blu-Ray player, strangely enough. I’m not sure I’m ready to pony up for something like the MBL but I’m certainly intrigued now. I agree with @Theburbster that I’d rather throw money into a transport than a crazy server/streamer, assuming the former is supported by a reputable manufacturer that will be around a while. Computers depreciate to virtually nothing in a matter of several years whereas transports will only get rarer. I may look into the new PS Audio transport.
 
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Addicted to hifi

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Fascinating conversation. I have neither an optimized server (a lowly Intel NUC running ROCK) nor a great transport but had left my CDs in storage for the last few years. I recently pulled out a cheap Pioneer Blu-Ray to try an old CD, Reiner/CSO Mahler 4 on XRCD. It didn’t even work at first - I couldn’t open the tray, so I popped the top and figured out that the flimsy plastic bridge that suspends the disc clamp had sagged amd the clamp wasn’t letting go when the transport dropped to open the tray. I literally bent the plastic and held it there for a while to reform it, and voila it worked again. I hooked up an old silver coax cable from Monarchy audio to the RME DAC (then later the PS Audio), popped in the CD and sat back with zero expectation.

I was absolutely floored by how amazing CD sounded. Easily the best sound I have ever heard in my system. My wife was also shocked how vivid and full of life it was. My steaming setup has never sounded like that, even with hi-res. So now I am scouring for CDs and transports again. I picked up an old Sony DVP-S7000 that was pretty good back in the day, but it didn’t sound nearly as good as the crap Pioneer Blu-Ray, strangely enough. I’m not sure I’m ready to pony up for something like the MBL but I’m certainly intrigued now. I agree with @Theburbster that I’d rather throw money into a transport than a crazy server/streamer l, assuming the former is supported by a reputable manufacturer that will be around a whole. Computers depreciate to virtually nothing in a matter of several years whereas transports will only get rarer. I may look into the new PS Audio transport.
Great stuff.I’m not surprised as I don’t like streaming.
 
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Theburbster

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Fascinating conversation. I have neither an optimized server (a lowly Intel NUC running ROCK) nor a great transport but had left my CDs in storage for the last few years. I recently pulled out a cheap Pioneer Blu-Ray to try an old CD, Reiner/CSO Mahler 4 on XRCD. It didn’t even work at first - I couldn’t open the tray, so I popped the top and figured out that the flimsy plastic bridge that suspends the disc clamp had sagged amd the clamp wasn’t letting go when the transport dropped to open the tray. I literally bent the plastic and held it there for a while to reform it, and voila it worked again. I hooked up an old silver coax cable from Monarchy audio to the RME DAC (then later the PS Audio), popped in the CD and sat back with zero expectation.

I was absolutely floored by how amazing CD sounded. Easily the best sound I have ever heard in my system. My wife was also shocked how vivid and full of life it was. My steaming setup has never sounded like that, even with hi-res. So now I am scouring for CDs and transports again. I picked up an old Sony DVP-S7000 that was pretty good back in the day, but it didn’t sound nearly as good as the crap Pioneer Blu-Ray, strangely enough. I’m not sure I’m ready to pony up for something like the MBL but I’m certainly intrigued now. I agree with @Theburbster that I’d rather throw money into a transport than a crazy server/streamer l, assuming the former is supported by a reputable manufacturer that will be around a whole. Computers depreciate to virtually nothing in a matter of several years whereas transports will only get rarer. I may look into the new PS Audio transport.
My recent experience mirrors yours almost exactly. I have no doubt that in time music servers and streamers will become the best sounding solution, (£ for £) but in my view they are not there yet, despite all the hype. And like you, the positive difference I heard when I first put a transport back in to my system was surprising! I am now part exchanging my servers for a better transport!
 
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Addicted to hifi

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My recent experience mirrors yours almost exactly. I have no doubt that in time music servers and streamers will become the best sounding solution, (£ for £) but in my view they are not there yet, despite all the hype. And like you, the positive difference I heard when I first put a transport back in to my system was surprising! I am now part exchanging my servers for a better transport!
Couldn’t agree more.
 
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