Good CD player vs. Transport and DAC


Where am I going to get the best Digital playback? Going with a high end CD player or a transport and DAC? Also, what's the difference between a transport and a cd player if you are using an external dac with either one? I am thinking of an Oppo bdp 95 to use for cd play back since it seems to have a really nice dac (SABRE32 Reference ES9018 from ESS Technology). I am currently using a denon dvd 2900 and a musical fidelity v-dacII with pangea p100 power supply. Any feedback is greatly appreciated! Thanks!
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Showing 1 response by lupinthe3rd

I'm a fan of a high quality DAC, and then attaching whatever digital transports you like to it. Single-box players all require their own internal DAC circuitry, and that gets expensive if you want good stuff.

I absolutely adore my North Star m192 mkii DAC. I'm pushing bits through it with a Logitech Transporter, and an old Arcam Alpha Plus CD player.

IMO all digital sources sound equally good through a quality DAC. Claiming that one digital source sounds different from another is bogus. It's just a bitstream. No need for a Mark Levinson CD transport, just find a $100 cheapie with SPDIF output and only your pocketbook will know the difference. Cheers