Upgrade transport and lose Genesis Lens?


I currently have a Meridian 500 transport/Audioquest Hawk Balanced Digital Cable/Genesis Digital Lens/MIT Oracle Digital Cable/PS Audio Ultralink DAC. I noticed that when I took out the MIT Oracle cable from the Lens and connected it straight to the transport I got a huge boost in clarity. The sound was so much more cleaner and the pace was a lot faster. I was thinking is that because the Audioquest isn't up to par with the Oracle, should I just get another Oracle to get back that detail or would it be better to sell the Meridian/Audioquest/Genesis and get a new transport. I would probably have about 2,000 to spend on a used transport.
Thanks
128x128kleonard
Kleonard, Two simple ideas:
Join one of the NYC metropolitan area audio clubs to have access to personalized assistance, minus any NYC retail sales pressure. A club member might even make a "housecall" to work with you.
If you like to attend audio events, check out the announcement for the VTV Audio and Music Expo May 6-7 in neighboring New Jersey.
Either way, you'll hear some fine equipment to which you may be attracted, if you don't hear all you want with your present multi-unit approach. I am satisfied with my systems, but would not hesitate to start over with a great all-in-one if I felt at all bewildered by what to change to get the desired sound.
Thanks I'll check out that club.
re:what terminations are you using with amp/pre (rca/xlr) ?
I use rca terminations on my preamp, which is a Headroom Max headphone amp.
just to confirm... going from transport (rca out) to lens(rca in and xlr out) to pre (xlr in to rca out to amp) ??
Going from transport to lens is xlr, from Lens to Dac is RCA and from DAC to pre is RCA