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CDP or CDP/ DAC - different question

Everyone I've seen this question a bunch of times but I'm not sure that we are asking the correct question. If I buy a box unit and run that way there are lots of reviews/specs etc. If I buy a DAC I can find the same. Thing is if I suspect I want to buy separates and run transport/DAC than I only want to know how good the transport on the CDP is. Problem is that I have never seen any specs on the transport element alone. If I have specs on the Unit or DAC and transport I can make a better decision. I know that there is more to this than the specs but the knowledge gap is still there.

How do you pick a good transport player? Am I missing something?
paulsax
danlib1
819 posts
 
Paulsax- I think jitter from a Mac Mini can be dealt with very well by Dacs that employ jitter rejection/reduction technologies. I use a Mac Mini into a Peachtree Nova Sabre dac with excellent results. As good as my Marantz SA11 S1? Not quite, but REALLY close.
mezmo
516 posts
 
Guess I've seen some chatter / reviews regarding transports, but have to agree -- there seems to be exponentially less of it than regarding just about every other dohicky one might plug in (or not plug in) in connection with a stereo system. Probably seen more ink spilled about "magic" stones one might scatter around the listening environment in order to accentuate zen-itude or what have you than transports. And when you do see it, tends to be in connection with a "matching" DAC review or, more recently, someone giving a serious comparison between "x" transport of choice and, frequently, a Mac Mini.... Go figure. Perhaps I haven't been paying attention to the right things (which I'll admit is likely, just haven't really been looking), but I definitely hear what you're saying and am with you in considering it a wee bit odd.
mordante
511 posts
 
I think buying a transport and dac is not the best option. If you want to play CD's just buy a CDP. Most of the time a CDP is much more cost effective then buying seperates. Same goes for amps.

If however you want to play your music from an other digital source then a good DAC is essential. Analogue outputs of computer and or steamers isn't that good most of the time.
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