Audiolab 6000CDT CD Transport

Well, I already have a high end DAC for streaming.  IMHO, the DAC should very likely be the most expensive piece in your system.  Mine currently is but will be eclipsed by a custom built amp I have coming.  

I don't listen to CDs much any more but very happy wiht the Audiolab transport.

I pretty much never am in favor of a CD player.  the onboard DAC simply cannot compete with a unit that cost 5x as much as the endtire CD player. 

Jerry

The Audiolab 6000CDT is a great piece of equipment for the money. I also had a Yamaha player which I replaced in the main system (now in the bedroom system), but also ran it to my DAC as a transport vs a ‘player’. But, the Audiolab just sounds much better. Period. 

So yes, the DAC makes a big difference, but so does the transport, as I learned.

I had a 6000CDT paired with a C53 McIntosh preamp and it sounded amazingly good. Truth be told, I upgraded to a CEC TL5 transport, but I can't say the difference in sound is dramatic. The Audiolab is great value for money,

UPDATE: Audiolab CDT6000 I purchased from Audio Advisor as a demo so I thought there might be possible downside to that heavy discount. Therefore when it would just drop out for a second occasionally I checked it up to "demo-itis". But recently its gotten a lot worse. Yet as I read about this unit it mentioned "electrical interference" as a possible cause for these silent drop outs. (After dirty or scratched disks of course0 So I took the AC off the FURMAN power strip that its been tethered to since its installation here and ran it directly to the wall outlet. WOW!! Vastly better sound, clarity etc. AND not one more blank out. Not one. Just. thought I should say something to someone.  May have application to others with power strips. Try bypassing it with CD players and listen closely. Now I know why its called FURMAN because it adds FURR to the music!

And there's more...during the earlier period of drop outs I ordered a good lens disk cleaner. (Maxell) I had tried to open my CD player up and did but the lens is inaccessible. The disk enters a metal encasement which looks self contained and unapproachable for sure. So I put the lid back on and hoped for the best. My lens cleaning disk arrived and upon hearing another drop out I inserted cleaner disk and followed instructions. Very brief, very simple and result? More musical clarity for sure. As I said thee Audiolab CDT 6000 was a demo from Audio Advisor which could have been demoed countless times and with dirty statched disks t(o show how it will play anything) ,,,and well, it did and indeed does until it doesn't ...play through anything without a drop out. So now after the highly debated lens cleaning disk much clearer (dramatically so really), and not one drop out through 4 or 5 CDs. Success?

I also was surprised how good the audiolab 6000 is. I sold mine and got the top line 9000. It’s even better. Since i stream, ive only used it 4 times. Prolly not even broken in yet.

Cutouts can be caused by digital cable or by not using the purpose built digital cable. Make sure, if you are using the SPDIF coaxial output on your transport to feed the digital signal to your DAC, that you use a proper digital cable. Using a regular RCA interconnect may cause the issue you’re reporting.