Best transport for Bel Canto Dac1

Recently I tried the new Pioneer 626D as a transport with both coax and Toslink cables and felt that my Parasound C/BD-2000, with its CEC belt-drive transport sounded more immediate and harmonically nicer than the DVD unit. In fact, I took the Pioneer back to where I bought it and got a refund. I have heard that CEC transports work well with the DAC-1 and my personal experience supports that. Perhaps other DVD units work better. Frank

plato can I ask you what sounded better with the pioneer the toslink or the coax,they say that the toslink with dvd players sound better let me know

For conventional 16 bit CDs you are best off buying a higher quality CD transport, rather than a DVD player. Although the tracking mechanisms on DVD players are in many ways superior to CD players, the electronics associated with the video sections of the DVD players can produce high frequency noise intereference with the digital audio sections. Oftentimes Audio quality on on a DVD player is afterthought for the manufacturer. Many DVD players exhibit high rates a jitter in their digital outputs. Some high end DVD players have excellent sound, but most of the cheapies do not. Also the optimal laser wavelengths required for DVD and CD playback are quite different. Sony overcomes this problem by using two seperate lasers in it's high end DVD players. I have used a Sony DVP S7000 as a CD transport and it works quite well. Unfortunatly, it trunicates the output of 24 bit 96khz Audio DVDs to 20 bit 48khz. Pioneer DVD players do pass a 24 bit 96khz signal. Pioneer also has a good solution for the two different Laser wavelengths required. They are not discrete lasers as they are in the Sony DVP s7000, but it works quite well. I am currently using an Audio Alchemy DDS Pro cd transport for Standard CDs and a Pioneer DVD 525 video and 24 bit audio DVDs (classic records/ Chesky). I have them running through a 24/96 upsampling Perpetual Technologies P3A. ( the DDS is connected via I2S) The unit is not burned yet, but sounds pretty good. I am very much considering having my Pioneer DVD 525 modified by EVS. (www.tweakaudio.com) If I had to use just one Transport for both DVD and CD audio, I would probably send my Pioneer for modifications at EVS for $200. I hear a lot of good things about EVS (Ric Schultz)

Bel Canto strongly recomends Dvd transport for its Dac. Check www.belcantodesign.com

Chucky, To me my Harmonic Technology coax sounded marginally better (slightly harmonically sweeter I think) than a $40 Monster Cable Toslink optical cable. Frank

I am currently using a Pioneer DV-09.
I had a Pioneer DV-414, and the DV-09 was in my Home Theater System.
I called Bel Canto and asked what they thought would be a better transport; CD only or DVD.
I was considering a CD only Transport such as a Theta,Meridian, Levinson, etc.
When I informed the technician at Bel Canto that I had a DV-09 in the house he quietly and politically recommended that I swap the 414 for the DV-09 as soon as possible.
The results are breathtaking!!
The DV-09 and the Dac-1 are superb. Best CD playback I have heard second only to DCS Elger, or Linn CD-12.
I am using Harmonic Tech Cyberlink and Truthlink cables respectively.
I am moving up to Acoustic Zen cables soon with this system.
I recommend a DV-09 due to its airlock transport and dual power supplies.
I have yet to upgrade my Dac-1, but I am sure the upgrade will make the current system even better.

I have had couple of long conversations with Stan Warren (SuperMods) and, I must admit, most of it went right over my head [:)]. He does a lot of mods to DVD players and SACD players, and thinks the Pioneer DVD players are well laid out and a very good bargain as a transport. (And with his mods on the dac section, a good player in total!) If you did not care about 24/96, he reports the $100 AIWA 5 disc changer is a remarkable transport. Really!

I also use, and enjoy, a DAC1/Pioneer DV525 combo connected via Toslink (XLO.) Mr. Warren recommends the $60 2 meter Fatwire toslink, and I am going to give it a try. He reports, just like the boys at Bel Canto Design, that there is jitter reduction with this set up.

Good Luck,

Charlie

Update to above....the toslink recommended is by Audio One and the 2 meter is $139. The boys at Fatwyre say this one is great with the DAC1 and the MSB dac.