Cd transport

Cambridge CXC, V1 and V2 functionally identical...listening to one now paired with a Quad Vena ll...

How much you want to spend?

Follow this link....

I’d buy a better CDP and forgo using the DAC in the P5. If you can find a discontinued Cambridge 851C you will be better off. If you can’t find a 851C look at the current Rotel RCD 1572 MKII. Nice thing about both of these players is you can use them as a transport to your P5, but I bet once you compare you’ll bypass the P5 DAC. 

If you have a DAC then paying for another one could be needless expense. I use a Audiolab CDT 6000, sounds very nice via Denafrips Ares 2. Of course if your DAC needs up grade buy a CD player with digital in for other sources. 

The CXC will break down

Bits are bits! That is why we have the Redbook standard for CD data/playback. All devices that can output the data from a CD must conform to this standard. That is why I use a Sony universal player. Sounds perfectly fine to my golden ears! IMO spending big bucks on a transport is just burning money!

@jasonbourne52 I agree to a point, however....the same grade fuel from the same pump, although making any engine run yields different performance.

I think between different players the internal components although spitting out the same bits to a DAC or especially when converting to analog internally can yield different results.

PS Audio has a fine offering. 

So cable upgrades are fruitless and now CD transports are too according to negative Nancy. My Jay's cdt2 mk3 is a monumental rebuttal to those claims. I owned a ps audio pwt cd transport and a Cambridge CXC and the Jay's has simply put them to shame. End of that story.

Cyrus makes a nice cd transport in the Cdt...$1299.

+1 for the Audiolab 6000 CDT . It’s been rock solid for me.

It's the conversion from digital to analog where the magic makes the biggest difference. 

I am returning the Audiolab 6000 CDT and Audioquest Cinnamon digital cable. This combination lacked air and was flat when compared to streaming Qobuz.  This includes most CD quality streaming.  This doesn't mean that this transport is bad, but it wasn't good in my setup.  My streaming is via USB into a McIntosh MA12000.  I've decided to give up on CD transport in that the McIntosh transport with proprietary cable is way too much when I already have a good turntable. 

I had a P5. My recommendation, which I own, is a Audiolab CDT6000. There was one FS for ~$400 just the other day. Connect it with a high quality power cord and coax cable and you will be surprised

@zappas 

About 6 months ago, I bought a Audiolab 6000cdt and was pleasantly surprised at how good it sounds.  Even the remote is pretty good.

All the best.

JD

I have an Audiolab 6000cdt and a Parasound P5.  I wanted to try tubes so bought a  Schiit Freya+ preamp and still use the P5 for other things.  Sounds good to me. 

Have 2 Audio lab 6000 transports. In my main room it is paired with a Benchmark LA-4 pre amp and a Benchmark Dac 3B.  Rock and Roll via a good Mogami 75 Ohm Coax cable, via Supertramp, Def Leppard, Eagles, BEAUTIFUL    For what its worth, Tekton Double impacts se version round it out. If you need more than coax, you'll have to move up. Enjoy Robert TN

Thanks for all of the responses.  Will look at your options. 👍

The best transport was the project- audio transport now around $3300.  I have owned, repaired, compared close to 50 transports.  Anyone who claims that there are no differences in sound quality unfortunately just has not had the experience.  The Jays is also a good option.  Lowered priced options is the Rega Saturn.  If you purchase a used one then go out and replace the laser for a very nice improvement.