2. digital
  3. 1151540540

If you have a "kick booty" DAC, does the transport

really matter as it is just a "reader" correct. Am I over simplifying it. When you plug your player into an outboard DAC don't it bypass the internal dac and stuff and shoot it to the outboard? Isn't the laser just reading the 1010101 on the disc and shooting the data to the DAC? If this is true can't a Joe just get a whatever player with coax/i.r./esbu out and just invest in a high horsepower DAC?
mtandrews

Showing 2 responses by szutinglee

szutinglee
91 posts
 
in theory, a hard drive is just a high capacity disk fixed permanently in a transport, aside from differences in the data retrieval mechanism (laser) and buffer. almost all attributes of a state of the art transport should apply to a state of the art hard drive. imagine using an Esoteric/TEAC chasis and spinning mechanism plus the JVC/XRCD24 data transport process to create a hard drive...that would be one awesome sounding source!
szutinglee
91 posts
 
i am not so sure that data retrieval from a hard drive is any more reliable than a cd transport when the quality of the disc, laser pickup, and spinning mechanism is the same. according to my very limited knowledge of electronics and computers, read and write errors occur often when spinning a hard drive, although we may not notice the effect of some (software hiccups, delays, crashes...). i believe there is no device that guarantees perfect data transfer available for consumers as of yet.

elements that i think are crucial for data retrieval are:
1. disc quality and condition
2. reading mechanism (laser)
3. speed and stability of spinning mechanism
4. power management
5. vibration control

please correct me if i am wrong.
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