2. digital
  3. 139960-99773

JAY'S Audio CDT-3-MK2 or PS Audio DirectStream Memory Player

Looking for a CD transport. I will be playing redbook CDs only and would be using the SPDIF output to my DAC. 
I was thinking to get the JAY'S Audio transport, but now that PS Audio discounted their DirectStream Memory Player, I can't decide between the two. Has anyone compared those two?
nenon
bigkidz
3,311 posts
 

Here goes my 2 cents worth. I posted my response in another thread regarding the Jay’s Audio transport and my old Metronome C1A transport. My ears I found the Metronome more musical with a deeper soundstage. The owner of the Jays transport felt it had a little more dynamics and something else I forget. I prefer dimension to the soundstage as the Jays sounded a little flat to my ears. By I also like a musical sound with digital which the Metronome had. Sometimes people hear depth as less dynamic but to me you have to really listen and compare those soundstages to understand the total sound. I want backing vocals and instruments sounding more in the back of the soundstage. I have owned CEC transports in the past and own a CEC TL5100z but it was not working at that time. A friend of mine owns a CEC TL3N transport and I wanted to compare that to the Jays but it was not available then so I was only able to compare it to the Metronome in my system. The CEC was a better sounding transport than the Metronome in my system. Deeper bass and a little bigger soundstage. It has a sound that was just sweeter, vocals and piano were simply better, with better overall texture. It was more musical sounding. I just finished my CEC TL5100z so I will compare it my Metronome probably next week. Big price difference between my CEC and the CEC TL3N though. If I had to pick a transport right now it would be the CEC new TL 3 3.0. CEC has a reputation of being a excellent transport and the company has been around for many years with good product support. To me if the Jays was close to the Metronome and the CEC TL3N was better that the Metronome, so that is were my opinion comes from.


BTW I have heard the CXC, NuPrime and Sim Audio transports and to me my old CEC TL5100z was preferred by a group of people who heard it. I have also used a Rega Apollo and Saturn as a transport with excellent results so that would be an option for an inexpensive transport option.

Also the person with the Jays Audio transport I believe also owned a PS Audio transport so maybe he will comment on the differences between those two transports.


Happy Listening.

jriggy's avatar
jriggy
547 posts
 

Also the person with the Jays Audio transport I believe also owned a PS Audio transport so maybe he will comment on the differences between those two transports.

Now that would be some useful info!
Maybe you could coax this member to comment... 
aolprodj's avatar
aolprodj
77 posts
 
Beware of people making false claims that one is better than the other
unless you have them side-by-side in a system that
is the only way that you can tell the difference. There are just too many people jumping in with opinions on these forums
and they have no idea or valid facts to back up what they're talking about
 It's not fair to the manufacturers of the products.

cal3713's avatar
cal3713
1,421 posts
 
@aolprodj And still the comparison may not translate to another system. As stated above... "In my system..."

All good information regardless.
in_shore's avatar
in_shore
596 posts
 
I have not listened to any of the Jay Audio transports however I did listen to PS Audios senior dac and Direct Stream Memory player combo in two completely different systems with other competitively priced digital front ends .
The PS Audio combination new in 2017 came in 3rd place behind a Esoteric KOx1 SACD player and CEC TLN 2 transport with  Denafrips Terminator dac.
The comparisons were done over a few weeks in the fall of 2017 switching the PS Audio dac senior for the Denafrips and the CEC transport with the PS Audio dac. The Denafrips with the Direct Stream memory player was immediately liked seconds into the first cut. The CEC combined with the PS dac senior wasn’t so obvious at first listen however what stood out right away was in the sound stage with better layering .
The CEC transport was preferred over the PS Direct Stream player and the Denafrips Terminator was preferred over the PS Audio senior dac.
Using exceptional recordings like Tonian Labs Drums & Bells sounding even more realistic presence with the Esoteric player and CEC Denafrips combination.

Hearing the recording Drums & Bells for the first time that bass drum on the first track scared ever living crap out of me .
Speakers used were Magnapan 20.7 with Rel subs and the Focal Utopia.

Finally , chatting with an owner of the Jay Audio transport last year I have high confidence in what he says about it .

More to discover