Modwright Transporter VS Transporter w/DAC


wondering if anyone has compared the MW Transporter against a MW or stock Transporter using a high quality external DAC. Just curious.
Thanks
Tony
128x128mantis007

Showing 1 response by desalvo55

I can answer this question and ask the same question.
I have a stock transporter. I've been chasing a nagging glare issue within my system for since it's inception. My system consists of line arrays (LS6's) Cary SLP-05 and a pair of Nuforce 9SEV2's. Nice cables and power cords, filtering, cones, room treatments and even a few prayers..

Our system sounds great but still, the high frequencies on some music can send you running. I try and tell myself it's the either the speakers or the recording. We have thought about sending the Transporter to Modwright but that adds another 2K plus.

Cary is just releasing a upsampling DAC which looks like a killer DAC on paper at $1500 but don't know how it would sound it our system.

We hosted an audio GTG at our home this past weekend and one gentleman brought a prototype outboard DAC to try. It was remarkable. When inserted into our system the high frequency glare was gone. I cued up the worst offending songs through the Transporter and no longer felt like running - only listening. Low level information also improved. Electronic noise was gone but detail remained and in fact, with the fore mentioned issue removed, I heard deeper into the recordings. I didn't want this box to go home! I wish to further listen too and review this DAC which I just learned called the "Neko Audio D100 DAC".

So now knowing the TP DAC is the culprit in MY system, I question whether a modded Transport or an outboard DAC would be the way to go? For obvious reasons the outboard DAC is the more flexible solution, especially the Cary which carries a USB input. But I've heard that a Modwright Transporter might be second to none as a front end.

Then there's this "new" DAC I auditioned that sounded sweet but doesn't have a pedigree.. It costs nearly as much as the Cary's!

Thanks for your inputs!