Did you compared SZ 1 playing SACD to PowerDAC playing SACD? Will PowerDAC lost some of the details(the frequency range is not as wide as SACD player)?
I am using the older Gold Link3 with P1000 and MSB Digital director(jitter reducer). Synergistic Research Absolute Reference X2 with quattro and Audioquest Eagle eye digital cable(I have test the Synergistic without using the MPC(without active shieling still much better than Audioquest and XLO Limited Edition, with the MPC improve a lot and the Quattro with Aural Symphonic Magic Gem power cord(used on the Quattro) and Exact Power EP15A push the digitl cable to the limit, retail $2000US for the Synergistic digital cable, $1000US for the Quattro and I have other Synergistic cables). I need 2 digital cables with the Digital director. Great cables and they are more expensive than the DAC. I have 2 transports, Accustic Arts Drive 1 and Marantz SA8260.
The digital cables that I have used before were PS Xstream($200US), Harmonic Tech Magic($400), XLO Limited Edition($1000), Audioquest Eagle Eye($650) and Synergistic Absolute Ref X2($2000). I have borrowed my friend's Acoustic Revive DSIX digital cable($1195), Acoustic Revive is good. I never thought of digital cable made such a big difference. When I was using 2 pieces of H.T Magic, I thought they were very good. Synergistic is better than all the cables mentioned above by a huge margin, a lot more expensive too. I bought the Synergistic used and have a good deal.
I planned to add the 4X upsample upgrade(24/192K card that used in the older Platinum and now can fit the Link, Nelson Link and Gold Link, cost $899US) on the Gold Link3.
I have asked MSB and they said add the Xport will has 24/192K output and don't need this 4X card(the Xport is much better). MSB said Xport is also much better than the 192K upgrade(install on transport, the one before Xport and still available, I think is $600)
I don't want to modified the A.A and if I have the Xport upgrade on the Marantz 8260. Will it be better than A.A with the expensive digital cable and jitter reducer? If I install the 4X upsample card, it can benefit any tranport that I plug into it.
MSB said "The quality of a transport is very much dependant on the processing and clocking of the output audio data", so with the Xport upgrade the quality of the transport is not that important. But I think the quality of the laser mechanism, build quality of the chassis and power supply made big difference as well. Will an inexpensive player with Xport outperform good quality Transport?
I have waited an used old Platinum Plus to show up for a long time and only seen it once. I want to get a used PowerDAC as well, now still over $3K for used. I am waiting for the price to drop. For the meantime, I think I will get the 4X upsample card first. And upgrade the DAC later, the Gold Link3 can used in the 2nd system.
