2. digital
  3. 132046-13640

Please Recommend Transport + DAC for $5K total

My current Jolida cdp is growing pretty long in the tooth. I could just replace it with another cdp, but it seems more prudent to go with separate transport and DAC, at this point. Would prefer gear made in N. America. Total expenditure not to exceed 5K. I'm considering Sim Audio Moon 260CD or Bryston BDP-3 as a transport. The thing is, I prefer the option of demoing at home and I haven't (so far) found any vendors offering that option with the Sim Audio piece. As for a DAC, same thing: it has to be something I can try out at home, like a Schiit Yggy or Benchmark DAC2HGC. Can anyone suggest other possibilities, given these parameters? My system: Wells Audio Majestic Integrated, Silverline 17.5 monitors, JD100 cdp. Speaker wire: Audio Art SE. Power cables: Audio Art Statement. IC's: Audioquest Cheetah.  Thanks! 
stuartk

Showing 3 responses by itzhak1969

itzhak1969
515 posts
 
From my experience CDP /
blu ray player can not be good as transport its build-in inner DAC is not allowing a puer data transmission to external DAC it’s better to use digital player or a dedicated cd transport with no inner DAC , I bought the Cambridge Audio CXC transport and it’s really amazing transport for its price in the future I am considering the CEC TL5 Belt Drive CD Transport it’s a state of the art pure cd transport I don’t think you’ll find better one at this price level it’s made in Japan and not in N America but it worth a serious consideration.
itzhak1969
515 posts
 
Just a correction the CXC has also optical output but the coax output in general is the best option between the two. Bellow 5k I can recommend the Mcintosh d150 a remarkable DAC ( with the CXC as a transport) it has the latest features, extremely low noise,very good dynamics and transparency .absolutely neutral and natural sound.
itzhak1969
515 posts
 
I agree the CXC is a great transport I used it with my McIntosh DAC ,once I bought it it’s the first time that my CD collection come as close as possible to pure analog sound as my vinyl collection,of course there are better transports but you will have to spend many times more than this excellent transport.this one of the best selling product for Cambridge Audio.
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