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Transport - does it matter to the sound at all?

I wanted to start this thread, to gain some insight into peoples experiences on this subject.
My view: From the outset of CD and digital media, we were force fed the view that 'its digital so always sounds the same whatever' ideology. Remember the jam on the cd, and it doesn't skip. Since these naive beginning we quickly found out it did matter, and the quality of components, interconnects (its wire isn't it so doesn't affect the sound?) and design DID affect the sound. So I firmly believe that a transport does affect the signal quality and final sound output in a big way. There are transformers, capacitors, boards, wires, all the components that have such a bearing on quality output on all the other components in a system. And the motor, the bearings, the transport mechanism, jitter correction, noise, damping, vibration from itself and speaker interaction ALL will affect the sound.

My question, what are the views on this balance between cost on a DAC and the transport. Are many of us getting it wrong bolting on Sony DVD players to high quality DACs? And are many of the 'quality transports" out there just re-boxed philips units. It does appear very few manufactures build their own transports aka Meridain, Linn and Naim to mention a few.

It would be great to see a high quality transport kit out there, which would allow a full transport and kit DIY project, with mods and part upgrades available at an affordable price.

I haven't the money at present to upgrade my DAC, which is an upgraded Audio Note DAC 1.1 and Zero transport, but I am very happy it at the moment as it was a huge jump over oversampling units I had owned previously.
astrostar59

Showing 2 responses by undertow

undertow
1,033 posts
 
The two biggest factors that I have heard effect a DAC / Transport combo is the Transport And digital cable.. Both pretty much as important from my many trials... A close next would be the Power cables on both units.

Some transports sound more syrupy, some very stringent or thin, some with Heavy weight in the bass and good solid dynamics. It will depend on the combo, but to your question, yes big things can happen for better or worse when A-B testing transports against each other in the same system with same cables, sometimes night and day better or worse in certain areas or with certain types of music.
Myself and a friend tried a few DVD players, Stable platter transports, Good single disc dedicated transports, and even CD changers in some direct compares.. We have normally found the dedicated transport built machines do have some extra magic to them..

Cheap dvd players do implement several other un-used circuits for video etc.. in them and sometimes sound pretty good, but not always competitive with an actual transport. But I have not heard it all so that will be your own listening to determine what you need. They can sound quite different just like putting a totally different amp in front of your speaker, same as what transport you got in front of your DAC.
undertow
1,033 posts
 
Reclocker... interesting, I already myself have too much power cord cost, and cable cost to add more in between.. I am not so sure you can't get a transport with a upgraded clock or better one in the first place to fore'go the excess cables and conversions adding a third unit to the digital chain, but I have not had these issues so maybe it is a good path.
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