Transporter vs Linn DS players


Has anyone compared the Logitech Transporter to the Linn DS players? The entry level Linn player is right around the same price as the Transporter.

I have a Squeezebox I really like for the conveniance. I would like to have the same kind of access to stored files with sound quality on par with a comparably priced cd player.

On the Linn forums, they are very high an all the DS players. The story there is that the lower level DS players outperform all of their cd players at a fraction of the cost. The general opinion there is that streaming players are superior transports to disc players. Has anyone experienced those players? Is this the wave of the future?

Please let me know what you think. There are more choices than ever these days!
bmdduck

Showing 1 response by agiaccio

I did compare the two and found the Linn Sneaky DS superior to the Logitech Transporter (at roughly the same price). Not everyone may agree with Linn's philosophy but it does make sense that source comes first since you can't get back what you haven't extracted (i.e., garbage in = garbage out).

If you are not going to use the built-in power amp of the Linn Sneaky DS you may want to look at getting the Linn Majik DS for the extra $1000 and at the same time you gain a front panel. Remember that the higher you go in the Linn line (like most manufacturers), the better the sound.

For myself, I compared the Logitech Transporter, Linn Sneaky DS, Linn Majik DS and Linn Akurate DS and ended up with the Linn Akurate DS for my stereo music system.

If you take the time to compare a CD to that same CD ripped to FLAC, you will definitely hear a difference. The original CD sound is harsher when compared to FLAC. With all the high-rez downloads available out there (and more to come), I do believe that this is the future of music. Like anything else, it all depends on how serious you are with this hobby.