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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
auxinput
2,920 posts
 

On the LKS:

https://www.shenzhenaudio.com/l-k-s-audio-mh-da004-dual-es9038pro-flagship-dac-dsd-input-coaxial-bnc-aes-ebu-for-dop-usb-i2s-optical-audio-decoder.html

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/l-k-s-audio-mh-da004-dual-es9038pro-dac-van-dammes-double-impact.840938/

On the digital clock of the transport. I have tested the Jolida as a transport and it sounded very good. I would assume it has a good crystal clock for the 44.1khz sampling rate because it will only play CDs. The Cambridge CXC also has a good clock for CD, because it is designed from the ground up as a transport for ONLY CDs.

For other transports, it depends. Sometimes you can gather/assume information. For example, looking at a picture of the PS Audio Perfectwave Transport board:

http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/psaudio7/board1_small.jpg

In the middle you can see what looks like two TCXO clocks (TXCO is temperature controlled). These are the yellow rectangles. Having two of them is an excellent design to support the two different sampling rate multipels. First multiple being 44.1 / 88.2 / 176.4 for CD and PCM/SACD rates. The second multiple being 48 / 96 / 192 for other PCM hi-res.

The Bryston BDP-3 is a computer motherboard that runs Linux operating system. I’m cannot be sure what clocks it runs, but I would assume it is just running the main computer CPU clock, so any SPDIF digital output has to be based on integer math compared against the computer CPU. But at least it has a full linear power supply (instead of switching power supply).

In my opinion, the Oppo players do not make a good transport for PCM audio. It uses two low grade clocks (25mhz and 27mhz I think). One is for CPU and the other is for HDMI interface. They are not good crystal clocks and are not even close to the native audio sampling rates. The CPU has to do integer math based on 27mhz to generate the 44.1khz or 48khz or whatever sampling rate output. This is okay, but not as good as a dedicated audio clock. Also, the digital board uses switching power supply so it’s double detrimental. This is okay for movie formats (dolby digital / dts) because the data is decoded and then clocked in the processor, but the Oppo just cannot play PCM as well as a really good transport. If you want to use Oppo, at least upgrade the power supply to a LPS from OPPOMOD.

auxinput
2,920 posts
 

If you look at internal pictures, you can generally tell if something does not have a linear power supply because you will not see a really large transformer and the power supply board will have really small capacitors.  Look at the Bryston BDP-3:

http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=158255

You can see the larger round toroidal transformer on the left and 2 large capacitors on the power supply board with voltage regulators bolted to the bottom of the case.

In comparison, look at the oppo 203:

https://www.oppodigital.com/blu-ray-udp-203/images/UDP-203-internal-hr.jpg

Tiny yellow transformer in the middle is a sure indicator of switching power supply.

Oppo with linear power supply upgrade:

http://cfile5.uf.tistory.com/image/21207B4E586D8EFE34FFE5

You can see the huge size of the transformer in comparison.

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.
mahler123
3,024 posts
 
Instead  of getting the Bryston BDP 3 as a transport, consider getting the BDA-3 DAC.  It’s superb and has a gazillion inputs, including 4 HDMI.  It goes for about $3500:  I would then pair it with
the Bluesound Node 2 for streaming and usb and for polycarbonate discs NAD makes some inexpensive CD players.  Then add a Sony Blu Ray if you need SACD and Blu Ray.  The Sony isn’t made in North America but can be had for under $100 and sounds great via the HDMI of the Bryston, and you would still be spending 95% on North American products. If you don’t need SACD and Blu Ray, skip the Sony
  Actually the Sony makes Redbook sound pretty good on the Bryston and you can skip the NAD CDP and have about $1000 left in your budget
glennewdick's avatar
glennewdick
1,500 posts
 
Why not for go the transport all together and put your digital media on to a NAS or  Streamer system something like the Blue Sound Vault 2 or many or the similar devises out there. you can break from the disc spinner all together and spend the bulk of your budget on the DAC.  Also you would have ability to access all your music from your listening chair via a tablet/phone App. Also you could easily add streaming services like Tidal all from one convenient spot. No down Side to sound quality.
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