$5k DAC....Will A $500 cd Transport Get It Done?

I think that you have a very good dac and cheaping out on the transport is not going to let you hear what you paid for. If you are not skittish about buying from China, here is a very nice Lite transport. My friend bought one from Pacific Valve and it works beautifully. Unfortunately, PV went under. Check it out;
http://www.diygene.com/store/index.php?route=product/search&keyword=transport&category_id=50

Computer way is very convenient but just OK sound wise. Guys, please don't say that "burning your cd's to a computer out putting via a high quality usb cable to your dac and you will get far superior sound". Unfortunately, that is just a wishful thought, not reality. I compare it zillion times and it is not so. Some micro musical nuances are lost right there when you convert your CD in to WAV files( not to mention anything less) to yur SSD( not to mention HHD). I'm not a dealer for some CD Player or any electronic devices whatsoever, just a hobbits and currently shopping for new CD transport to replace my Teac VRDS-10, which unfortunately stopped open the CD tray. I used it as a transport to Remyo777 dac and prefer over any computer files to the same dac. If you had the original digital master file, then of course it should play better than CD to which it copied, but not vice versa.
P.S. Steve (Audioengr), i didn't try your re-clocker, but i did buy your up sampler Anarchy (if i remember correctly) in 2005, and that was pure waste of money.

Sorry, but it is true. I have done and tried it all. Just look at my feedback and see! Ha! My computer based front end trumps every single high dollar, well reviewed, CD player and transport I have ever owned. Ya, I have owned many, many good ones...

Cary 306
CEC belt drive transports
Marantz sa7
Top Esoteric players
Highly modified top end transports

And on and on.....my actual experience proved it out beyond any doubt for me. Really not close, but you must be prepared to do it right and the devil is in the details!

Unfortunately you need a top of the line transport - it makes a big difference with a good DAC.

I personally would get a dirt cheap DVD player and Steves syncromesh at an all up cost of basically the syncromesh at $599.00 because these days DVD players are so cheap. You can add the better cables and power supply Steve mentions later.

Thanks
Bill