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Oppo 980 or Sony 9100ES or Denon 3910 as transport

I have searched the archives and systems for an opinions, but am still asking for more information. I have a Jolida 100A and since I bought a PS Audio Digital Link III, I have been using the Jolida as a transport. Its a waste, really, because it bypasses the tubes. I am looking to sell the Jolida and either use my Oppo 980 or a different transport. I perceived a difference going from the Oppo to the Jolida, subtle but real. I am intrigued by the Sony 9100ES and the Denon 3910. Both around $400 used here on Audiogon. Both are solid and well-built. I don't know which of the three is more reliable and which has the lowest jitter through the coax digital output. For those of you with the any of the three units used solely as transports, have you found them satisfying? Which DAC have you used them with? Any operational quirks or problems? Any other transports going through a DL III that you love? DVD-A is a non-issue, but I do play SACD, currently through the HDMI of my Onkyo, but can use 5.1 analog out of the player. I want to find the Jolida a nice home and find a transport with low jitter and tank-like reliability. Any thoughts?
tgrisham
ekobesky
259 posts
 
Personally, I don't think anything with a DVD drive should be used as a transport.

I would look for one of the older Sony ES or Pioneer Elite CD players, especially if you can find one of the "Stable Platter" models. Marantz and Denon also made some nice, hefty players with solid transports.

Or you could get yourself a good, single box SACD/CD player like a used Sony SCD-1 or a brand new player from the likes of McIntosh and Marantz and ditch the complication of having a separate DAC, CD transport and SACD player.
tgrisham OP
1,291 posts
 
Thanks for your reply. I am still in the "contemplative" stage and am looking at every possible option. It is hard to give up the Oppo as a video source since it is so precise and versatile. I don't mind having a separate Redbook CD source, as long as it is superior to the DVD source.
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drubin
3,265 posts
 
I don't think anything with a DVD drive should be used as a transport.
I'd be interested to hear why you think that. Some people -- the Bound for Sound guy, for example -- have argued the opposite, that DVD drives make the best transports.
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