How good of a DAC is the Logitech Transporter

Hi Luis:

In regards to the external DAC, reading your comment it seems to me that you are taking things in the right steps to the process of elimination.

Isolation and tweaking are the core and fundamental to achieve and maximize proper sound imaging.

I quote you saying that the Mod Wright is probably worthwhile. I feel it is going to definitely change your present sound signature.

The sound would become more defined with more of a warm sound and help eliminate that clinical dry digital presentation.

IMHO, why not consider a digital out external Tube DAC, such as the Tri-Vista 21 which also allow you the flexibility to switch back and forth with digital out and using the internal Transporter DAC.

This will also give an edge as to the different presentation and you can probably get one for more than half the price of a Mod.

I have this setup in my system and it sounds great, with allot of flexibility for upgrade and not sterile to just one sound.

Enjoy Music!

Harold

i have had my transporter for about 3 weeks now. it is replacing a linn genki in my aktiv two lk-140 bi-amped ninkas linn system.

the transporter makes even the genki sound warm and fuzzy by comparison. the detail is a step up, the noise floor invisible and the clarity astonishing. high volumes are far less fatiguing than the genki, which is no slouch itself.

the only thing i am not completely used to is the sound of the treble, e.g. cymbals. it might be just so accurate my slightly aging hearing is the limiting factor.

i have been meaning to try some of the software emulation of tube components. just for fun.

one thing i am looking forward to trying is the 24bit/96khz files.

lastly, having your whole library at you fingertips (i am using ipeng on an ipod touch as a remote) is really revolutionary.

the cd player is dead.

Hi Ophitoxaemia:

The Linn Genki was a decent sounding $ 2000.00 CD player 10 years ago and is still considered as a great player.

The Transporter has a Wang Jung re clocked processor that contributed to the lower floor noise in the DAC circuitry which helps eliminate the jitter and clock error.

That is why Dan Wright also consider the DAC as one of the best and only tackles the Analog stage for improvement.

The present voltage regulator and analog stage op amp cascade circuit is modified by Mod Wright, Dan replaces this section of the solid state analog stage, by adding the rectifier and driver analog stage tube circuit along with a beef up P/S to deliver that dynamic and warm sound which in return removes that clinical dry sound from the stock unit.

Some people might call it tube coloration.

The analog stage of the stock Transporter can be conquered by using a quality warm interconnect pair to a analog pre-amp and fixing the Transporter volume 100% and using the analog volume pot of the pre-amp tube preferred, which will take the sound to a more warm and less clinical.

Your Transporter downloading HDTrack 96/24 Hi-Res will outperform the best of the best red book CD unit.

Enjoy Music!

Harold

The Touch has a newer DAC, presumably a new digital design. How would it compare to a Transporter?
Art

I have not auditioned a Transporter and would very much like to compare the Balanced output to the Touch's unbalanced one.

On the other hand, to have a more fair comparison I did test out the Touch's unbalanced out with a Philips LH200 CD player unbalanced out to a Accuphase C-202 balanced out to a P-102 powering a set of Totem Staff speakers. My friend and I could not really tell a difference, in fact the Touch actually presented a bit more clarity.

Interested enough, I also compared the Touch's digital out to a Mhdt Havana DAC amp-direct to the Accuphase P-102 with -12db attenuation and it is remarkable, it sounds warm and absolutely musical (although my friend isn't really quiet used to the tube(?) sound the Havana produces).

I say the Touch is very very good.... for an unbalanced output and the AKM4420 can be compared to the DAC Philips LHH200 uses back in the old days.