Upgrade CD transport/player vs. Sacd transport/player
Seeking to upgrade my CD listening experience and am not sure how to proceed. Here the my opions:
1. Cd transport, such as Teac, Jays Audio, Audiolab, to connect to my dac which is currently a Weiss 204, but will upgrade to a Meitner Dac/streamer, specifically the MA3i. Not looking for a cd player.
2. Sacd/transport/player-here is it gets complicated. I have researched SACD sound that also guarantees that I will hear the DSD layer of the SACD. If I go the SACD transport route such as the Onix Zenith Shanling XST20, but after looking at this option, it seems very difficult and no guarantee as I may need a special box (which I am told is legal) along with HDMI and or i2S connections. One member tried a few combinations and could not always get the combinations to provide the DSD layer. Does hearing the DSD layer of SACD make a big difference vs. SACD PCM?
3. SACD Player-here there are multiple players such as Accuphase, Ps Audio and others that decode the DSD layer, but all of them are close to or over $10,000.00 in cost.
4. Not sure which way to proceed. The big question is, is the SACD sound with or without the DSD layer far superior to redbook? I can buy a top cd transport for less than $5000, but the SACD player is far more expensive. Is there anybody that has compared the two. Is the difference between top sounding redbook vs top sounding SACD substantial enough in order to justify the additional cost required to obtain the SACD player that decodes the DSD layer?
Thank you for your time and attention.
And if you have no internet connection, you have exactly zero media to listen to. Though your advocacy of online streaming is well noted, I can’t see why any audiophile would want to limit his or herself to simply accepting what the worthies at Qobuz decide should be available. It’s A solution, not the be all and end all. Not sure I’d be willing to pay the freight just to get DSD/SACD off the media. He does have a point about that. But that’s me. Your mileage, as they say, may vary. |
I agree with ghdprentice that I also wish to have the physical media as well as streaming. A question of fred60 about the Shanling SACD transport: Shanling in its marketing materials says they can do DSD, as long as the DAC can decode. I thought the transport does the decoding, not the DAC as it pertains to DSD. |
A good solution if you have alot of sacd is marantz sacd 10 player.they come up used for 4 k all the time. I do have the mcintosh spinner mcd 12000 but that's 12 k . Has the new ess pro dac chips and tube or solid state option .happy hunting. I think marantz has thier built in hers or the like for streaming.read the reviews sterophile ect. |
SACD is worth it by every measure (in the sense of what you hear as well as technical "measure"). I have several CDs of Living Stereos and later bought the SACDs when issued. Very significant improvement in SQ; at the time the SACD outperformed the LP, though I have since upgraded the analog chain. Macintosh has a unit, MCT5000, but no USB output, there is also a unit, the PMG Signature at about 9k. And probably many others (up to the Grandioso at $50k+!) You do need to research compatibility of the the transport's DSD output with your DAC, there are Sony licensing issues. I too enjoy spinning the physical media, I am gradually ripping the CDs but have no mechanism for ripping the SACDs and the SACDs sound better through my Esoteric XDSE than any available stream.
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@kjl1065 shanling will send DSD to the DAC and that’s where the conversation takes place. Other than that it is hard to justify spending big bucks on a transport. Directing these funds towards streamlining is what I’d do. |
