What is the best transport?

Neil - you would probably say the same thing about using an iPod, using iTunes or installing a driver for a new printer etc.. Maybe these are not for you.

All it takes is to follow some simple instructions and make the right choices. Less difficult than choosing the right phono cartridge, tonearm, cables and phono pre, and learning how to adjust a turntable and tonearm. I have seen people at shows spend more than an hour adjusting a tonearm etc.. I'll take the computer thank you. I think its time to give up the buggywhips.

I dont experience freezes, crashes etc... Read the reviews.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

I think it may be over powered. You may need traction bars. LOL!

I agree with advocates of Computer-based audio having fully arrived, and the reasons they've presented are valid in my experience.

I do not agree that it's a headached to get started; that depends a good deal on how much you enjoy working with computers. I happen to enjoy it, so ripping, organizing and tagging CDs, and setting up the music server were satisfying experiences. As Steve N. says above, it's just about which paradigm you're used to or gravitate to. None of it is "difficult", it's just relative to your skills and patience to learn something new.

I don't understand why anyone would assume that the digital output of a device spinning a disc would be superior to the (same) digital output of a device decoding the *same exact data* from a computer file. Many of us believe that the absence of said spinning disc results in superior audio. Ironically, the CD players that buffer the CD to storage before outputting it are... guess what.... computers! I don't see how that is *any* different from a music server or network transport.

In any case I believe so much of it still has to do with synergy of components, just like in the old days.

Add the convenience of having an entire collection of tagged, instantly-accessible music and no need to keep physical CDs racked and organized, and I will never go back.

Many high end DACs accept USB, or something like the Halide S/PDIF - USB converter, making a connection from something like a Mac Mini a no-brainer. And the software/player options seem to keep getting better and better. The local audio store here uses a MacBook front-end running Amarra into the DAC over USB to feed a system with Wilson Sashas, Ayre mono-blocks and pre, and it sounded beyond belief.

I am using the Transporter, because I happen to really like the interface and options, but I'd be equally satisfied going USB out from a Mac Mini straight into my DAC.

I really don't know if the sound equals CD physical transports costing $4k and up, but it sounds a boatload better than the sub-4k players I've tried in the same system.

I'm going to take a guess that many of the nay-sayers have never actually heard a decent music server/network player setup.

I wonder what the advantages of PS Audio PWT transport is compared to just saving your cds in your computer...

Joncourage,
I have`nt seen any "nays-ayer" posts,just people who are comfortable with what they have and who feel no need to change at this time. You`re happy with a computer based system, that`s your choice, who`s putting it down? What ever allows you to enjoy your music to your satisfaction is the way to go. Why do some people feel the need to get others to convert when they`re already content with their current individual choice?