new transport ?

[nbaptista]

Hello,
I´m using a Cambridge DacMagic at the moment mainly with my PC . However a year ago I bought a Cambridge 340 C and I´m using it as a transport, but I´m not satisfied with the results yet!With voices the transport/Dac does a good job, however with instruments background is not so good...I thing the weak link is the transport, so I wonder if a s/h Cambridge 550 C would do the job much better? On Cambridge Web page they advertise that they use a new S3 Mechanism,etc,etc http://www.cambridgeaudio.com/summary.php?PID=372&Title=Azur+550C+CD+player
What do you think?Should I trust Cambridge and would be the new 550 C a step forward,or no?

[roob]

Why not get a dedicated cd transport instead of a complete player.

[nbaptista]

Why not get a dedicated cd transport instead of a complete player.

they are too expensive!

[HighFidelityGuy]

What's your current budget?

[nbaptista]

what's your current budget?
£ 250 - £ 300

[Ali Tait]

Simple. Buy a Squeezebox Touch.

[HighFidelityGuy]

It's difficult to know for sure but from what I can make out from the Cambridge website it looks like most of their CD players share the same or similar Sony transport mechanism. So I doubt upgrading to one of their more expensive players would provide an improvement. Their higher end players seem to just have better DACs etc, but you already have the top of the range Cambridge DAC.

The Dacmagic is a descent DAC but there are better DACs within your budget like the Beresford Caiman with Gator board. So I would bet that you would get better results from upgrading your DAC. Another alternative would be to swap to a computer based transport. You could get a Hiface Evo or as Ali suggested a Squeezebox Touch within your budget. That's providing you already have a suitable computer handy.

Of course if you sold your CD player or DAC or both you'd have much more money to spend but that's a bit of a gamble. :)

[John]

You can even do it cheaper and still get good results I mostly use my laptop going throgh a £15 SPDIF converter to a DAC and it always blows people away Marc also uses one and likes it too
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FANMUSIC-FM-6011-COAX-USB-SPDIF-COAX-Converter-NEW-/120723650645?pt=UK_Computing_ComputerComponents_So undCards&hash=item1c1bb0b855

[purite audio]

Hmmm yes but that particular device is limited to 16/44.1, does it galvonically isolate and reclock the signal with two crystal oscillators?
Keith.

[John]

I have no idea what that mean but sounds good
It not alway about specs I am ure if I got a very expenive DAC it be better but I do not have any HD tracks and until I can the muic I enjoy in this format this will do

[purite audio]

It just means you would get a better sound and ne able to play any file up to and including 24/192 from your PC.
Keith.

[John]

ahh understand. Unfortantly the music I mostly listen have a very limited release in higher res format. If that changes then I will go down that route

[roob]

This will do
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Little-Dot-CDP-CD-CDP-I-Digital-Transport-Player-NEW-/400074221711?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5d2648288f#ht_4170wt_1141

[nbaptista]

from the Cambridge website it looks like most of their CD players share the same or similar Sony transport mechanism.
These are the improvements
550 C
"CD transport which is coupled to our new highly sophisticated S3 Custom CD ServoTM. This third generation audiophile servo employs an all-new chipset and the latest double-sided surface-mount technology for ultra short signal paths with freedom from wire links

The 550C’s well-proven transport has been re-worked to facilitate even quieter operation and a new bracing mechanism (derived from the 740 Series) guarantees incredible rigidity"

[goraman]

Here you go.
This should do it for you.
The quality of this stuff is fantastic.
http://littledot.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=823