good CD transports

[nbaptista]

What kind of cd players have good transports?Marantz, Denon?I have bought a Rega Dac and I would like to buy a cd player to use it as transport!My actual transport is a Cambridge 340 C, that a friend of mine says it has bad clocks and lens. I´m not so sure, because I think that Cambridge is a well respected manufacturer. I think Sony ES also have a good reputation.
BTW, I´m using the Rega with my laptop through USB, and so far is great

[Dingdong]

The Teac vrds and Philips pro mechanisms are generally quite well regarded for transports.

[panos_adgr]

It depends on what kind of transport each company buys and puts in it's components.It has to do also with the price of the device and the ''philosophy'' of the designer. Most of the companies use philips transports or sony. Some other use cd-rom drivers and some use custom like TEAC-Esoteric (superb). Very reliable and good transports are philips which are used by many designers like i.e. marantz. For more details read reviews where usually is mentioned from the reviewers what kind of transports are used in the reviewed devices. I beliave that, audiolab, mid priced marantz and denon would do the job fine. But in case you can find a used teac or esoteric(expensive) with VRDS mechanism would be ideal! Check out also for used Pioneer or E.A.D. CDplayers-transport which have the ''stable platter mechanism'' that are excellent.

[tannoy man]

Sony ES Players

[roob]

Err a dedicated transport maybe?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Little-Dot-CDP-I-CDP-1-CDP1-CD-Transport-Remote-Control-digital-display-/180729428720?pt=UK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiF i_Amplifiers&hash=item2a14503af0#ht_4811wt_954

[janos_904]

An old timer, but highly regarded Roksan transport can do a very good job, TEAC is close too. So, vote for a Roksan Attessa, DPA1. They are superior to Sony ES.

[DSJR]

I think the old "Jitter" bug has been laid to rest for many years now and in all honesty, I bet most CD/DVD machines made in the last ten to fifteen years should be fine. In all honesty, I can't hear any real difference between my Micro Seiki, Denon DCD1520 (one with re-clocked CD-M1 mech and t'other with a similar Sony linear-motor sled to the old better ES models I believe) and a cheapy Philips CD723 which I've had the pleasure of bodging around with in recent times (not a bad player for peanuts, but needs extra power supplies inside for better audio performance as a stand-alone player IMO.

So, the suggestion from me would be to see if you want the joy of owning a heavy-duty classic from yesteryear, accepting the fact that parts may not be available now, or do you go with a basic CD player (or even one of Rega's own past history of excellent players) to spin the discs on? Rega's players are all still servicable I believe.

[Marco]

I think the old "Jitter" bug has been laid to rest for many years now and in all honesty, I bet most CD/DVD machines made in the last ten to fifteen years should be fine.


That's not my experience, Dave; indeed far from it! The plastic DVD-ROM mechs, used in most of today's 'affordable' CDPs, significantly contribute to their often thin and weedy sound, in comparison to that of a 'battleship-built' one, from CD's heyday.


In all honesty, I can't hear any real difference between my Micro Seiki, Denon DCD1520 (one with re-clocked CD-M1 mech and t'other with a similar Sony linear-motor sled to the old better ES models I believe) and a cheapy Philips CD723 which I've had the pleasure of bodging around with in recent times (not a bad player for peanuts, but needs extra power supplies inside for better audio performance as a stand-alone player IMO.


Have you ever compared the difference between identical CDPs, when the only variable is the transport mechanism used: one 'uber-engineered' and the other a plastic DVD-ROM type?

Only then will you *really* hear just how badly the latter hobbles the performance of a CD player! :trust:

Marco.

[northwest]

This thread:
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/digital-source/120229-finally-affordable-cd-transport-shigaclone-story.html
started back in '08 and 540 pages later is still ongoing! Everything has been tried and there were some surprising contenders. Myself, I have an Arcam Alpha 5 under the couch that I intend to cannibalise and install into a "Really Flashy Case" and seperate power supply. From what I can gather, most of these transports cost little in component form but cost a fortune when presented in a futuristic (or even Retro) looking package.

[DSJR]

That's not my experience, Dave; indeed far from it! The plastic DVD-ROM mechs, used in most of today's 'affordable' CDPs, significantly contribute to their often thin and weedy sound.



Have you ever compared the difference between identical CDPs, when the only variable is the transport mechanism used: one 'uber-engineered' and the other a plastic DVD-ROM type?

Only then will you *really* hear just how badly the latter hobbles the performance of a CD player! :trust:

Marco.

I don't know if it's possible to compare the SAME player but fitted with different grades of transport these days, since most transports in modern CD players are adapted CD ROM drives I understand. The leaden bass the Digit was spouting forth was significantly tamed when the cheapo nasty electrolytic caps in the signal output were replaced with pretty cheapo Muse types.. I'm not disagreeing with you at all though, since the best made of the c1990 players were superb in use and were made too well in all honesty :) At least the cheapo CD723 I'm beggaring around with isn't as "gritty" in feel as Philips players used to be and there's no vibration in the mech at all when playing... lasers can be got easily and cheaply too...

I'm well out of it now, but having heard a few things of various quality with a Rega DAC, I think I can fairly safely say *in this instance,* that the Rega won't stand or fall by the transport used with it - hell, even the stock USB input works really well. Obviously, the new Apollo R would be a perfect visual match (and I'm sure, a pretty nice player on its own).

Hope the OP isn't totally confused by all this...

[roob]

Does the Rega dac re-clock the incoming data?
If it does then the quality of the transport is less important, try you dvd player as a transport and see how it compares to what you use now.
Be wary of buying old favourites from years ago, transport mechs may no longer be available(as I found out:doh:)

[nbaptista]

I can buy an Advanced Acoustic MCD 403 dedicated transport for 300€, but I´m afraid this brand is not trustful

[Marco]

Be wary of buying old favourites from years ago, transport mechs may no longer be available(as I found out:doh:)

That's why you do the research first, daftee, to confirm that transport mechs are still available for the player you're intending on buying! ;)

Even if not, in many instances eBay and the rest of the Internet are your friend. Moreover still, the highest quality transport mechanisms used in the best vintage players simply last for years and YEARS - and then some! The mech in my Sony X-777ES is over 25 years old now and still going strong (touch wood). Goodness knows how many THOUSANDS of hours of music it's played.

The player was 19 years old when I bought it, and in the 6 years that I've had it, it's been playing music, on average, for five hours a day - and it still reads the table of contents on discs within a nanosecond of them being loaded into the machine!

And it's such a silky-smooth mechanism to use - discs swish in and out swiftly, with the grace of an angel, such are the remarkable standards of engineering, unlike the clunky and horrible plastic pish used on most CDPs these days, where discs slide in and out at a snail's pace, with all the grace of a tractor! :D

Now *that* is what you call quality. And sadly such reliability is completely unachievable now with ANY modern player, but it's one of the reasons why seeking out one of the true greats of CD players from a bygone golden era, pays such significant dividends...

Marco.

[Jonboy]

Another vote for the Teac VRDS but prefer the diecast phillips pro mech as fitted to my Micromega Duo and also some Top loading Audio Note transports, just need to be carefull some of the pro laser mechs are not available anymore:(

[nbaptista]

What about a Marantz cd transport?

[DSJR]

While the light pen is working, why not? 1980's ones ought to have their clocks fettled though - and even the infamous CD63 series were jitter bound, according to Paul Miller, despite this being better understood in the mid 80's when they came along.