Help needed: CD Transport

[Nordlys]

Hi fellow Art of sound guys and girls

The “honeymoon” is now over, as I have spent a lot more time listening seriously to my “new baby” and a good assortment of other highly regarded cd spinners

And I have established it’s “signature sound”, my PS Audio transport & Benchmark dac2 combo
My “new” description of this combo is that it sounds a lot like giant earphones, if that makes any sense

I still love it’s overall sound, but not all is perfect, I know I’m nitpicking, but at that price you expect perfection(at least I do)
Here is what I love:
Giant soundstage, with & depth - instrumental placement - live/activ speaker sound - it’s involving - easy flowing

So what’s “off”, well it’s not much...but it lacks “nerve”, might not translate well(a Danish expression), but it’s micro detail’s like a slightly less warm woody sound of a cello ore a toned down “twak” on a cymbal (not quite enough attack)....
This might be down to my listening room, ore the fact that this transport reveals the entire soundstage sooo different than all other CD players/ transports
To my ears some of the other combos had that last attack & warmth, (buy combos I mean different “transports” & my Benchmark dac2) but they in return all lacked the enormous soundstage and overall effortless presentation, so we’re talking super small stuff, but not without some influence of the hifi nirvana
It might be that you only get all details if you buy PS Audio’s DAC’s, that coax is not as good as balanced digital out ore that the up amp in my benchmark dac2 is not good enough (I doubt that), as suggested buy a fellow gear head

Regardless! I’m still happy with my Transport and Benchmark combo

But like all other boys, I’ll continue playing with different cables, DAC’s, tweaks and other parts of this fun hobby of ours

Thanks for all your great inputs and ideas

[Gazjam]

Try it with the Directstream dac over i2s...

[Nordlys]

Hi Gazjam

I am of course super interested in your experience regarding PS Audio’s DAC & Transport combo’s

What I meant regarding the sound difference, is that although my PS Audio Transport is superior in all other aspects, my two TEAC Transports has just a little more “nerve” on the same DAC
That said, it might be down to the way they focus vs the PS Audio’s greater Sound stage and overall presentation, it’s also the ONLY little “hiccup” that I have come across

I have to admit that I’m a little skeptical regarding PS Audio creating a Transport that sounds worse that it’s competition unless its connect to there DAC...”might not be a first” high end hifi is a funny business, some times

Hope you can enlighten me, as high end dealers are few and far apart, here in Denmark + non of my friends have any real experience with PS Audio
Thanks for your time up front

Kind regards

Jesper Rosendahl

[Djdonald]

I can also recommend bel canto gear having previously owned some monoblocks which sounded great and having heard a couple of their cd players in the past. Good luck with the ps audio but if it doesn't work out I can recommend the Cyrus cd xt signature which was a real eye opener when I first heard it. I think it is really good value for money in that it's not silly money but can compete with some v expensive gear. It majors on some of the missing bits you mentioned - it is v detailed and has a large soundstage. Good luck!

[JohnG]

I myself have tipped my toes into the waters of a Dedicated CDT with a DAC.
This is a whole new experience for me, and one I have only been working on for little more than a year.
2017, first ever CDP used in the system, which was a cheapo Cambridge AZUR 540C.
2018, AZUR CDP used as a Transport with a Custom Built Valve Regulated Power Supply
with Valve Output Stage DAC, as well as being supplied with a Spare Chip,
what I believe is a very strange looking modified Decoder Chip, that has proven to be a substantial improvement over the standard Decoder Chip supplied in the DAC.
The Decoder Chip was only exchanged in April 2019 to the modified version.
April 2019, PS Audio Perfectwave Transport (PWT), used with Custom Built DAC.
I bought the PWT to remove the effect of a CD Drive Mechanism on the performance of the replay.
My version of the sales blurb, The PWT plays from a memory buffer, and will read the CD until the memory has all the correct information stored for a replay.
I liked the idea the CD Drive Mechanism being excluded from the replay.
During a DAC Tube Rolling, Upgraded Chip Session, was the Debut for the PWT.
A lot to be processed, but it did all start with the DAC as the base model I was familiar with.
First impressions were very inspiring, but I am not accustomed to such a SQ, it was very engaging, not at any time producing the strong uninvolving presence that my AZUR CDP can produce.
The auditions only got better, as the E88CC Valves were rolled in the DAC, working the session through Telefunkens, Mullards, Amperex Bugle Boys and the Grand Finale Telefunken Holy Grails.
What become apparent was that the original supplied valves (but not knocking them) did not have the emotional engagement of some of the other choices, and some of the other choices were so good at their delivery, it was impossible not to be drawn into the experience.
The Holy Grails had this quality, and it stood out beyond the other Valve choices.
With the present Digital Front End the PWT being a very important device in the mix, I can't see myself expanding beyond it, even when it is capabilities are limited to 44/48Khz.
There was five attendees at the E88CC Valve Rolling Bake Off, and I believe all were quite happy to have attended and experienced such a High Quality SQ, and receive a education about how a certain valve type can influence a Soundstage and a SQ.

[JohnG]

I myself have tipped my toes into the waters of a Dedicated CDT with a DAC.
This is a whole new experience for me, and one I have only been working on for little more than a year.
2017, first ever CDP used in the system, which was a cheapo Cambridge AZUR 540C.
2018, AZUR CDP used as a Transport with a Custom Built Valve Regulated Power Supply
with Valve Output Stage, as well as being supplied with a Spare Chip,
what I believe is a very strange looking modified Decoder Chip, that has proven to be a substantial improvement over the standard Decoder Chip supplied in the DAC.
The Decoder Chip was only exchanged in April 2019 to the modified version.
April 2019, PS Audio Perfectwave Transport (PWT), used with Custom Built DAC.
I bought the PWT to remove the effect of a CD Drive Mechanism on the performance of the replay.
My version of the sales blurb, The PWT plays from a memory buffer, and will read the CD until the memory has all the correct information stored for a replay.
I liked the idea the CD Drive Mechanism being excluded from the replay.
During a DAC Tube Rolling, Upgraded Chip Session, was the Debut for the PWT.
A lot to be processed, but it did all start with the DAC as the base model I was familiar with.
First impressions were very inspiring, but I am not accustomed to such a SQ, it was very engaging, not at any time producing the strong uninvolving presence that my CDP can produce.
The auditions only got better, as the ECC82 Valves were rolled in the DAC, working the session through Telefunkens, Mullards, Amperex Bugle Boys and the Grand Finale Telefunken ECC802s Holy Grails.
What become apparent was that the original supplied valves (but not knocking them) did not have the emotional engagement of some of the other choices, and some of the other choices were so good at their delivery, it was impossible not to be drawn into the experience.
The ECC802s had this quality, and it stood out beyond the other choices.
With the present Digital Front End the PWT being a very important device in the mix, I can't see myself expanding beyond it, even when it is capabilities are limited to 44/48Khz.
There was five attendees at the ECC82 Valve Rolling Bake Off, and I believe all were quite happy to have attended and experienced such a High Quality SQ, and receive a education about how a certain valve type can influence a Soundstage and a SQ.

[Nordlys]

Hi JohnG

Super interesting post and setup
I’m not big on “mods”, many mods I tried Over the years ultimately ended up altering the sound so much, that what made me buy the amp/dac/record player etc in the first place, was now gone - plus ending up costing more/ore as much as a new and better product
But I also remember the pride and joy of completing the mods, especially if it made a difference(for good ore worse, sometimes a blurred line)
I ultimately think that ALL men, incl myself, have a little engineer (ore so we think) inside us, that want to come out and play...he he he
On top of all that is the fact that I know absolutely nothing about tubes, I have heard plenty of good tub setup’s, but I just never went that way, it always seemed too much hassle to me, not knowing if a tube was good ore bad, and the most dedicated users had stacks of tubes on hand just in case...Etc
But I’m also convinced that the weakest spot in my current setup is the opamp’s in my Benchmark DAC, not that I really have any complaints!
Had a Weiss DAC1 on loan about a week ago, that set a new standard to my ears, just wow - luckily it’s one of my friends DAC, so when I find a PS Audio DAC to try out, witch is definitely something I want to do, I can make a shoot out between the two
I wish I knew more about tubes, power supply’s and other electronic stuff, but I don’t
With make what you and others whom has the know how and balls to make stuff, soooo much cooler than me
I love when gear is well engineered + look good

Thanks again for some interesting reading and inspiring reading

[Nordlys]

Hi all

I have now brought a benchmark dac3 HGC, and all of my previous “complaints” about missing “nerve” etc has vanished
In fact it open and spacious, dear I say warm and coherent, it focuses quite different than its predecessor: more low end and a smoother transition from my 12” bas to the famous ATC 3” midt dome

[JohnG]

Excellent news.
A update on how you arrived at this decision would be a good addition to your experiences gathered.

I myself have an ambition for the Winter Months to visit a local 'from home'
HiFi Dealership and compare my Perfect Wave CDP with a Jays Audio CDP.

I wish to take my DAC with the early 1960's Seimens & Halske E88CC Tubes in place chosen from the Valve Rolling experience, the specific type chosen are not easy to locate and command a 'Silly Money' asking price.
Seeking the correct ones is a literal Caveat Emptor experience.

I recently learnt from my Phonostage Designer, that if a small Mod is done to the PCB, a
E88CC Tube can be used, so that will leave the tube I am seeking out with a dual purpose
role.

When ? the Phonostage has the Modification, as it has already left a good impression in its present build on the owner of the tubes used in the DAC tube rolling experience,
there is now a request to put the Phon' through the same tube rolling experience when modded.

If the choice of tubes for the DAC leave the same impression when used on the Phon', then the asking prices being seen are looking to have a little more VFM attached to them,
when they can in a dual purpose role.

As the dedicated HiFi Room is now almost functioning once more allowing for the reassembling of the entire system, I think it will be prudent to have the Phon' modded, and carry out the Tube Rolling on my system with both DAC and Phon', this may prove to be a prudent exercise and show one of the more available tubes to be a worthy replacement, eliminating the risky exercise of trying to locate a rare tube in a satisfactory operational condition.