Help needed: CD Transport

[Macca]

Let us know your thoughts when you have had a good listen to it.

[Nordlys]

Hi Niel

I contacted one of the local hifi gurus, a guy I know well and he knows me & my taste, he said that the AudioMecca was indeed a fine player, but it wasn’t for me, as it is a “package” that sounds good “as is” so using it just as a CD-Transport would be missing the point

My point comparing it to the PS Audio, was more to show/tell the difference between the two approaches to “the same problem”
In fact what attracted me too the AudioMecca 2x was the fact it was built by a record player designer, combined with a laser designer, looking at CD mechanisms that way makes a lot of sense to me
+ I use to have turntables, so setting one up wasn’t totally out of my league

What then turned me around again was the PS Audio approach, maybe an all new media(LP vs CD) needed a new approach
That and the fact that people, also around me, is getting great sound from download’s & ripped CD’s +other formats, from what is essentially “computers” ore servers

A “place” I think we all end up in a near future

I for one enjoy streaming, all though my listening behavior is different from say CD, I tend to jump/skip more during streaming listening, also why I wanted a good CD Transport

But it’s hard to beat the flexibility, shear volume of music content, all at your finger tips

Just my 2 cents

Jesper

[Nordlys]

Hi Martin

Jup! Will do...!
Hopefully my new gadget will arrive at the end of this week

Also just to try a little of the other approach, I’ll fix my TEAC VRDS 1 Transport
And I’ll be keeping my new TEAC 501HR as a backup, possible in a new setup (my upcoming old school Tannoy setup project)

Jesper

[Lawrence001]

There's the problem of confusing a difference in presentation with a difference in quality, they aren't the same thing. Better quality to me means giving greater insight into the recording. Wheras presentation is just a subjective preference. In general I prefer Sony to Marantz, presentation wise, and plenty of people prefer Marantz. But to say one is 'better' than the other is just down to personal taste.


AS you live in Denmark you should have easy access to the German market and they have all sorts of weird and wonderful kit available second hand. However I still think you'll struggle to find a transport that is demonstrably better than your Teac in quality terms.

Me too the only marantz I've heard and liked was the CD94mk2 (oh apart from that 14 bit one I had a while ago which was different to any other one I'd heard). Whereas I've had a few Sony's I've liked, none of them that high end.

Sent from my BLN-L21 using Tapatalk

[Macca]

Me too the only marantz I've heard and liked was the CD94mk2 (oh apart from that 14 bit one I had a while ago which was different to any other one I'd heard). Whereas I've had a few Sony's I've liked, none of them that high end.

Sent from my BLN-L21 using Tapatalk

That's the one I got off you? I know what you mean but I did find after extended listening that it did sound a bit 'Marantzy' although nothing like as much as the 67SE I also have. I've never had a go on 94 mk2.

[Spectral Morn]

Hi Niel

I contacted one of the local hifi gurus, a guy I know well and he knows me & my taste, he said that the AudioMecca was indeed a fine player, but it wasn’t for me, as it is a “package” that sounds good “as is” so using it just as a CD-Transport would be missing the point

My point comparing it to the PS Audio, was more to show/tell the difference between the two approaches to “the same problem”
In fact what attracted me too the AudioMecca 2x was the fact it was built by a record player designer, combined with a laser designer, looking at CD mechanisms that way makes a lot of sense to me
+ I use to have turntables, so setting one up wasn’t totally out of my league

What then turned me around again was the PS Audio approach, maybe an all new media(LP vs CD) needed a new approach
That and the fact that people, also around me, is getting great sound from download’s & ripped CD’s +other formats, from what is essentially “computers” ore servers

A “place” I think we all end up in a near future

I for one enjoy streaming, all though my listening behavior is different from say CD, I tend to jump/skip more during streaming listening, also why I wanted a good CD Transport

But it’s hard to beat the flexibility, shear volume of music content, all at your finger tips

Just my 2 cents

Jesper

Well done on the PS Audio PW transport

The Audiomecca came in two versions, transport only and with built in DAC, both are good. I thought it was the transport only you were asking about.

[Nordlys]

Hi all

I arrived today

Waited 2 hours to let it acclimatize, it’s playing as I wright....let me just say WOOOW

Who new CD’s could sound like this!? It’s literally mind blowing
And remember I’m not even using it with there DAC, I’m only using it via coax via my benchmark dac2 HGC, so I’m not even using it to its full potential

It’s soooo different from everything I have had the pleasure of trying, forget the TEAC, it’s not even on the same planet

Mann I’m glad my friend just intervened & brought this Transport, otherwise I would most likely have spent an awful lot of time confusing myself reading all sorts of stuff, ending up more indecisive Thant I started up

[Macca]

Good news.

The only way, ultimately is just to take a punt and find out. Guess I was wrong about the TEAC then.

[Nordlys]

Hi Martin

Your not wrong regarding the TEAC, it is a great little CD player & transport; nice sounding, articulate, I’d say a little to the warm side, great value - again I have to mention that I never heard it buy it self only via my Benchmark DAC

This Transport is approximately 6 times as expensive, it can’t even make a sound without a external DAC
is it 6 times as good...hard to tell, but it’s certainly something

Today I have spent approximately 5-6 hours on/off listening to my “new baby”, it’s once again literally like getting a new CD collection, I’m impressed
Didn’t think it would have such a massive impact, don’t get me wrong of curse I hoped it would blow me away
But until you try it at home on your own gear, let’s face it, we/you just don’t know

I’ll report back when I’m over my “honeymoon”, when I might be listening more critically - Now I’m just going to enjoy my all new CD collection

I’m no good at describing sound, but this new addition makes my system sound even more “live”, and it was pretty “live” before, almost to the point of “too much”, it’s sooo clean and effortless that I catch myself playing really loud, louder than I normally do, and trust me I’m not shy

[Nordlys]

Back again with jet another update on my experience with the new spinner

Sound is so hard to describe, here me trying to explain the impact this Transport has had on my setup

I have a POWERFUL setup (2x 600 real W), headroom for miles & fairly large speakers, certainly for the room 100 L (ATC SCM100 classic) all this power is not only to curse the fatigue of my neighbors, We live on the 3 floor in a apartment, so the living room isn’t big

I ended up with the monster AMP as it is my experience that ATC speakers like/need BIG W to really shine, especially at low volume
They can’t play any louder it’s the way they get there that makes all the difference, full control of the whole soundstage right from start/low volumen

The newly added PS Audio Transport, it’s so different from previously CD “spinners” that my setup now sounds more like an active system, that’s the best description I can come up with and the fact that my speakers now truly disappear compared to before

A more direct sound, it couples to the room differently, bass on my bass test CD “Trentemøller: Moan” fills the room, it’s not directional, just soo much bigger “in preserved size”, if that makes any sense

Same goes for the rest of the soundstage...the precision of the placement of instruments is even better, heck I’ve heard micro details on tracks I know super well, and that’s something as ATC & Benchmark are renown for there brutal honesty

My “honeymoon” is going great as you can hear
I suspect my neighbors might not have the same appreciation of my new gadget..he he

I’ll try to refrain from more over the top excited reviews

Jesper