Logitech Transporter compares with current players

[agentsmith]

My first encounter with networked audio was the Slim Devices Squeezebox 2, then graduated into their Transporter which was a sweet device. Long after that I got into Mac Audio with various exotic software like Amarra/Audirvana/Roon...etc. and more expensive DACs like Weiss, dCS and now the Devialet connected to Mac Mini or my Squeezebox Touch playing Roon.

 

But I still miss my (long discontinued) Transporter, there is some elegance no nonsense appeal to that machine designed by that genius Sean Adams.

 

I recently found out that there are still NOS Transporter for sale in eBay.

 

I wonder how the Transporter would compare with current high end players like the Aurrender, the Linn DS, the Lumin or the Microrendu? It will be connected to my Devialet via AES/EBU as a Roon Endpoint.

[tranz]

Would be very interesting. I was a fan of the Slim gear too. LAN in and no USB nonsense. Ahead of their time they were.

[realhifi]

My first encounter with networked audio was the Slim Devices Squeezebox 2, then graduated into their Transporter which was a sweet device. Long after that I got into Mac Audio with various exotic software like Amarra/Audirvana/Roon...etc. and more expensive DACs like Weiss, dCS and now the Devialet connected to Mac Mini or my Squeezebox Touch playing Roon.

 

But I still miss my (long discontinued) Transporter, there is some elegance no nonsense appeal to that machine designed by that genius Sean Adams.

 

I recently found out that there are still NOS Transporter for sale in eBay.

 

I wonder how the Transporter would compare with current high end players like the Aurrender, the Linn DS, the Lumin or the Microrendu? It will be connected to my Devialet via AES/EBU as a Roon Endpoint.

 

I haven't compared one to the Lumin or Microrendu but have directly compared one to the Linn line and even the Majik DS kicks it's tail not to mention the Akurate DS which TO ME anyway is miles ahead.

[hornytoad]

My first encounter with networked audio was the Slim Devices Squeezebox 2, then graduated into their Transporter which was a sweet device. Long after that I got into Mac Audio with various exotic software like Amarra/Audirvana/Roon...etc. and more expensive DACs like Weiss, dCS and now the Devialet connected to Mac Mini or my Squeezebox Touch playing Roon.

 

But I still miss my (long discontinued) Transporter, there is some elegance no nonsense appeal to that machine designed by that genius Sean Adams.

 

I recently found out that there are still NOS Transporter for sale in eBay.

 

I wonder how the Transporter would compare with current high end players like the Aurrender, the Linn DS, the Lumin or the Microrendu? It will be connected to my Devialet via AES/EBU as a Roon Endpoint.

 

I can tell you it's not even close to the femto clock version of the Auralic Aries .

[agentsmith]

I see so the transporter probably won't hold up to current players. I remember Sean Adams was treating this as a pure engineering project and he himself did not believe a player would make much difference in SQ. He was persuaded by the slim community to design a high quality version. I thought the pseudo rack mount Hifi look was sort of a tongue in cheek satire of the audiophile community. Nevertheless it was a very good player. The forced feedback front dial was loads of fun too.

 

Anyway so the consensus is that Aries is far superior, would the Rendu be a step up?

[hornytoad]

I see so the transporter probably won't hold up to current players. I remember Sean Adams was treating this as a pure engineering project and he himself did not believe a player would make much difference in SQ. He was persuaded by the slim community to design a high quality version. I thought the pseudo rack mount Hifi look was sort of a tongue in cheek satire of the audiophile community. Nevertheless it was a very good player. The forced feedback front dial was loads of fun too.

 

Anyway so the consensus is that Aries is far superior, would the Rendu be a step up?

 

I had two Transporters at one point and they were nice devices .

When I heard the Aries , I sold the last one I had immediately .

I have not heard the Rendu but it is well received but only has one output (USB ) I like flexibility and use AES and USB with the Aries .

[agentsmith]

I have not heard the Rendu but it is well received but only has one output (USB ) I like flexibility and use AES and USB with the Aries .

 

Yes feature wise the Aries is attractive. On the other hand, I like the simplicity and single mindedness of the microRendu apparently in solving USB "problems", gives me the impression that it is an attempt to do get the one feature perfected.

[jdaun]

It appears that most comments in this thread are comparisons between the Transporters built-in DAC (analog outputs) to current players.

 

Can anyone comment on how the Transporter compares to current players when used as simply as a transport (sending the bits out to an outboard DAC via the Transporters digital outputs)? I'd love to hear personal experiences.

[hornytoad]

It appears that most comments in this thread are comparisons between the Transporters built-in DAC (analog outputs) to current players.

 

Can anyone comment on how the Transporter compares to current players when used as simply as a transport (sending the bits out to an outboard DAC via the Transporters digital outputs)? I'd love to hear personal experiences.

 

I have used a Transporter as a transport only with another dac and it's not close to the Auralic Aries .

Not as dynamic , duller , smaller soundstage ,etc .

I was shocked the day I swapped it out with the Aries. I did not think a transport only could make that big of a difference .

[davide256]

Yes feature wise the Aries is attractive. On the other hand, I like the simplicity and single mindedness of the microRendu apparently in solving USB "problems", gives me the impression that it is an attempt to do get the one feature perfected.

 

Clean and detailed is the operative word for the microRendu. First device that let me actually enjoy headphone listening without gratuitous digital artifacts.

[hornytoad]

Yes feature wise the Aries is attractive. On the other hand, I like the simplicity and single mindedness of the microRendu apparently in solving USB "problems", gives me the impression that it is an attempt to do get the one feature perfected.

 

Well if in the future you switch to a dac that sounds much better using coax or AES you will wish the microRendu had those outputs .

I can tell you my Yggy sounds much better using AES than USB . I don't even use USB anymore even after

trying different cables , USB fixers ( including the Regen ) ,etc.

[woodford]

I've still got two transporters, as well as various other squeezeboxen scattered about the house. One is connected via its analog outputs to a tube integrated, and the focal be1028 speakers.

 

The other via coax to a meridian G61/primare 30.3, and focal 1007s. Different rooms, different amps, different speakers, but there's an ease and naturalness to the analog outs that I don't hear when using the transporter as an, uhm, transport.

 

I've experimented with Roon and found that I prefer the sound of LMS. There's a thread about this on the Roon forums, and the opinion is not unanimous, but at least the difference can be explained: Roon sends the transporter raw PCM, rather than native file formats.

 

Lastly, I believe the transporter sounds best via its Ethernet input, certainly better than using wifi, but also better than via any of its SDIF inputs (I've tried coax and optical). Sean Adams wrote somewhere that the BNC input was better than the coax, but I haven't tried it.

 

I'm sure I will hear something someday that will make be want to upgrade, but for ease of use, fantastic, relaxed, musical sound, and an appearance that is still one of the sexiest pieces of audio gear I've owned, the transporter suits me just fine.

 

And I love those damn analog VU meters..

 

 

 

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