CD players/transports - what’s most important?

[davide256]

On 10/16/2020 at 3:30 AM, Norton said:

My interest in physical cd playback is returning, to the extent of thinking about putting a dedicated CD player or transport (ie RBCD only, not SACD or DVD) back into my system.

 

Doing my research, the first thing of note is just how many manufacturers (I count 40) still offer a pure CDP/T  broadly aimed at an audiophile market.  The second thing I note though is lack of clarity about what matters in term of spec, with even some quite expensive and well reviewed units using very cheap transports and DAC chips, with manufacturers and reviewers alike not being that convincing (to me at least) as to  the technical differences that underpin claimed SQ difference.  Where factors are highlighted: cd-only transports, dedicated 44 kHz clocks, no digital inputs for example, this seems to now make a hi-end fetish out of what basic CD players have offered from the start.

So, what really matters in a CDP or CDT?  Is it the transport, using a low speed cd-specific  item for example?  Or is the transport’s clock the most important factor and by extension is an integrated player likely better than a mix and match transport and DAC combo? Also good to hear from like-minded individuals who have heard a modern “hi end”  CDP/T in their system.

 

 

I have a 2001 Linn Genki. Its transport(drive section) is excellent, the power supply is excellent and the circuitry is top notch. But because of its era the clock crystal

is its limiting factor and the DAC section has obsolesced .  Bass out of it goes lower/clearer than using my computer audio source solution using coax to same DAC.

HDCD resolution is excellent but because of the dated clock crystal digital irritants creep in and CD's are only enjoyable if well recorded.

 

I'd look at these three factors 1)transport stability, 2) power supply engineering, 3) digital I/O clocking integrity) if I were to entertain a newer CD transport,

would avoid an internal DAC thats bound to obsolesce. Pity Linn dropped out of the market, I don't know of another player manufacturer with like

transport design expertise