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CD Transport: Enlightening experience

pjdowns

pjdowns

Living the Hifi dream
A number of people had recommended the Cambridge Audio CXC ..and I saw a used one for sale so thought I'd take a punt.

Well, it is a complete stunner, it has completely blown away my Naim NDX streamer which is a £3k+ piece of kit.

The CXC has such a depth of soundstage, tight, controlled bass, excellent separation of instruments... brilliant piece of kit.

So my NDX will be going up for sale ASAP.
 
Good thread, but be aware that some think that digital sources are all equal and that you clearly are delusional. (Not me I hasten to add, I'm sold on better digital sources adding value)
 
Mr_Sukebe said:
be aware that some think that digital sources are all equal and that you clearly are delusional
Click to expand...

Really? I haven't come across any that would think either.

There are a lot of people who think that once some basic criteria have been satisfied, many digital sources provide a signal that can't be improved on (I am one of those). I am also one of the many people who are aware of expectation bias and other issues with subjective evaluation. It has nothing to do with being delusional.
 
Has anyone compared one of these to a Rega Apollo-R as a transport? Transports are something I've not played about with much at all, though the Rega is clearly better than say a lossless rip of the same disc played via my Apple Airport Express. My DAC is a Deltec PDM3, so a decent bit of kit.

PS I really like the Rega as it is small format and fits my table nicely, plus it doesn't have a motorised drawer mech to fail!
 
You should maybe try one of the square Airport Express as an alternative to your old-style one. I find that the new one sounds significantly better than the old style plug socket one. Mind you I feel I'm now talking bs, as you of course use yours as a digital source...
 
lordsummit said:
You should maybe try one of the square Airport Express as an alternative to your old-style one. I find that the new one sounds significantly better than the old style plug socket one...
Click to expand...

+1 for the 'square' model but only if it's used with AirPlay - whilst connected to a base station/router with ethernet cable - and connected directly to an amp (not another DAC) with a 3.5mm - 2 x RCA analogue stereo lead.

In this configuration it's using it's own DAC and is pretty near as good as it can get with ALAC files playing.

Other configurations - according to many reports onlne - result in various degrees of 'flakiness" so I have avoided.
 
Been here myself with equipment,

I would advise caution in selling the Naim quickly
Leave it in for a week, you may miss certain aspects of the Naim sound, Naim isn't about hifi, it's about music, you may miss this in the long term.

Just saying...
 
I also use a CXC with a Mytek Brooklyn DAC.
Clearly better, IMO, than an Audiolab 8200CD that I tried as a transport for a while.

Having the CXC's clock and SPDIF interface upgraded was clearly worthwhile in terms of SQ improvement vs cost.
 
Ragaman said:
Been here myself with equipment,

I would advise caution in selling the Naim quickly
Leave it in for a week, you may miss certain aspects of the Naim sound, Naim isn't about hifi, it's about music, you may miss this in the long term.

Just saying...
Click to expand...

Not sure I agree, the NDX was harsh sounding in comparison to the CXC which is a lot easier on the ear.

Therefore I'm enjoying the music more :)
 
Interesting I wrote off 'computer Audio' a few years back after trying a number of mac's on battery, IMac this switch on, that switched off, this software and that etc. I did find that my Denon 3800 BR player was a great transport and CA just didn't cut it. That kit is yet to be replugged in upstairs after moving house. I'm in my study enjoying a Uniqute 2, nap100 and the smallest pair of speakers I own. I was thinking this is actually remarkably enjoyable maybe my problem was not having a good streamer. You've thrown me off track !
 
pjdowns said:
A number of people had recommended the Cambridge Audio CXC ..and I saw a used one for sale so thought I'd take a punt.

Well, it is a complete stunner, it has completely blown away my Naim NDX streamer which is a £3k+ piece of kit.

The CXC has such a depth of soundstage, tight, controlled bass, excellent separation of instruments... brilliant piece of kit.

So my NDX will be going up for sale ASAP.
Click to expand...

Whats even more impressive is retrieving the digital signal from ipod touches into a DAC. I also have the CXC which is used for CDs that i have not ripped yet.
 
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