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Anyone have any preference/opinions on a CD transport (not a player)

laverda

laverda

pfm Member
I have many many CDs which have laid unused for years. I moved away from vinyl mainly due to convenience and the advent of internet streaming which I used a lot (as do many) but would like to have the use of my CD collection.

I still have a CD player (Naim CD3) but have read reports that the modern CD transports are very good in terms of sound quality and pricing. I've a nice DAC I can hook up the CD Transport too.

Any input I'd be grateful.

TIA
 
Pro-Ject RS2. A bit expensive but sounded mighty good using AES/EBU into my Aqua La Scala. As I mainly stream though i decided not to buy the RS2 but bought a Pro-Ject DS2T instead. Good value at around £550 and good enough for playing the CD box-sets that I haven’t got round to ripping. It is a slot loader though - might put some people off.
 
I would start with either the Cambridge or audiolab. Both reasonably priced and easy to sell on. Not sure on your budget but there are big bucks options too. If you can wait a few months then PS Audio are due to release one in their Stellar range.
 
Without a doubt i would get the moon cd transport at 2nd hand hi fi or a bel canto cd2

If i wasnt using the bc cd2 i would have snapped up the moon . Nearly bought one a few months ago .
 
laverda said:
I have many many CDs which have laid unused for years. I moved away from vinyl mainly due to convenience and the advent of internet streaming which I used a lot (as do many) but would like to have the use of my CD collection.

I still have a CD player (Naim CD3) but have read reports that the modern CD transports are very good in terms of sound quality and pricing. I've a nice DAC I can hook up the CD Transport too.

Any input I'd be grateful.

TIA
Click to expand...

Not sure a 'modern' transport would be hugely better than what you've got.

The 2 top-loading Pro-Ject boxes are worth a look, I know the less expensive one (c£1000) quite well, but I'm not clear on whether it's still in production. It can be further improved by adding their external PSU, a concept which should be pretty familiar to you as a Naim owner.

I don't know the newer one, which is double the price, but it certainly looks to build on the strengths of the earlier model.

Next level up in performance would be a CEC, but their transports start at round about the 3 grand mark. With the right DAC, I'd put my money on that against your Naim, but that's hardly a budget/second player option for most.

Personally I'd avoid slot-loading devices, but admittedly that's a long-held prejudice against hopelessly flakey older models, perhaps they've figured out a way of deploying them now which wouldn't give me the heebie-jeebies. (Although I doubt it).
 
If you have a DAC try something like an Innuos Zen Mini, more money but you can rip you collection & explore streaming. The naim CD player will likely be at least as good if not better than current budget models.
 
Once my cd transport was a top the range one..it sounded good then.. still sounds good to my old gilded ears..I'm not sure modern ones have much over the old guard..notevencloses advice is as usual pretty sound.
 
I bought a Cambridge a few weeks ago. I took the decision 10 years ago not to be heavily invested in CD play back any longer (CDS3). I'm using an RME Dac with it and it's very enjoyable.
 
notevenclose said:
Not sure a 'modern' transport would be hugely better than what you've got.

The 2 top-loading Pro-Ject boxes are worth a look, I know the less expensive one (c£1000) quite well, but I'm not clear on whether it's still in production. It can be further improved by adding their external PSU, a concept which should be pretty familiar to you as a Naim owner.

I don't know the newer one, which is double the price, but it certainly looks to build on the strengths of the earlier model.

Next level up in performance would be a CEC, but their transports start at round about the 3 grand mark. With the right DAC, I'd put my money on that against your Naim, but that's hardly a budget/second player option for most.

Personally I'd avoid slot-loading devices, but admittedly that's a long-held prejudice against hopelessly flakey older models, perhaps they've figured out a way of deploying them now which wouldn't give me the heebie-jeebies. (Although I doubt it).
Click to expand...

Not quite £3k CEC TL5 - High-end CD Transport - 230v UK spec. | eBay

You could always buy from Japan, buy a step down transformer and pay the duty CEC TL5 Belt Drive CD Player Silver AC100V | eBay

Also have a look on AliExpress, plenty of great looking cdp's on there, including the Jay's which would be my choice, you can also buy a spare laser mech.
 
This site contains affiliate links for which pink fish media may be compensated.
I have nothing but praise for the Jay’s Audio CDT2 MK3. Really good transport, beautifully constructed and great sounding.
 
I use a PSAUDIO Perfect Wave Transport. Uses a standard DVD drive that I can replace cheaply should it need it. Reads the data into a RAM buffer and then sends it out. If you don’t need SACD it’s a nice bit of kit. You might find one s/h for a fraction of the original price.
 
hifinutt said:
Without a doubt i would get the moon cd transport at 2nd hand hi fi or a bel canto cd2

If i wasnt using the bc cd2 i would have snapped up the moon . Nearly bought one a few months ago .
Click to expand...


I'd second that. I have the 260d and it's much better sounding than my previous Quad CDP (used as a transport).
Also it's built like a tank and looks lovely.
Should be able to pick up a sh one at a reasonable price.
 
laverda said:
I have many many CDs which have laid unused for years. I moved away from vinyl mainly due to convenience and the advent of internet streaming which I used a lot (as do many) but would like to have the use of my CD collection.

I still have a CD player (Naim CD3) but have read reports that the modern CD transports are very good in terms of sound quality and pricing. I've a nice DAC I can hook up the CD Transport too.

Any input I'd be grateful.

TIA
Click to expand...

Sonething else to think about; buy a decent CD player and use it via its analogue outs, provided you have the facility to use a line level input. This would then give you a different flavour from your streamed content. This is what I now do, my Luxman player in to the analogue inputs on my pre/DAC/streamer. It's interesting to compare the same album streamed vs from the CD using the Luxman.
 
laverda said:
I have many many CDs which have laid unused for years. I moved away from vinyl mainly due to convenience and the advent of internet streaming which I used a lot (as do many) but would like to have the use of my CD collection.

I still have a CD player (Naim CD3) but have read reports that the modern CD transports are very good in terms of sound quality and pricing. I've a nice DAC I can hook up the CD Transport too.

Any input I'd be grateful.

TIA
Click to expand...


I modified my CD3 to give it a digital output and used it with a Musical Fidelity M1DAC until I bought a Cambridge CDX. I can’t say the CDX is any better than the CD3 tbh. I still use the CD3 in the office system as a straight CD player.
 
indus said:
I'd second that. I have the 260d and it's much better sounding than my previous Quad CDP (used as a transport).
Also it's built like a tank and looks lovely.
Should be able to pick up a sh one at a reasonable price.
Click to expand...
I have a quad cdp2 and I think it's a fine transport..the260d is little more expensive..just a tad! Hardly surprising that its better? My xt se is a better transport too..not sure it's ' much ' better? I would recommend the quad as a transport without hesitation as its a dac and pre amp too..unless someone has reference speakers and similar amp, cables etc..then a 260d or xt se would sound very good..however if they haven't..then quad cdp2 fits in nicely..want to go old school? Mission pcm 7000 is a fab transport and excellent cd player in its own right..as its dac is awesome..
 
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