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Cambridge CD4 as Transport?

S

Space is the Place

pfm Member
I picked up a Cambridge CD4 from the 1990s from a local charity shop this afternoon, it is literally like brand new!
I've taken the lid off and inside it's pristine, other than foam dots that damp the lid perishing to dust on opening.

There seems very little to the dac board and i had to do a double take thinking i'd just bought a transport, ive no idea what chips it uses and plugging it into the main system the sound from the analog outs is natural but lightweight... although i am suffering the aftermath of a terrible cold so my ears might not be their golden best.

Does anyone know anything about using the CD4 as a transport it's got a BNC out? I do have a Dacmagic from the same period to use with it, i cant find much info on it.

Cheers!
 
I would exect the CD4 to be pretty average as a transport. The better model to use a transport from that period (if you can find one) is the Discmagic (especially with the clock link when used with the Isomagic DAC).

The CD4SE is a completely different beast and a much better player.
 
Thanks Mike, the CD4 via it's digital out sounds remarkable different compared to a more modern Marantz CD player from its digital, the CD4 as a transport sounds more laid back, the Marantz more up front and detailed, i'd say the Marantz is louder too running into the same Dac?
 
That's what i thought! Sounds different though, didnt think i'd be able to hear a difference. I have experimented with transports years ago when i had a Teac T1 and a friends Pioneer lazer disc player. Going to burn a couple of CD's to see if i can hear a difference blind.
 
Definitely a softer presentation via the Cambridge as transport, than via the Marantz CD player which to my ears definitely sounds more sonorous, 3D dimensional, brighter.
And that concludes my CD transport experiments for 2021!
 
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