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CD Transport & DAC vs Innuos

M

Michael London

Chasing Rainbows
Hi

Has anyone here used a cd transport and DAC and then compared it to a music server and streamer with DAC to play music? I have a big cd collection and ripped them all to my Innuos zen mini mk2 which I play though my NJC Audio DAC with great results. However, I am curious to see if there would be any noticeable difference in audio quality if I tried buying a cd transport such as the Audiolab 6000cdt to then play cds through the same DAC.

If there was a big difference, then I could have a collection of my favourite albums available on cd to play whilst having the rest available as well as Qobuz through the server.

Thanks
 
Michael London said:
Hi

Has anyone here used a cd transport and DAC and then compared it to a music server and streamer with DAC to play music? I have a big cd collection and ripped them all to my Innuos zen mini mk2 which I play though my NJC Audio DAC with great results. However, I am curious to see if there would be any noticeable difference in audio quality if I tried buying a cd transport such as the Audiolab 6000cdt to then play cds through the same DAC.

If there was a big difference, then I could have a collection of my favourite albums available on cd to play whilst having the rest available as well as Qobuz through the server.

Thanks
Click to expand...

Very little difference in my experience. The nuances in CD replay are between CD players themelves I think and how they handle the analogue side and voicing. I just got a (used) Audio Note CD Zero and it's a very fine thing compared to my transport/dac. Transport/dac really needs some eq option to play with or you tend towards studio sterility.
 
I can hear little difference between Qobuz and CD (with the same master), let alone ripped CDs.
 
I run Lector CDP7TL (no digital out) and a ZenITH 3 into a heavily modded Black Ice DSD. I did have thoughts around getting a transport and selling the Lector as I don't play CDs that often. However I soon binned that idea once I'd had both a CXC and 6000CDT here to play with as neither were a patch on the Lector, additionally I preferred the sound/presentation of the ZenITH & BI to that of either transport. Maybe the new 9000CDT would do a better job but @ £1k I cant be bothered to find out.
 
Some prefer the sound of cd, some played through a server, says it all really, there isn't much difference. Since you still have a large cd collection, you could buy a cheap cd player/transport as back-up in case of emergencies.
 
I have a lm ATC CDA2 so have played CDs through the same DAC as when I’ve connected it to an Innuos Zen Mini.

I think the CD may be a little bit punchier but this could just be down to level matching. I’ve ended listening almost exclusively through the Zen & ripped files. It sounds great, is convenient so in your shoes I wouldn’t bother.
 
My only experience is this: in a friend's audio store, years ago, Naim DAC V1 and NAP100 arrived. We played a few CDs on a CD5si and a Nait 5si, then the same CDs, ripped on a MacBook Pro with Audirvana via the DAC V1 and NAP100.
To my ears, the ripped files sounded more rich, smooth and most of all very audibly more focused. A few CDs confirmed these impressions.
 
Michael London said:
Hi

Has anyone here used a cd transport and DAC and then compared it to a music server and streamer with DAC to play music? I have a big cd collection and ripped them all to my Innuos zen mini mk2 which I play though my NJC Audio DAC with great results. However, I am curious to see if there would be any noticeable difference in audio quality if I tried buying a cd transport such as the Audiolab 6000cdt to then play cds through the same DAC.

If there was a big difference, then I could have a collection of my favourite albums available on cd to play whilst having the rest available as well as Qobuz through the server.

Thanks
Click to expand...

Depending on the DAC, the server might be a better (more accurate) source due to it providing a USB connection.
 
I had a Bryston BDP-1 server and that sounded a lot worse into the same dac compared to the music from my Accuphase CD transport.
Made me not want to listen to it.
The replacement is now better than the Accuphase
 
I think it depends how well designed the server is.
The Bryston wasn't and spent most of its playing life screaming at 99% cpu utilisation
 
Had a nice innuous zenith here but prefered my cd transports for ease of use. No difference in sonics .a very nice moon 260d in mint condition on the wam now .if i had the money i would buy it
 
Maxbertola said:
My only experience is this: in a friend's audio store, years ago, Naim DAC V1 and NAP100 arrived. We played a few CDs on a CD5si and a Nait 5si, then the same CDs, ripped on a MacBook Pro with Audirvana via the DAC V1 and NAP100.
To my ears, the ripped files sounded more rich, smooth and most of all very audibly more focused. A few CDs confirmed these impressions.
Click to expand...
In my system the ripped files sound a bit smoother, the cd through the same dac sound slightly, very slightly, grittier. I think the CD replay sounds more 'live' my friend thinks the ripped files are better.
As has been said - its hardly night and day.... though it is consistently obvious.
 
Another voice but the same tune. It's all down to cases.

All Naim boxes - CDS2 is the best CD player I know for less than Mercedes money. It marginally but consistently beat CDs ripped and replayed via Naim Core/ Naim NDX2.

Adding the XPSDR power supply to the streamer (well, it is Naim) meant that none of our listeners could consistently tell A from B or express a preference.

On some CDs, streaming HR from Qobuz is still better. On other CDs, the CD (played directly or ripped) is better than any stream I can find.

I have not tried Innuos in this system but rips on my Apple laptop, however transferred, are clearly worse than any of the above.
 
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I sold my CDS3 and got a Naim Dac when they first came out, fed by a Mac Mini. That wasn't bad but when I swapped the Naim for Chord 2qute it was a serious degradation.
 
Got roon on an intel nuc using qbuzz into an audionote dac sig2.1 , never been happy with the sound , recetly tried using the digital out from a cd player into the dac , loads better sound black background etc , noise coming into play with streaming , saying that audionote not designed for usb , phil.
 
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