I stumbled upon a discovery that was a bit of a surprise. Have recently started to listen to more optical media of late, as I’ve not been entirely happy with the sound from streaming via PC.
For CD’s been using a Audiolab 9000CDT transport (via optical) to a Topping D900/A900. The sound from this has been better than I would have thought, and certainly better than streaming via the PC. For SACD/DVD, use a Magnetar UDP 800 as a transport to the Topping.
Decided to compare the performance of CD playback from the Magnetar and compare that to the Audiolab. The results were a bit surprising. For CD playback, the Audiolab transport sounds better, and the difference is quite noticeable. The sound from DVD and SACD with the Magnetar is very good, but the CD playback is not of the same quality level.
This was a bit of a surprise to me. I was under the impression that all CD transports were more of less indistinguishable. Turns out that this has not been the case. I’m now glad I picked up the Audiolab CD transport.
Guess I’ll need to look into better streaming options.
Yeah, a quality transport makes a difference. The TEAC VRDS mechanisms have been popular for a reason, and I think it’s more than just mechanical robustness.
Computers are (EM) noisy. Cheapest first step (if you haven’t already done so) is to put an isolator on that USB line. The JDS Labs Synapse Max would be a good place to start, since it’s only $79. Some DDCs also provide galvanic isolation, but I would trust the JDS Labs more than a cheap DDC.
Then there are dedicated streamers, and of course they can get really pricey. But you can find a PS Audio AirLens or a Bricasti M5 used for around $1500. And, naturally, things can go way up from there.
Appreciate the feedback. The issue with the CD drive continues to surprise me. The funny thing is the Blu Ray player sounds fine with DVD/SACD, but not as good with CD’s.
I’ve been researching streamers for months. After reading your comments, decided to bite the bullet and get a dedicated streamer. Found a Audiolab 9000N for a very good price, so decided to get it. Hopefully, this will resolve the streaming issue. It gets great reviews, alleged to perform well above its price point. We’ll see.