Loosely on topic for this thread:
With the proliferation of desktop HiFi and headphone listening, it would seem there would be an emerging market for smaller desktop CD transport units out there to fit with the downsized ethos of this corner of the HiFi hobby. Yet … the offerings seem to be very slim. Anyone have any recommendations for smaller CD player/transport units? I’m wondering if I can send a note trying to convince Schiit to take this on.
Jason Stoddard has a thread where he discusses Schiit products on head-if, this is a common talking point lol…it’s not something I need at this time, so I haven’t paid much attention to it and can’t recall if they are working on it or not. @schiit might respond here, but more likely your answer is in the below thread =)
Mike is a big CD fan and has promised a Schiit CD transport. They already have an alpha running but he has said it is a medium to long term project, Sol comes first.
The most recent posts by Mike on the upcoming CD transport can be read here and a short blurb here. The USB output on the transport will go to the new Unison USB input that will be standard on Bifrost 2 and up come 2020.
I think the mass market moved to $20 external USB CD drives long ago. I used one to rip my CD collection in a lossless format starting around 2012.
There’s the Pro-Ject CD Box RS, which is a pure transport, and the Rega Apollo which has digital outputs but also a built-in DAC if you want to use it as a player.
I had a TEAC PD-301 CD Player/Transport. It’s pretty small ~ 8 inch x 8 inch roughly and built like a tank. I recently sold it though
Interesting that Schiit was already considering it - seems like it would be something right up their alley, especially after taking on the turntable.
I ended up ordering a Denon DCD-50 for just under $300. Seems like a reasonable desktop unit that can be used as transport only (coax out), and it can sit either horizontally or vertically, so it fits perfectly in the spot I have for it.
There are some reports of early failure, so took a chance, but overall looks like a good solution for me. I’ll do a review when it comes in and I have it up and running.
Afraid I’m with @generic on this one. Expensive CD transports just don’t make sense with ripping and streaming popularity on the rise.
Bryston made a CD player/ripper plug in module for their BDP players, but it was quite expensive.
Re-reading those posts on Schiit’s approach to the transport, it suddenly occurred to me that, if it’s USB out, we’ll have to choose between computer/streaming or the transport as most current products (e.g., Bifrost) only have one USB in.
Maybe Schiit could take care of that by providing a selectable USB pass through on the CD transport. You connect your computer USB out to the transport then the transport to the DAC, select which is sent to the DAC with a switch. I don’t know if this can be done transparently though.
I like the looks of that Denon DCD-50. Let us know how it sounds I may pick one up while I am waiting for Schiit to get their transport into production. I have been wanting to get back in to collecting CDs.
That would be the smart way to do it, unless the Transport can address the DAC over a USB hub (the PC definitely can).
And the switch approach can definitely be done transparently (you could do it with a single relay, though I probably wouldn’t for USB signals inside a signal-sensitive device).
Chasing down USB noise in my chain is a pain in the rear lol…but that is what I get for having a billion things plugged into my Machines lol…
found the Project CD Box DS with a 7,9x7,9inch(20x20cm) footprint for 399€
the Teac PD-301DAB-X CD and digital audio player is also nice, though have no use for the DAB-Radio
