Thinking about getting a CD/SACD transport

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by heathen, Jan 15, 2019.

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  1. heathen

    heathen Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Colorado
    I've got a Parasound P6 and am happy with the DAC in that, and I've been ripping all my CDs to a computer and playing them over my home network. I'm considering getting a CD/SACD transport, though, so I can get more SACDs and play the occasional CD (I actually don't currently have any ability to play CDs through my stereo system. What should I be looking to spend for a good CD/SACD transport? I don't need anything crazy, just something that will do the job competently. Also, any specific recommendations?
     
  2. TarnishedEars

    TarnishedEars Forum Resident

    Location:
    The Seattle area
    About the only true SACD transport which one can buy is the PS Audio Memory player. But don't let this discourage you.

    A number of cheap Sony and Pioneer BluRay players will play SACDs. And using these, in combination with an HDMI de-embedder will allow you to play SACDs as high-res PCM which you can send to your DAC.

    The downside to this approach is that you are converting your SACDs to PCM. But this is a cheap approach which works for the most part.
     
  3. heathen

    heathen Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Colorado
    Would it be better to buy a SACD player with built-in DAC, then, in order to avoid the conversion to PCM when playing SACDs?
     
  4. Dougr33

    Dougr33 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Twin Cities, MN
    Well, the SACD 'player' you buy will have a DAC, so it can output analogue sound to your system. You were asking about a 'transport' though, ostensibly to get the data off the SACD disc to be decoded by a better DAC than in a cheap CD/SACD player. The PS Audio route is probably fantastic but expensive. Many probably buy the best sounding SACD player they want to spend money on, and use its analogue outs for the SACDs and the digital out into the your P6 for CD playback
     
    Last edited: Jan 15, 2019
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  5. TarnishedEars

    TarnishedEars Forum Resident

    Location:
    The Seattle area
    The answer depends upon what your goal is, and how much you like the sound of your Parasound DAC.

    If you just want really good sound, and no hassles, then go out and buy one of the more-recent higher-quality Marantz SACD players. But don't expect to sent its SACD output to your DAC. Ever.

    There are ways to get true DSD out of a bluray player which can play SACDs. But its tricky, to do and most DACs will not accept DSD via inputs other than their USB input. So I'm not sure if the explanation of how to do this is even worth having since your Parasound may not even have inputs which are compatible with any of these alternate forms of DSD streams.
     
    Last edited: Jan 15, 2019
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  6. Black Elk

    Black Elk Music Lover

    Location:
    Bay Area, U.S.A.
    Given that you have ripped a chunk of your CD collection, and are playing files over a network, I suggest you look to buy one (or more) of the cheap Pioneer or Sony players that enable SACD ripping. Some models are listed towards the end of the first post in this thread:

    SACD Ripping using an Oppo or Pioneer? Yes, it's true!

    Someone may have a fuller list.

    If you wanted a player to do double duty as player and ripper, you should probably look for a used Oppo 105 or Oppo 105D.

    Unfortunately, all the players that use the necessary MediTek chip that allows ripping are out of production, so you will have to look to the used market. The Sony and Pioneer players were not expensive new (around $200 for the most expensive, as I recall), so you should be able to find one (or more) without spending crazy money. In this way you can rip your SACDs, and use the digital out of the player for the occasional CD (until you have ripped all those via your computer).

    This will give you the most freedom regarding DACs, and ensure that you can play your SACD files far into the future.

    The Oppo players were $1k to $1.5k, and may still command a premium given that Oppo has gotten out of the audio market.
     
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  7. TarnishedEars

    TarnishedEars Forum Resident

    Location:
    The Seattle area
    FWIW: The Oppo 103 works well in this capacity as well, and is a lot cheaper. But it doesn't sound quite as good as does the 105.
     
  8. BrokenByAudio

    BrokenByAudio Forum Resident

    PSAudio has apparently discontinued making their Directstream player as it was built around some components from Oppo.
     
  9. daytona600

    daytona600 Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    These use one of the best Pro CD drives
    StreamUnlimited's CD mechanism CD–Pro 8 and Blue Tiger CD-84 servo system.
    Pro-Ject declares that the top-loading CD Box RS2 T “takes playing standard Red Book Audio CDs to perfection.”
    Next generation of ultimate CD Transports

    Pro-Ject has always been making products and investments which are not particularly mainstream. As everybody was jumping onto the CD bandwagon, we were starting with turntables! Now as everybody moves into streaming, we are investing in a new revolutionary CD-player.

    SUOS-Hifi
    CD Box RS2 T – Pro-Ject Audio Systems


    [​IMG]
     
  10. Litejazz53

    Litejazz53 Perfect Sound Through Crystal Clear Digital

    I'm pretty sure you will not find any worthwhile SACD transports for a reasonable amount of money. The PS Audio Direct Stream Memory Player would have been a good choice, however they are no longer offering these players with the Oppo Transport as they want to have plenty of repair parts to service the memory players out in the field now. The beauty of the Direct Stream is that it passed the DSD signal unchanged right to the Direct Stream DAC, full SACD, nothing lost or converted to PCM. Another great choice would be a one box player, which would take care of all conversions to the final analog outputs. The Marantz model SA8005 would get the job done for you, and you get a full function DAC when you buy the player, great deal, and exactly how I would stay in the SACD camp, and make no mistake, SACD is GREAT, I have many discs and love them! Thje SA8005 can be had for about $900.00, and my suggestion, GO GET ONE! :righton:

    Marantz Model #SA8005
    Featuring the reference-class high current CS4398 D/A converter, the SA8005 can accept a wide range of digital audio source types, including Super Audio CD Direct Stream Digital content at 2.8 and 5.6 MHz, along with linear PCM up to 24 bits and 192 kHz. The analog audio sections feature HDAM technologies for the purest audio reproduction. The DAC section features dual clock synchronization for optimum signal decoding, and can also decode MP3 and WMA digital audio formats.
     
    Last edited: May 17, 2019
  11. RHinCT

    RHinCT New Member

    Location:
    Connecticut, USA
    The OP specified CD/SACD. From everything I can gather that Pro-Ject unit does not handle SACD at Super Audio CD resolution. It only works with Hybrid SACD disks.


     
  12. RHinCT

    RHinCT New Member

    Location:
    Connecticut, USA
    This was confirmed by Pro-Ject support. With the only type of SACD it will read - Hybrid - it will only return the CD level of music.
     
  13. russk

    russk Forum Resident

    Location:
    Syracuse NY
    By nothing crazy I am assuming you want to spend well under a 1K. The Sony UBP-x1000es is a great player and goes for $500.00. If you want to go higher than that check out the Pioneer Elite UDP-LX500 for $1000.00. I would get either of those two players before a used Oppo. I always though the Sony sounded better than the 203 and the prices aren’t hyped up. Both are comparable to the Marantz SA8005 sound wise.
     
    Last edited: Jul 22, 2019
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  14. Patrick Case

    Patrick Case Active Member

    Location:
    Canada
    Confirming that the PS Audio Memory Player and Directstream DAC combination is the high point. I used to play SACDs through an Oppo and sometimes through an Oppo to the Directstream. The PS Audio combination trounces the Oppo alternative and quite probably other DSD to PCM alternatives. Even with Red Book CDs the PA Audio combination may be hard to beat. Having said that $10,000 for the two boxes is an substantial investment.
     
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  15. Litejazz53

    Litejazz53 Perfect Sound Through Crystal Clear Digital

    With PS new direct sell structure, here is where they need to be on pricing. As you know the 30% trade deal is the bait. They sell those trades through a third party and get back what they can, but if they completely loose that 30%, I believe they have covered that in their list price. This is simply my opinion and some folks will agree and some will disagree. The Direct Stream DAC and Memory Player were $5,999.00 each. When you take the trade in discount off you have what I would call the true list price at $4,200.00 each. A reasonable discount would be 20% off that price, which would bring you to $3,360.00 each. I actually had one of each, and mine were in perfect new condition, still in warranty and the warranty with PS reverts to the new owner. I was being offered $2,900.00 each on those like new, perfect components. I have learned to not use the term investment when it comes to audio equipment. Again, in my opinion and everyone's is different, PS is just too volatile on their pricing, and I believe that will continue as long as they advertise that 30% trade in thing they have going. Paul is a great front man, good salesman, stays visible with the public on the Internet, and a nice person, that is for sure! :agree:
     
  16. The Pinhead

    The Pinhead KING OF BOOM AND SIZZLE IN HELL

    Have you compared them side by side ? I've heard that you have to own a quite high end amp and speakers to notice any difference between the two, if you can tell it all, that is. And provided there is an audible difference, is the sonic difference between the two decks worth coughing the extra dough ?
     
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  17. TarnishedEars

    TarnishedEars Forum Resident

    Location:
    The Seattle area
    I own both a 103 (which I use purely as a transport for my DAC in my main system) and a 105 (which I use as a video player and a surround music player in our video system).

    So yes I have compared them directly and the 105 definitely sounds better out of its analog outputs than does the 103. The difference is clearly audible IMO. But that is not to say that the 103 sounds bad, because the 103 is still a pleasant player to listen to.

    But as a digital source/transport to feed a DAC or an HT Reciever, the two players are equal IMO.
     
    Last edited: Sep 15, 2019
  18. The Pinhead

    The Pinhead KING OF BOOM AND SIZZLE IN HELL

    I just had a look at your profile. With that level of equipment, little wonder you can discern between the two. Very high end:righton:
     
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  19. Lenny

    Lenny Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York
    The very best SACD sound is found exactly like the very best CD sound. That is by ripping your SACDs and feeding the files into a first rate DAC that can play DSD files. A used Oppo 103 would be a great, and flexible, choice for doing that. But there are less expensive alternatives. Just like CDs, the disk adds nothing to the sound, only detracts from the sound files on it. It's just the files that you want.
     
  20. TarnishedEars

    TarnishedEars Forum Resident

    Location:
    The Seattle area
    Am I reading correctly that you used an Oppo as a transport for your DS? If so, how did you have your Oppo connected to your DS DAC? Did you use either a Vanity HD card or an Oppomod I2S card so that you could natively play SACDs?

    FWIW: Both of these combinations have worked very well for me. But I must confess that I have not yet had the opportunity to compare the sound of my setup to what it would sound like if driven by a memory player.
     
  21. WildPhydeaux

    WildPhydeaux Forum Resident

    Aren't both the Oppo 203 and 205 one of the few units that can act as a transport for SACD content via their audio-only HDMI output? Of course you would need a DSD capable DAC with an HDMI input...

    Cheers,
    Robert
     
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  22. mreeter

    mreeter Forum Resident

    Location:
    Kansas City
    In order to pass SACD HDMI Output, I "think" you have to modify the player to pass the signal via I2s.

    I2S board for OPPO 203 / 103(D) | eBay

    There are more and more DACs becoming available with the I2s Input.
     
  23. IGD Positive

    IGD Positive Forum Resident

    Location:
    Inner groove
    I'm pretty sure something like the Bryston BDA-3 will accept SACD via the HDMI input but only 2 channel audio. What you're talking about is using them specifically with a DAC (like PS Audio) that has the I2s interface.
     
  24. mreeter

    mreeter Forum Resident

    Location:
    Kansas City
    Probably so, but the OPPO will not pass SACD via the I2s Output without the Modification. The stock OPPO converts the I2s signal to PCM.
     
  25. siebrand

    siebrand music lover

    Location:
    Italy
    looks nice.
    Pretty nice, that Project....
    but... no SACD... :rolleyes:
     
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