CD transport or streamer

[DES COONEY]

Hi Guys,

I'd appreciate some advice on whether I should be buying a cd transport or some form of streamer for my set-up. A couple of years ago I followed previous opinion on the forum and bought a Roksan Caspian amp plus ProAc speakers along with an MDAC. I have been using Deezer from my laptop lately so as to create less clutter around me and avoid having to buy some form of transport, however the quality of sound is not great. I am tempted to buy a cd transport, but suspect these may become redundant in the future. Ideally I'd like to move forward with new available technology. And yet, I am not convinced that a streamer will offer me the quality of sound that has so far eluded me.

What to do?

Des

 

[keeper of the quays]

Hi Guys,

I'd appreciate some advice on whether I should be buying a cd transport or some form of streamer for my set-up. A couple of years ago I followed previous opinion on the forum and bought a Roksan Caspian amp plus ProAc speakers along with an MDAC. I have been using Deezer from my laptop lately so as to create less clutter around me and avoid having to buy some form of transport, however the quality of sound is not great. I am tempted to buy a cd transport, but suspect these may become redundant in the future. Ideally I'd like to move forward with new available technology. And yet, I am not convinced that a streamer will offer me the quality of sound that has so far eluded me.

What to do?

Des

if you have lots of cds..get a transport...cds redundant? Maybe one day? You have nice amp and great speakers...they deserve a good source in my opinion....

 

[tino]

Get both e.g. Yamaha CD NT670D... Streamer, CD, DAB, Bluetooth ... but no digital out or Yamaha CD N301 which does

 

[drummerman]

It will be many, many years before cd players become redundant.

As to a streamer ... why not have one as well.

Chromecast Audio, cheap and reportedly very good.

 

[DES COONEY]

Thanks for the tips. As I already have a separate DAC, I presume I would be better getting a CD transport. Are there any good transports with streaming capabilities?

 

[MajorFubar]

You worry me that you seem to intend using this CD transport with a DAC whose sound "is not great" (your own words). What are you hoping it will achieve in terms of sound quality that ripping your CDs and playing them from a computer or streamer [through the same DAC] will not? It will not inherrently sound better just because it's playing the actual CD and not a rip of it.

 

[Andrewjvt]

You worry me that you seem to intend using this CD transport with a DAC whose sound "is not great" (your own words). What are you hoping it will achieve in terms of sound quality that ripping your CDs and playing them from a computer or streamer [through the same DAC] will not? It will not inherrently sound better just because it's playing the actual CD and not a rip of it.

+1
And saved me finding the words

 

[Thompsonuxb]

You worry me that you seem to intend using this CD transport with a DAC whose sound "is not great" (your own words). What are you hoping it will achieve in terms of sound quality that ripping your CDs and playing them from a computer or streamer [through the same DAC] will not? It will not inherrently sound better just because it's playing the actual CD and not a rip of it.

+2....... Lol

Get yourself a quality standalone CD player - do not scrimp and go budget.

Look at the used market for hi-end kit in good condition is probably your best path.

Your amp deserves it.

 

[Leeps]

Deezer's a funny one. My understanding is that its CD-quality streams are only available on Sonos, which arguably could in itself undo the value of CD quality streaming (unless you use the Sonos Connect into a decent DAC). So in your case, I would imagine you're maxing out at 320kpbs streams, which in your high-quality set-up isn't making the best use of it.

If I were you, having a decent DAC already, I'd look at something like a Bluesound Node, stream Tidal in CD-quality using the Node's digital outputs into your M-DAC.

Or get rid of the M-DAC and get an Oppo 105 which would combine a high-quality DAC, Tidal streaming, DLNA streamng (for any rips you might have or create in future) headphone amp and CD player in one box.

 

[Al ears]

Deezer's a funny one. My understanding is that its CD-quality streams are only available on Sonos, which arguably could in itself undo the value of CD quality streaming (unless you use the Sonos Connect into a decent DAC). So in your case, I would imagine you're maxing out at 320kpbs streams, which in your high-quality set-up isn't making the best use of it.

If I were you, having a decent DAC already, I'd look at something like a Bluesound Node, stream Tidal in CD-quality using the Node's digital outputs into your M-DAC.

Or get rid of the M-DAC and get an Oppo 105 which would combine a high-quality DAC, Tidal streaming, DLNA streamng (for any rips you might have or create in future) headphone amp and CD player in one box.

+1 for the Oppo.

 

[DocG]

Can you play a lossless rip off your laptop, through the MDAC? Some well-recorded track you like.

Is that better than Deezer? If not, a new transport (CDP/streamer) won't change much.

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_100004211376004]

Sounds like it's a new dac you need as hooking up a cd transport to the mdac will be the same end result as already stated by others,although the mdac is a well regarded dac and it'll probably take a heap of cash to better it.Or if it's the presentation you aren't fond of then maybe try and home demo some others from the competition.

 

[keeper of the quays]

New dac? Blimey..that mdac was a pretty penny in itself...do you know anyone who has a cd player you can borrow? Chuck it in to your mdac...see what you think? Seems a waste with your nice kit not to put a decent source on it..as a comparison? Fm tuner? Is deezer some sort of streaming thing? If so..your just polishing turds..a well recorded cd..not rip cd! Is very good indeed...re clutter? All of us are cluttered with bloody hifi paraphernalia..accept clutter..listen to lovely music..or...just plug your headphones into laptop and be done with it..i don't agree that a cd thru your dac will sound the same as anything else would...borrow a cd player..test this for yourself..re new technology? Metal cassette tapes! Lol...

 

[DES COONEY]

Thanks Leeps,

I am looking at the Bluesoud Node 2 which appears to be a more streamlined version of it's predecessor: http://www.crutchfield.com/S-ms5V76PFV5b/p_813NODE2B/Bluesound-Node-2-Black.html I think my problem has been the poor quality of Deezer. I thought I coud go this route and use the M-DAC plus lossless software to compensate. This has not worked. I am going to check out Tidal and HDtracks also.

 

[davidvann]

Hi all, with the o/p in mind maybe a streamer might not be so bad,I had a similar sort of set up I was using my arcam bdp 300 as a transport then going into my class a monarchy dac no 33 ,but I wanted to have the functionality of having all my music at hand ,so what I did , wasi bought a n-50a pioneer streamer I was really worried that s/q wouldn't be as good ,but to my surprise the pioneer was much better than my monarchy dac,given the difference in price ,but I was having all sorts of problems with streaming music ,so what I did with big help from a pal , was I bought a ssd drive with a docking station and fed the player by usb , I feel that sound quality has much improved from My previous setup ,this way I don't get any sound degradation from noisey computer fans and running long Ethernet cables . David

 

[Gazzip]

Or... You can have both AND a plotter!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-XhMT4wXSG4

 

[John R Leddy]

Cambridge Audio CXN Network Player

https://www.cambridgeaudio.com/products/cx/cxn