CD transports - does it matter any more?

[dalbert02]

Years ago, I remember CD transports rated Stereophile class A were thousands of dollars. Have CD transports been debunked like high-end cables? I have an old Ah! Njoe Tjube CD player aka a Marantz CD4000, with a horrible measuring tube output stage. However, it has SPDIF out. Would it be any better or worse than an old Sony Blu-ray player with SPDIF out? Or let's go crazy, any difference to an old but highly rated Wadia CD Transport? Does any of it matter anymore?

 

[respice finem]

Better, in terms of better sound, no. But there are differences regarding error correction capability, silence of operation, or longevity. That said, I am not in the market for one any more. All my CDs are ripped to FLAC, problem solved. Apart from rare situations (like when a friend brings a CD) they have little to do.

 

[Salt]

Years ago, I remember CD transports rated Stereophile class A were thousands of dollars. Have CD transports been debunked like high-end cables? I have an old Ah! Njoe Tjube CD player aka a Marantz CD4000, with a horrible measuring tube output stage. However, it has SPDIF out. Would it be any better or worse than an old Sony Blu-ray player with SPDIF out? Or let's go crazy, any difference to an old but highly rated Wadia CD Transport? Does any of it matter anymore?

@NTTY tests CD Players not only for analogue output , but digital too.
Look at his thread here, and for testing may contact him.

 

[Kr2d2]

Check out @NTTY 's list of CD Players tested. If a CDP has a digital output then there is a section about how it performs as a transport. Very interesting!

Edit: Uups, I was too late...

 

[NTTY]

I just replied to a similar question here.

CD Transport making a difference is indeed same as cables, and I never thought about making that comparison. And similar to cables, people saying they make a difference only use their ears, and when they measure, they don't do it on what matters.

Ok, so now, there are tangible differences and some will be audible:

• Tracking capabilities and resistance to scratched CDs will make an audible difference in worst case scenario, with audible clicks and/or difficulties to play.
• BluRay and DVD Players with HDMI outputs are likely to modify the SPDIF digital output in the context of respecting anti-piracy regulations.
• Some players process the digital stream to satisfy specific needs, such as volume control, or sampling rate change (via an ASRC).
• Speed of the drive to skip one or multiple tracks, and when FFW/REW.
• Speed to read the TOC.
• Ability to run at different angles.
• Operating noise.
• Gapless playback.
• Precision of the clock at the output (measured in ppm) which transitions to the DAC, as per the SPDIF protocol.

People have been talking for years about drives and so transports sounding different (I mean all of them sounding different), and no, that's not the case. A large majority output the digital data exactly as it is on the Audio CD.

I think I have data about the NJoe, by the way, but it's one of those I thought it's necessary to shoot the ambulance

And yeah a VRDS CMK-3.2 in a Wadia or Teac/Esoteric has the same digital output as all other Sony KSS laser based drives from many other players, or a CDM from Philips also found in so many players. Moder CD Players also have the same digital output, to few exceptions. The SMSL PL100 digital output if the most recent example.

 

[Chrispy]

Lots of bullshit with drives....and a huge number of various "manufacturers" (i.e. brands) used the same basic drives for many years....despite bullshit subjective reviews