AUDIOPHILES with large CD collections NEED this machine!

[@edwardswiderski940]

With reference to the upgrade from mk 2 to mk 3, I invested, unscrewed, screwed, removed, replaced cables, all with no more than the appropriate Philipp’s head drivers. A matter of circa 45 minutes. But what matters is what you get for the investment … and effort. A significantly upgraded audio quality - simply? Musicality. In my case, the mk 3 plays over I2S to Jay’s DAC 2 Signature. (BTW … the upgraded puck for the transport, purchased separately from Jay’s shop, is yet another notch in their feather … sound becomes at once ‘bigger’, more enveloping, and harmonic. In a word, Steve has my back.

[@johnratcliffe6438]

No offence, but my BS meter is in danger of exploding reading your post. How exactly is an upgraded puck going to make a difference? Once the disc is level and stable, being more level and stable will change nothing. Stop sipping the Kool-Aid.

[@iainford7592]

@@johnratcliffe6438 A lack of understanding will lead to a view as yours.

[@johnratcliffe6438]

@@iainford7592 You are deluded. Stop posting.

[@birgerolovsson5203]

I buy CD's & SACDs like a maniac and I have LOTS of them! CD & SACD still lives very well with me.

[@brianmoore581]

Me, too.

[@DonHamlin]

Same here!

[@johnbarrington2526]

Same

[@uccelino]

Guilty of CDs and SACDs hoarding. 😊

[@johnswanberg2792]

5000 plus sacd's, cd's, dvd-audio and blueray audio discs here. No intention of stopping. My Mcintosh SACD players do a great job for me.

[@goahead3995]

Just upgraded from Cambridge Audio CXC Transport to Jay's Audio. No exaggeration, it was a huge improvement. The reviews out there are correct. This Transport is truly amazing. And the build quality is solid.

[@Sunshine_Superman]

Definitely - CD is my primary listening format. Just got a second hand Classe CDP-202 delivered yesterday to compliment my current transport and dac.

[@Niels133]

Owner and buyer. of cd's. I use my old philips cd players as transport on the coax digital output. They work still very well. For the $2500 I save I'll buy cd's :-)

[@williamnaman3570]

There is a middle ground. Your lasers may be getting old and causing excessive error correction. Worn and hard belts may cause the same. You should try a modern cd and see if you can hear the difference as a transport. Cambridge Audio and Audiolab have transports in the $600 range.

[@wngimageanddesign9546]

Well, he can always replace the belts, and test the digital output by feeding it into a PC and run any number of CD ripping apps to test for any read errors. and % of error correction. BTW, the old Philips DACs were very musical, better than my Denon CD player of the year 1986 by Stereophile Magazine, in a A/B listening room test.

[@williamnaman3570]

@@wngimageanddesign9546 you can buy replacement lasers for those. I have a JVC XL-1050 with superdigifine but a modern transport and dac can sound a lot better. I stopped using it as a transport when I heard what the Audiolab could do.

[@yerfdogjohnny]

I’m a big proponent of CD transports. The Jay’s Audio CD transport sounds amazing. A bit more than what I can afford so I decided to purchase the Audiolab 6000CDT. The 6000CDT is wonderful and the best CD player I’ve ever owned.

[@petervdveenmuis]

I made the upgrade to a 9000CDT. The 6000CDT is a killer though.

[@josephmetz3957]

I’m debating the jays 2 mk3 vs the 9000cdt(I have the 6000cdt) the 6000cdt was improvement over my older Sony 800x, I wonder sound comparison to jays vs 9000cdt?

[@Niels133]

Right. No cracks, no noise. I go for the cd format.

[@markmorrow3250]

I had been looking for something to replace my California Audio Labs Delta drive. Not because I didn’t like it or that it was giving me any trouble. But at 25 years of service, I have to wonder when it might give some trouble. I was looking at Cambridge and audiolab and others. The Jays was more than I wanted to spend, but was more like what I was looking for. So I ordered up the Jays CDT a few weeks ago, and it arrived earlier this week. I unboxed it today and dropped in a CD and hit play. The improvement over my Delta drive was immediate. The sound is fuller and more air around everything. It would be interesting if the two units were fresh for comparison sake, but obviously that can’t happen. I can’t wait to spend some actual time listening to the two of them and get a better idea of what is going on. But my initial impression is that the difference are positive, and not subtle. I will see.

[@VintageStereoCollectorChannel]

I recently purchased an Audiolab 6000cdt CD transport. Works well with my Mytek Brooklyn DAC+ Nice vid Steve👍👍

[@Coneman3]

I have an Audiolab 6000 CDT like you and a Jay’s Audio CDT mk2. Both are superb vfm.

[@Coneman3]

CDT3 mk2

[@VintageStereoCollectorChannel]

@@Coneman3 - thanks for letting me know. Good bang for the buck👍👍

[@BlankBrain]

I only have about 800 CDs, but I've ripped them to FLAC and verified the accuracy against an online database. I store them on my NAS and phone (LG V20). I can see a reason to buy music on CD. I can't see a reason to spin it each time I listen to it. Once the data has been pulled from storage and is sitting in RAM, the rendition is dependent on the DAC. It removes all mechanical variations and potential for jitter as long as I have a good clock.

[@rabit818]

CDs are low maintenance and a little easier to get decent sound from. I still buy both CDs and LPs.

[@markusschulzbro]

Viewer system of the day is gorgeous!

[@saint6563]

Congrats Steve! 4.5+ thousand views in 3 hours.

[@alm5693]

Thanks for mentioning the budget-friendly Cambridge transport in your review. I've got about 2500 CDs in my collection. Same for LPs. Still buying both but CDs make up about 3/4 of the purchases.

[@robertm8518]

Steve, How does it compare to the Project RS2T Cd transport?

[@lesmatthews459]

My old $300 (expensive at the time) Panasonic is still working great 30 plus years later!!

[@newfguy1826]

Thanks for review. Just bought one now👍

[@jlmain5777]

I’m a high end person, but my wallet says otherwise.

[@JEMHull-gf9el]

Yes, I know what you mean.

[@r423fplip]

High end, not all it cracked up to be !. The truth is out.

[@russellparker4568]

Aren't we all

[@fletchermunson6225]

Buy CDs all the time. I am streaming adverse. In addition to the Cambridge, considering the Audiolab 6000 CDT for $549. Mine has been totally reliable playing for days and days at a time. Sounds good and appears to have an excellent build quality. Initially I was put off by the slot loading but it has been totally reliable and I now prefer it to a drawer system. Jut my experience.

[@alm5693]

Thanks for the mini-review of the Audiolab.

[@Mike_Jones68]

Have u taken this apart...i mean at least look inside at the guts? Id like to know if something like this has good internals for that $$. I want something built well with good components but cant stretch to the $2500 level or close for a transport. Thanks!

[@fletchermunson6225]

@@Mike_Jones68 No I haven't taken it apart. Seem irrelevant to me. I've had this unit for a year, running it for weeks at the time and have had no failures. It sounds good. My sole construction observation is it is well finished, the transport has run well. It's seems heavy for it's size and the remote is full function and works well. Sounds like worth $550 to me. I prefer it to my old Oppo 93 which is also quite good.

[@daviddavidsonn3578]

Why don't you rip them in FLAC and set up a server. I did that. It is much easier than to have to go through thousand of CDs all the time.

[@anneocallaghan5808]

@@Mike_Jones68 lm

[@frederickrodger7249]

Hi Steve, Thank you for the review. I used your promo code and purchased a Jays MK 3. Thought that I would let you know that your code is still good although for a lesser amount than it was back in July. For anyone interested current date is Sept 26/21.

[@josexavierjr.5633]

Great review, Steve. This transport is out of my reach, but I did get the AudioLab CD transport for about $500, and it does a great job! I still buy CDs........close to 2500 of them by now.

[@Mike_Jones68]

Ive seen this item pop up in comments..def interested as well i cant spend $2+k on a transport. Have u listened to higher end gear that u can compare the Audiolab to? Thanks!

[@TommyTCGT]

@@Mike_Jones68 Heuer Weg in Germany does an upgrade kit or ready assembled for the AudioLab 6000CDT, says it is close to top CEC transports which he also mods.

[@connorduke4619]

Where do you store them all? I have "only" just over 1,000 and they pile out everywhere!

[@lahlberg1838]

@@connorduke4619 I have them in thin sleeves which have one pocket on each side. The booklet in front and the CD behind. They are not to hard to find on Internet. The last ones comes from a company called Hama. These sleeves I store in paper boxes marked with the letter in the alphabet which starts in tha box. The jewel boxes are gone to waste. In all this have saved 75% of the previous just storage space.

[@connorduke4619]

@@lahlberg1838 Thank you very much, that is an unexpected answer and brilliant logistical solution!

[@MINXC3]

Got my Mk3 a few months back. Never realised cd could sound so good, and that's through the Denafrips' entry level Ares II.

[@menfallinloveandwomenmakeplans]

Which connection do you use between the Jay's Audio and the Ares 11?

[@MINXC3]

@@menfallinloveandwomenmakeplans Coax.

[@menfallinloveandwomenmakeplans]

@@MINXC3 Thank you. It's good you can use the Jay's Audio with the Ares 11 because it is not listed as a compatible DAC (is it?).

[@MINXC3]

@@menfallinloveandwomenmakeplans It's not listed in the manual but that is only referring to the I2S connection.

[@DavidSmith-py8zi]

Do you live in US and if so were there any custom fees or tariffs on it?

[@tee-jaythestereo-bargainph2120]

Hey Steve thanks for the video buddy ! Toslink output cable can only handle up to 96khz whereas Coaxial output can handle up to 24bit/192khz so if your using the 176.2 khz (button?) I would use the coaxial or I2s food for thought 😃 Coaxial has a wider bandwidth than Toslink . but at the end of the day I will take a great reccorded 44.1/16bit over anything else ! If you ever want to try the Audiolab CDT 6000 let me know I can get you sent one their ($699US) and built very well heavy weighted for pricepoint

[@mondoenterprises6710]

Cds are my go to music source. Closing in on 4000. Biggest problem is shelf storage. Just ordered the Sailor cd by Steve Miller Band. I also think Dick Hyman is a good jazz pianist and have some of his music in my collection as I'm a bit of a jazz guy myself.

[@StephaneVorstellung]

sssssh....quiet everybody. Finding great used CDs for cheap is like finding great used records in 1994: plentiful, and unwanted by the masses. Let's keep it that way.

[@LuxAudio389]

😉

[@TheAirConditionerGuy]

Exactly! Best medium there is

[@andygilbert1877]

🤐

[@kenjifox4264]

Where do you find actual CDs? I once bought an album on Amazon and what I got was a generic CD-R with the music burned from illegally-downloaded MP3s.

[@davidmuth4571]

Most of my CD purchasing is done at yard sales. I got Chicago Greatest Hits 40th anniversary and Best Of The Bee Gees "The Record". Neither band is a favorite, but they have some songs I like. 50 cents each, still in the wrapper. Why CDs will never be obsolete for me.

[@Big-J-8579]

I love CDs and SACDs and continually buy them and listen to them. I have four systems: at work I use the Cambridge CXC into the CXA80 (I also have the CXN). My home theater system (Marantz SR7013) has an Arcam DCS50, Denon DCM-440, and an Onkyo C-730. In my audio room I have a Luxman D-111, Denon DCD-1400, and an Onkyo DX-C730 (the Luxman runs off my Luxman R-115 receiver and the Denon runs off my Onkyo TX-NR3008 AVR with the changer being shared by both). I love them all but I gravitate to the Luxman kit the most for music. The R-115 just has the best sound. I have been enjoying that receiver since 1988. I also have two turntables and a ROON core. I know, it is over the top.

[@philipadams3325]

I do have many CD's. I ebay, discog and thrift my way to more almost weekly. But my three stereo systems cost me in the tens of dollars. My last Technics vintage cd player cost me $10.00.

[@philipadams3325]

@@keplermission4947 A few months is ridiculous. I have components from thrift stores/yard sales/etc that have lasted years. My turntables, tape decks (cassette and 8 track), turntables are all minimum 30 years old. Half of my hobby is cleaning/refurbing old equipment.

[@philipadams3325]

@@keplermission4947 I have plenty of cd players I've refurbbed that have lasted years. It's hard to judge the life. Could it be a few months- sure. It can also be years after I get it. My track record is in years. Ii guess your blow up dolls comment is just your way of projecting. That is an unfortunate hobby. You should get help.

[@philipadams3325]

It's a shame some people get real upset about what others like to do. I enjoy refurbishing and playing with old equipment. I give lots of it away to people that want a little two channel system. I was making light of the 2k that the transport cost, I thought in a humorous way. Sorry if anyone else got offended. My post was intended to be funny, not offensive to people that want to pay more than I do for their equipment. I know that my thrift store equipment is not superior. It's fun and yes I've managed to dig up the odd gem from old tube Amps to other quality - albeit dated pieces. I like mixing and matching the old components and speakers to find the sound I like for each area. Anyway if my attempt at levity was missing in action I apologize. Life is to shirt to get upset about a $10 CD player.

[@glenjo0]

Still using my really old Magnavox (Phillps) CD player, and CDs sound GREAT!

[@printzapper]

With FTS and the double 👑 DAC?

[@miguelbarrio]

I love your analogy that the musicians moved away from the microphone!

[@thomasalexand]

I had to go back to the beginning of the video. When Steve said the price I fainted.

[@lesmatthews459]

LMAO!! Me too!!!

[@user-qq2mo1ek2r]

I have the Mk2 and literally just bought the upgrade pack for £660 all in, in order to have my Mk2 converted to Mk3. I cant wait to hear the difference myself.

[@ianjohnhorwood2605]

I'm still using linn genki cd players, and they still sound excellent, very balanced frequency range from top to bottom, while sounding natural, detailed, and dynamic, and also are HDCD equipped. They are still one of the best in balanced cd sound quality cd players I know at the prices I payed for them in a top quality audio system.

[@sonnyvarioni1654]

I really hope Linn start making CD players again. Seems crazy that they produce CDs and SACDs on the Linn Records label but the company doesn't make anything to play them on : (

[@sounddecision3350]

still buy cds even though no local shops sell them in my town have an original ARCAM FMJ cd22 cd player which is amazing

[@jamesderby4522]

If the transport only feeds a stream of binary code, how can it affect sound quality? Is it not the DAC that converts this stream of data to an audio signal including the clock?

[@Audfile]

It's not "binary code" its an audio signal

[@patbarr1351]

This is my understanding: Cds not being perfect, a transport has to read indentations in a rapidly spinning disc & decide whether they represent a 1 or a 0. Occasionally, mistakes are made. The CD playback won't be heard as a skip, but there may be a sonic difference. Unlike a computer app from a file, the CD system doesn't have time to do a data check (checksum). The better the mechanics, the more true to the original source the transport's data will be as sent to the DAC.

[@johnholmes912]

the dac's clock is merely a slave, the transport has the master clock

[@mcrelly]

@@patbarr1351 Pat thank you for your answer this makes sense to me. If you see my question later on asking Steve to clarify why things sounded different. I believe you answered the question.

[@r423fplip]

Oh it’s all about the clock. Come on that stuff was done years ago. Jitter is another one, done !.

[@amarsubash4374]

Thanks Steve..used your promo code and got 100 bucks off. Well done!

[@stimpy1226]

I purchase about two CDs per week after getting recommendations or streaming music that I enjoy and decide to purchase the CD. At present I am approaching 2000 CDs and I don’t think that I will stop increasing my collection. I am still very happy with my Wadia CD Player as it reproduces a higher quality audio signal than my PS Audio DSD DAC/ Streamer. This is not to say that the quality of my DAC sounds inadequate just not enough inner detail and the tonality is not as rich.

[@stimpy1226]

@@keplermission4947 Buy your own CDs. Do you want everything for free. I’m paying for mine.

[@stimpy1226]

@@keplermission4947 That’s my son’s dog and it was taken six years ago.

[@Benvos]

Love that viewer system of the day setup, I’m keen to hear the Rega Aethos.

[@RiaTolstoy]

Thanks - I’m really happy with it, I haven’t changed a thing for months - am just enjoying the music - including CD’s although I’m keen to see if Rega upgrade the Saturn? ☺️

[@Benvos]

@@RiaTolstoy I recently bought a new system including D7.2s and the Aethos was an amp I was looking at. In the end I plumped for the flexibility of a Hegel amp and of course it’s sound. Never got to hear the Aethos though so I still have that desire to which I’ll likely do soon just to hear it. I’ve gone full streaming initially but I use a Blu-ray as transport into the DAC so a CD transport is on the cards for the future. The Pro-ject CD Box RS2T got rave reviews but I can appreciate your love for Rega, amazingly well made, lovely sound and insane warranty!

[@RiaTolstoy]

So now i have a lovely dilemma! Jays Audio CD mk3 or Rega’s upgraded Saturn CDP… 🤔🤩

[@nunofernandes4501]

I have almost 400 CDs and I buy a couple more every month. I love to listen to them on my Marantz CD6006, it sounds lovely. Recently though, I've been craving the Denafrips Ares II and if I buy it I know I'll eventually get a transport. I know the Cambridge CXC is quite good but I'm leaning more towards the Audiolab 6000CDT. Anyone here knows which might be best? I'd love it if Steve would review the Audiolab transport and compare it to the CXC.

[@neilcoligan8621]

I had the Audiolab and found it to be a great CD transport. I only sold it because I wanted fewer “boxes”. Now I use the CD section of my Naim Uniti Star which doubles as a CD ripper.

[@nunofernandes4501]

@@neilcoligan8621 thanks for sharing!

[@chrish.4067]

I have the Audiolab but have not heard the Cambridge. I am more than happy with the Audiolab. I suspect that the Cambridge is about the same.

[@nunofernandes4501]

@@chrish.4067 thanks! And at my dealer the Audiolab is €100 cheaper.

[@CharlesBonham-bh8mt]

Steve please consider reviewing the Shanling ET 3 CD transport. It is a top loading transport that also has an HDMI IIs input. It has upsampling, both in the PCM realm as well as DSD from red book CD’s. It also has some streaming function. It is solidly constructed, though nothing like the Jays transport. It retails in the U.S. for around $799.00 It is also made in China.

[@dvanmartin9842]

I still buy CDs.... I agree with Mitch Easter, they sound the closest to the master tape mix down.

[@dresdner353]

How can two devices that are outputing a digital bitstream from the same CD produce an audio result that sounds different when run through the same DACs and amps?

[@paulb.3227]

They do! Search the net for an explanation.....

[@alexxbaudwhyn7572]

Yes, I am skeptical but trust the reports of reviewers like Steve G The only plausible reasons I can come up with are fewer bit errors (BLER) and or Less jitter or jitter characteristics

[@alexxbaudwhyn7572]

@@johnholmes912 I assume Master Clock quality = less jitter In any case, better clock/timing/phase control and precision explains the perceived improvement in prescience, air, spaciousness and immediacy IMO

[@alexxbaudwhyn7572]

I believe the i2s interface, like spdif (optical, coax or aes), is a synchronous transfer. Hence, timing/ clock /phase differences could affect the data/bit transfer, which may affect the sound quality at the receiving end. IMO, I think the Gold Standard for digital spdif connection is xlr AES/EBU. Per the i2s Wikipedia article, i2s was never designed for transmission over external cables. I2s was designed for communication between internal components in a device circuit, ie between and inside of chips, etc While the market appears to have settled on the HDMI connector, others have tried rj45 Ethernet style and bnc coax cables and connectors for i2s interfaces externally

[@dresdner353]

The test Steve ran was to use two i2S interfaces. These are separately clocked and by design are not prone to the same jitter more prevalent in SPDIF. So if he came away feeling the music "sounded" better from the later model, then it would suggest the data stream in the earlier product was badly broken. This is where you need to apply scientific testing and extract the stream from both products and compare them. Both should be the exact same data which should match what you would rip from the same CD.

[@peterlundskow4061]

I realize this is not in the same ballpark as Steve's review because for my large CD collection I recently purchased 3 used 300 CD changers. A Sony, a Pioneer Elite & JVC. I use the digital out to a Yamaha DAC/Streamer to my NAD preamp to a rebuilt Dynaco 70. I think I get good results @ the good prices I got them for, personally I think the JVC is the best sounding of the three.

[@audacious22]

That sounds like some fun experimentation between a variety of manufacturers.

[@danielwilliams1921]

Is the machine better than the PrimaLuna tube CD player?

[@Toki1908]

This versus Pro-ject audi RS2 CDT ?

[@andygilbert1877]

Still very much playing and buying CDs. Also bought the Cambridge CXC a few months ago. Very pleased with it, just as well that’s my budget!

[@Michael-xz1nk]

Wow!!!! Nils Frahm - Solo....a definite keeper!! Thanks much Steve!

[@jeffn1384]

Was expecting a much bigger discount

[@Kreily]

Very small discount indeed!

[@chrish.4067]

Very cool system of the day!

[@bygrace2683]

CDs only for me. Have a Luxman D-03X serving as a CD player and DAC for streaming. It's beautiful! Sounds good too. 🤓

[@bryanglassglass8971]

Just bought this cd player, it's wonderful thanks to Andy singer!

[@bygrace2683]

@@bryanglassglass8971 Awesome. The CD player and DAC are fantastic. Build quality is amazing too. Enjoy it my friend!

[@johnsimmons5056]

Can you comment on the differences between the Pro-Ject RS2 CD T Transport that you reviewed and this new version of the Jays ?

[@WTJ3405]

Was wondering the same thing!!

[@johnsimmons5056]

@@WTJ3405 Yes, I am being told by others that have done a/b testing of both units that the pro-ject is still a big step up but I would interested to hears Steve's take on the matter.

[@WTJ3405]

Have read the same thing in several forums.

[@josephbrandi8394]

I’m interested in that comparison too!

[@poturbg8698]

Somebody please explain why and how one functioning transport would sound better than another functioning transport, all other factors being equal.

[@michaelw3090]

Just listen and hear for yourself ...

[@MX-S]

@@michaelw3090 Not a good answer ... ("please explain")

[@christinearmington]

Also, wifey: Honey, we need this Jay’s. Hubbey: Why is that sweetie? Wifey: It let’s you hear air better! Hubbey: 😳 🤦‍♀️

[@Coneman3]

What are you talking about?! These transports are superb. Virtually everyone agrees on this, except you 😂

[@christinearmington]

@@Coneman3 Nope, I have one. Just a bit of humor. 😂

[@cudfoo1cudfoo247]

Hey Steve - It doesn't appear that the promo code is working or perhaps it expired already...

[@danieldelgado8153]

Own the Audiolab 6000CDT. Love it. No issues so far. Would buy another one. Have it hooked up to a Topping D 90 and Anthem 70 plus Macintosh Monoblocks. Plugged into Tekton Encores. Love it all. My best Dan. Albuquerque.

[@RasheedKhan-he6xx]

Steve you've had the Jay's Audio and also the Oppo BDP. So how do you choose which to use when?

[@vintagehifilover]

I would love to know his opinion on this one too.

[@Coneman3]

A good general tip when setting up or working on hifi is to take your watch off and any other jewellery as it can easily scratch it.

[@leekumiega9268]

I am happy with my Denon CDC-755RE from Japan , It has a high precision Burr Brown 192KHZ /32 bit D/A converter with a high precision clock in close proximity it performs highly accurate D/A conversions with much less jitter , It has Denon's proprietary analog waveform production technology Alpha Processor that reduces distortion caused by Quantization errors with AL 32 processing that uses the input digital data as a clue , they interpolate the data so that it approaches the original analog waveform and reproduces the 16 bit signal with 32 bit quality. Separate power supplies for the digital and analog circuits eliminate mutual interference. It has a front USB input to connect an iPod or USB memory using the same AL 32 processor and 32 bit D/A converter . It is the best sounding CD player I've ever herd even at twice it's cost.

[@wolfmanjacksaid]

Hi Steve, have you reviewed the Brennan B2? Thinking about buying it...

[@Veldoril]

CDs are awesome...

[@henriksrensen3220]

GREAT video Steve👍 I don't stream, i only play cd through my cec tl5 cd transport.

[@VBYTP]

I use a modded Oppo BDP-103 which can output both CDs and SACDs via I²S. But this is tempting as a CD-only addition.

[@larrysmith5695]

Steve, I want to thank you for introducing me to the Jay's cd transport. I have boxes of CD's I had given up on. This transport makes them very enjoyable to listen to. I am amazed it's that much better. The difference is stunning.

[@JosefTreiber]

Hello Steve, I can't understand why transports have a "sound" at all, isn't it that they just deliver digital data that are made to sound only at the dac? What do you think might be the reason for transports sounding different? BR, Joe from Austria

[@titntin5178]

Expectation bias. :)

[@Fluterra]

Digital data is transferred as analog over a cable. If you think about it, the 1s and 0s are still transferred as analog waves. This is part of the reason why digital cables make a difference!

[@peterlarkin762]

Took me years before I bothered trying this out. I now use Audiolab cdp with a DAC via spdif. Have loads of cdp but this combo is by far the best, and not in a subtle way. Its another idiosyncratic hifi paradox that I would not have thought fruitful before experimenting.

[@ianjohnhorwood2605]

Every electronic audio component has a different sound and quality, by definition of the sum of their different parts list and component quality. The quality and design of each different component parts, as well as the quality of different electronic parts, as well as circuit design and layout, pcb board, or no pcb board, the wiring type where there is wiring, and by definition an audio components different power supply designs and differences, and their different interactions and reactions to the electrical mains power supply, while also the audio manufacturers different sound tuning of their components. The the list goes on.

[@markphilpot8734]

There are some that would. I am one who took the plunge. I now have a Project RS 2T CD transport with the upgrade linear power supply. As far as I am concerned it is the best I have owned. Still working on a DAC, but that is another story. One piece at a time as this is big league ball here. Not all of us can buy whole systems at a time. Some things are worth the wait. I’m patient and it is a necessity when you are a working stiff. It’ll be great when the DAC does come, but I can wait. Like I said, I’m patient.

[@sajihassan]

Because of this review I ordered the cd transport. And used your discount code.

[@sdrtcacgnrjrc]

Are you happy with it?

[@mondoenterprises6710]

CD's also put money in the hands of the artist the quickest probably if bought direct, and they make good gifts! Even mint condition used!

[@chrish.4067]

A great comparison would be the the Jay's, the Cambridge, and the Audiolab transports. My Audiolab transport playing CDs through an Ares II DAC is much better than any high resolution streaming such as Qobuz and Tidal. (I subscribe to both). It's very obvious. You don't need to sit there and listen critically and switch back and forth to tell the difference. My previous CD player was a Response Audio modified Jolida JD100.

[@DrGIzmoBRad]

Getting a decent CD transport is definitely worthwhile. I've a Cyrus CD-T feeding a Meridian Director DAC (got this on Steve's CNET recommendation). Very pleased to have gotten both for just under $1.3K.

[@DavidSmith-py8zi]

I know they offer free shipping but are there any customs fees or tariffs on it coming from China to US?

[@Ricky-cl5bu]

I’ll look at the Cambridge audio thanks

[@markwilliamson4834]

Yes, and yes!

[@issadad]

Does it play SACD?

[@MichelLinschoten]

I still buy CDs for sure, I would not spend that much on a transport. But I still love CDs, this video made me miss my sony xa50es

[@giovannivii]

is it better than the rotel mark 2 you reviewed ?

[@josefbuckland]

Great system of the day

[@bryanherr1093]

Come for the review and stay for the Audiophiliac Viewer System of the Day.

[@zorst99]

Why wouldn't I just rip all of my music to a Bluesound Vault and play from there? Would you say that a transport would sound better than a bluesound if you were using the same DAC for both? If so please explain why.

[@johnholmes912]

master clock stability

[@zorst99]

@@johnholmes912 But wouldn't a high quality DAC make up for that?

[@FlyGuy457]

I own a little over a thousand and still buy one a week.

[@1968krug]

Nice review Steve. I like the less commercial, special gear. Affordable high end is how I see it.

[@entity279]

He he... my MK3 upgrade board arrived just 3 days ago. Curious to see your take on it! ( I've 150 CDs only, but I'm accumulating more for sure since physical media is better for me and anyway I'm only really in this hobby for less than 2 years )

[@carlitomelon4610]

Nice system Ria! I've been ripping my expanding 1200 CD collection to my Bluesound Vault2 to share with the Node2i in system2. Checking out new HR recordings daily on Qobuz....So the CD players have had a long holiday. This episode had me fire up my trusty Musical Fidelity X-Ray v3 to the Denafrips Ares2. Wow 😳 the CD player makes the music sound high-res (more airy with "hall sound")! Maybe I've been missing something here: I'll have to compare CDs to rips... ((I wonder if there will be a market in used Jay's Audio circuit boards...🤔))

[@sdrtcacgnrjrc]

Did you get to do that comparison?

[@twostepped999]

@steveguttenbergaudiophiliac what is the rack make/model this Jays transport is sitting on?

[@merrillaldrich9170]

I believe tambaqui is a fish, pronounced in English approximately like "tam back ee" or "tam-BACK-kee"

[@larrychew1]

Question: Would the CDT2-MK3 be "too much" transport for my Denafrips Ares II? Would there be a large improvement in sound quality with the Ares II or would I need a better DAC? I'm looking to replace a Rega Apollo CD player that's used as a transport. It's still erratic in playing the first track of many CDs even after repair/replacement of the laser, drive, and some board(s). Or should I get a CD transport priced around $500-600 as that might be a better match in performance.

[@goahead3995]

I own Venus II and Jay's Audio CDT2-MK3. I think Ares is an amazing DAC for the money, so keep it. The 2 best transports under $1k are Cambridge Audio CXC and Audiolab 6000cdt. I think CXC is better. So I think CXC and Ares II are amazing combo for the money. If you upgrade later, Denafrips retain their value. Sell that, and get used Pontus II for about $1500-$1600.

[@thesupergamermario3701]

Hello, what was the name of the record store that Steve went to a couple of days ago? I don't see the video anymore. Was it taken down?

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

Jazz record center, in New York City, Google their website. As to why the video was taken down, some people found aspects of it offensive. I don’t wanna go into the details office right now

[@fabien7079]

I love my Audiomat D1, it rocks...

[@bobb.9917]

I am still buying CDs, SACDs and playing them. I have 3 CD players, none are super "high end", none have toroidal transformers, etc….but they sound better than any hi-Rez music that I stream. I do not own a record player…I do not own an expensive modern DAC, but I am still enjoying my music. I know that with all the gear out there EVERYONE's listening experience is so…so…different these days. COOL SHIRT, Steve!!! 👍🏼😁

[@generalcurtis3lemay180]

Wow! My General Curtis account was shot down by Steve's Jwsh supporters on this very video channel, claiming that the General had been a racist and so was I. But wait ... didn't Steve just enter a Church in Manhattan? All these hate people in extreme Judaism bigotry and now Steve himself enters a Church and just to enjoy the forbidden atmosphere inside! Wow! It beggars belief!

[@VBYTP]

@@generalcurtis3lemay180 what 😂

[@solarfall2728]

@@generalcurtis3lemay180 I know that church. Its a night club. I spent many Sunday's there myself.

[@HiFiInsider]

I like to try this against CEC transport.

[@lanemiddleton9]

Been enjoying my beloved belt drive CEC Transport for decades. It was the analog sounding alternative to the detailed Mark Levinson transport back in the day.

[@TheNaka9]

I have the Cambridge Audio CXC and a Parasound B/CD 2000 (with a CEC belt drive transport) and I certain love to have the chance to listen to the Jay’s Audio. The cd transport quality is crucial to proper enjoy our cd’s... and I have more than 3000... stefe san you review the latest CEC model? I believe it is the same price range of the Jay’s. Thanks for a great review and long live the cd :)

[@williamnaman3570]

How does this compare to something like the Jolida CD from the 90s? Does the Tube sound outweigh the gains of the transport alone?

[@35Helena]

I see you have s Oppo 105/D In the room behind you.How do you like It? Is It a good player? I ask beucause I have one In my system. Morgan Morén.

[@franciscoortiz6980]

I also still buy a lot of CDs and DVDs. Personally i do not like the open top design, asking for dust and other to fall inside, and requires a lot of space above it in rack.

[@jeffblack4268]

Hi Steve, wondering if the Jay’s audio CDT3-MK3 CD transport might be on your list of reviews in the future. Love the show, keep up the good work👍.

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

Sorry, no.

[@newfguy1826]

Which i2s cable do you prefer?

[@ManosPairis]

Really nice to review a source every now and then, very nice transport. I think there is a rel sub in the system of the day

[@groant3598]

Steve, did you compare the Mk2 to 3 using only the BNC outputs. I can get a demo Mk2 but adding the Mk3 upgrade makes it more expensive than just buying a new Mk3 (no Mk3 in stock). However, my DAC doesn't have IIS or AES/EBU inputs.

[@DamjanB52]

That's it ? Not a word about why one transport might conceivably "sound" different than another ?

[@babagandu]

Yeah he just does sponsored blurbs

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

Oh, do you want me to just repeat the usual BS. I’m sorry, I really don’t know why. I can just tell you but it does sound better.

[@DamjanB52]

@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac Well, i don't even know what "the usual BS" is, and i suppose many viewers don't either .. you might have at least quoted the manufacturer, or given your best guess .. oh, i see: the manufacturer only speaks of "exceptional sound quality" (of a bit-stream server) and mentions an "Improved Noise Filter with 110v/230v switching", presumably referring to AC filtering .. there is also, truth be told, the "Multistage Super Regulator (of something) with Gold Tune Caps" .. or, maybe, conceivably, could it be that you used the upsampling to 176.4kHz ?

[@brandonburr4900]

@@DamjanB52 I think if your resourceful enough you can Google it or look at the manufacturers website explaining why their is a difference. Differences like this don't often come down to fancy new technology but tried and true implementation that have been done in high end transports for many years. I huge one that separates your entry or mid level transports is power supply design and implementation.

[@r423fplip]

No it sounds better, Steve said so !. It is getting embarrassing on You tube lately. As long as the story’s good !.

[@garykarczewski6678]

I own a Oppo 203 which I use HDMI for digital video and SPDIF for CD playback. How would one know that a dedicated CD transport will be sonically better than this configuration?

[@cosmonaut9942]

How does the transport in the OPPO BDP-105 compare to Jay's?

[@sabinoruiz2080]

Fantastic video