 
|
Audio Asylum Thread Printer Get a view of an entire thread on one page |
For Sale Ads |
|
|
Audio Asylum Thread Printer Get a view of an entire thread on one page |
For Sale Ads |
96.8.132.45
I went on a CD Transport buying spree last year. I had ripped and then packed away all of my 800 or so CDs a decade or more ago. So, I sold my long-unused Onkyo 7030 CD Player a year or so ago.But had heard good things about using a CD Transport and shortly there after I ran into someone locally selling a Cambridge Audio CXC CD Transport for $250.
I was surprised how nice the CXC sounded so long story-short, I quickly bought and sold two other CD transports to test out - an Audiolab 6000CDT and then a Jay's Audio CDT2-MK3. Both were great but I came to my senses and realized that I don't really need a $2000 CD Transport in my system.
That's when I heard about the new Shanling ET3 transport. This new Chinese CD Transport offered, like the Jay's Audio, a top loading Philips CD drive, which I much preferred and it has a full compliment of output options - USB, AES-EBU, Toslink, Coax and even I2S for under $700. So, why not try that one too?
It's still burning in but the initial impression is very favorable.
I know many think a $20 Blueray DVD player is good enough to use as a transport. But I've obviously, tried this kind of thing in years past and a dedicated CD Transport - as in a CD player without a DAC and analog outputs - can make your CDs sound even better than streaming via Qobuz and Tidal.
Here's the Shanling (I'm going to name it "Gary") running through some CDs.
Edits: 01/04/24 01/04/24 01/04/24Follow Ups:
In my case I haven't "played" a CD in years though I still buy CDs. All discs are ripped to FLAC files and those are all I listen to.
Dmitri Shostakovich
How would you say it compares to the Jay's Audio transport you had?
I had the Jay's for about 6-months. It's a very impressive CD Transport and it's sound was super detailed with great Bass. A bit on the brighter side of things in my hearing of it.
I loved the top loading - much better than a drawer or slot loading.
I appreciated how heavy and solid it was but disliked the huge size. It was bigger than my Naim Supernait3 integrated amp, and that's a large amp.
Soundwise the Shanling ET-3 is a tiny bit warmer but keeps the solid bass floor that the Jay's excelled in. It's only been 5-days since it arrived. I assume there will be some break in changes in the sound.
I love the form factor and that it's still a top loader. I love all the output choices, too. The Jay's had a coax and I2S and AES-EBU - which is plenty for most folks. The Shanling has all of those PLUS USB and Toslink.
My DAC has Toslink, USB and 2-BNC S/PDIF inputs. So, with the Jays I was limited to Coax S/PDIF. So the Shanling gives me choices that the Jay's just didn't have available.
If I wanted a $2,000+ solid chunk of Aluminum CD Transport the Jay's Audio CDT2-MK3 is an absolute winner. But if I don't value my CD playback that highly in either cost or shelf space then the Shanling is a great option.
I will add that both the Cambridge Audio CXC and the Audiolab 6000CDT were great sounding choices, too. I preferred the Audiolab soundwise, but preferred the CXC's tray loader to the Audiolab's slot loader.
In all cases I think if you have a run of the mill CD Player, even one that you just use as a Transport plugged into your DAC, that you'll find a dedicated transport sounds better than your CD Player. A CD Player has to juggle the CD reading with an internal DAC. So, the price is a composite of both of these things in one product. Not a great CD mechanism with an even cheaper DAC and output stage. A Transport can put all of that cost into a great CD mechanism and leave the rest to your already good/great DAC that you have sitting on your shelf.
Is track selection possible with the Eddict Player Ap? I listen to a lot of disks with 20 or more tracks and need a transport that will allow me to select track 25 without 25 button presses. I took the Schiit Urd off my list of transport candidates for this issue. After looking at the online manual for the ET3, it appears that the supplied remote functions the same way.
I haven't installed the Eddict Player on my iPhone. I'm not sure I will as I don't have any plans to use the ET-3 as a streaming device.My ET-3 did come with a small plastic remote that works well with the unit. It is a tad sensitive to aiming and not the fastest response. But it works fine for the usual things and even for changing settings.
I rarely use a remote with a number pad. I have no real need for it. So this is not a limitation to me. I grew up with LPs, not CDs. You put on an LP and listen to one side, turn it over and listen to the other side. Manually cuing one song is fiddly and fraught with record scratches. So, I do the same with CDs (and streaming, too).
Edits: 01/05/24
Mono and Stereo featured Shanling's new top-o-the-line cd player today. Oddly, uses the remaining stock they have of the CD Pro 2. $17K.
Edits: 01/04/24
nt
What's a CD transport? Do you wind it up with the silver knob in the middle?
Just kidding! Looks pretty cool and I'm surprised to learn that it has USB and I2S output. Is that true? I like that it's compact and not totally audiophool crazy on the price.
It has two USB ports. One for connecting a USB Drive (Up to 2T) or USB Stick and another for Audio output. And it has an I2S connector, too. I believe it's using the PS Audio connection wiring. Plus AES-EBU, Coax S/PDIF and Optical S/PDIF, too.Plus, you can connect via Bluetooth to output or DNLA and Apple AirPort WiFi via their own app. I haven't tried any of those yet.
There is no Ethernet input, so, to use it as a streamer you must use their App or Bluetooth.
But I bought it for CD playback only.
Edits: 01/04/24
Look at the back panel photo.The USB socket is an input one, not an output for connection to a DAC.
I see no I2S, although I'm used to this being in the form of HDM!
Edits: 01/05/24
Their CD Player the EC3 doesn't have I2S. But this Transport does. I made a typo in my original thread title. This transport is the ET-3 and it does have an HDMI-Type I2S output. You'll see it below the two USB inputs on the rear panel photo below.
Edits: 01/05/24 01/05/24
PS - I see the OP has just realised he's bought something other than the EC3!
Edits: 01/05/24
nt
| FAQ |
Post a Message! |
Forgot Password? |
|
||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:
Top of Page ]
[ Contact Us ]
[ Support/Wish List ]
[ Copyright © 2024, Audio Asylum, all rights reserved ]
