[sygnus21]

Ah... interesting!
In my setup, using a stone-age 1996 Sony as CD Transport either directly into the DAC or via DDC (Gaia) sounded worse compared to playback of ripped FLAC fils via Auralic Streamer --> DDC --> DAC. That's why I was asking.
The old Sony CDP had TOSlink only, though.

My experience is quite the opposite. And trust me, my FLAC rips are high quality rips - my thread.

As for CD playing, source material matters - If the CD is of bad sound quality, so will the sound coming out the audio gear. As a music collector, I own a lot of quality sounding CDs (aka "audiophile" type CDs). Some examples are > here and > here. But there are others. I tend to stay away from those early CDs release CD titles of the mid 80s and 90s and opt for the better versions where possible. Another example are the Mobile Fidelity SACD releases I have. Where these are hybrid CDs, they will play on a standard CD player via the 2-channel layer of the disc. Still, they sound far better than the earlier CD releases.

Point here is the sound quality of the CD matters in how good the playback is..

I'm sure you tried the Rotel-->Iris-->Pontus route as well?

I can't o Rotel to Iris, because...

1) the "Iris" only takes a single USB input, whereas both the Hermes and Gaia take both a USB and coaxial input.
2) the Rotel only provides two outputs - a pair of RCA outputs (using the internal DAC), and a single coaxial output (bypassing the internal DAC / thus transport only).

That's me. YMMV

 

[Ghoostknight]

personally i have a PC setup, there is no way i could justify a CD transport if you have a PC imo, you can easly rip cd's which are bitperfect if we can trust EAC, then its just a matter of how you play these...

a dedicated cd transport may seem to sound better, and it possibly can with better clocks etc but its just another piece of hardware in the chain that can be avoided imo

 

[medon]

...

That's me. YMMV

.... just wanted to learn and confirm if I got your setup's behavior right:
-- Playing a CD from the Rotel as CD transport (direct SPDIF/coax feed into the DAC) sounds better compared to
-- high quality rip of that very CD into FLAC (probably WAV / any uncompressed storage format as well), and then being played back via PC-->Iris-->DAC

Cheers!

 

[sygnus21]

personally i have a PC setup, there is no way i could justify a CD transport if you have a PC imo, you can easly rip cd's which are bitperfect if we can trust EAC, then its just a matter of how you play these...

a dedicated cd transport may seem to sound better, and it possibly can with better clocks etc but its just another piece of hardware in the chain that can be avoided imo

Certainly "your" opinion. Mine says otherwise and why "I" need a CD player/transport.

But that's "me"

 

[sygnus21]

.... just wanted to learn and confirm if I got your setup's behavior right:
-- Playing a CD from the Rotel as CD transport (direct SPDIF/coax feed into the DAC) sounds better compared to
-- high quality rip of that very CD into FLAC (probably WAV / any uncompressed storage format as well), and then being played back via PC-->Iris-->DAC

Cheers!

You got it... partially as there are no "WAV" files. I should know considering I ripped the CDs myself as told in the link I posted

Cheers!

 

[Ghoostknight]

Certainly "your" opinion. Mine says otherwise and why "I" need a CD player/transport.

But that's "me"

YMMV i find them pretty much unnessecary/useless, specially if they cost another few thousand, then i rather put the money in a nice dac/amp or speakers/headphones

a mscaler, ian canadas reclocker or hqplayer or good resampling in general can do probably more good than what a cd transport can do and i expect most cd players where people say "they sound better" just have a (altered) sound flavour they prefer more...

even if i would from now just play CD's "natively" i would probably get a RPI with some cheap usb cd rom and a usb dac or a rpi reclocker and then coax

there is no degredation from CD to digital... the important thing is the DD or DA conversion afterwards and i dont believe that cd players have great DD conversion... maybe the few thousand euro ones

so, for me, it seems like either you spent a few thousand euro on a great cd transport.... or get a RPI (or pc..) to get bitperfect rips and play them with whatever system you have

-- Playing a CD from the Rotel as CD transport (direct SPDIF/coax feed into the DAC) sounds better compared to
-- high quality rip of that very CD into FLAC (probably WAV / any uncompressed storage format as well), and then being played back via PC-->Iris-->DAC

either the clock is better in the transport or your dac has different performance with different inputs, its not about CD-RIP vs Native...
EDIT: i misread, IRIS is a DDC? then its still IRIS clock vs transport clock and/or your preference

tho what i noticed is USB is pretty susceptible (as different usb cables, usb hub inbetween, usb filters, usb isolators show) so maybe you need improve on your PC-> USB -> DDC connection to get performance on par
thats why i made this here: https://www.diyaudio.com/community/...oop-eliminator-and-filter.410706/post-7646726
to test what improvements can be still made with USB

 

[sygnus21]

YMMV i find them pretty much unnessecary/useless, specially if they cost another few thousand, then i rather put the money in a nice dac/amp or speakers/headphones

Luck for me, I'm not concerned with your opinion on how I run my system.

I won't tell you how to spend your money, cause you're not telling me how to spend mine. Again, you do you. I'll do me.

Movin on

 

[Ghoostknight]

Again, you do you. I'll do me.

... Yes

 

[sygnus21]

either the clock is better in the transport or your dac has different performance with different inputs, its not about CD-RIP vs Native...
EDIT: i misread, IRIS is a DDC? then its still IRIS clock vs transport clock and/or your preference

tho what i noticed is USB is pretty susceptible (as different usb cables, usb hub inbetween, usb filters, usb isolators show) so maybe you need improve on your PC-> USB -> DDC connection to get performance on par...

Quality cables help... ⇣⇣⇣⇣⇣

PC to Denafrips Iris DDC using a Supra Excalibur USB cable. Iris to DAC using a Supra HDMI (I2S) cable.

This the Iris (top)....



BTW, the Iris is also feeding the Teac UD-503 DAC/HPA via S/PDIF (coaxial) cable. Meaning the Iris is feeding both my DACs.

And yes... DDC = Digital to Digital Converter.

And for clarity, I never said my FLAC files sounded bad, in fact, they sound even better with the DDC added, it's just I get a different sound when playing the CDs themselves. They're kind of slightly less "digital". Kind of hard to explain, but there is a difference if you listen long enough - better micro detail and bass extensions. It's not blow away night & day better, but it's there. At least as my system is configured.

Anway, it's no less enjoyable listening to my FLAC files run through the DDC; it's just I prefer the sound of the CD when I really want to kick back and enjoy an album.

 

[Conan1974]

Hi.
I will add my 5 cent.
In My opinion a cd transport or even a cd player doesn't need to be so expensive. We are being lied by the company's. For audiophiles, yes, right.
I have a CXC from Cambridge, had the Gato Audio and Primare CD35 players home for test. Waited for a magic, while pushing the play button. No magic. No differences.
I would also not spent lot of money on cables. But that's me.
Take care.

 

[George Hincapie]

Luck for me, I'm not concerned with your opinion on how I run my system.

I won't tell you how to spend your money, cause you're not telling me how to spend mine. Again, you do you. I'll do me.

Movin on

He's trying to help you - don't see it as a sleight, or an attack. You're getting defensive and there's no need for it.

 

[sygnus21]

He's trying to help you - don't see it as a sleight, or an attack. You're getting defensive and there's no need for it.

So, you say. And I don't see a slight either, I simply disagree. Sorry, that hurts your sense of being

Movin on

 

[fidgeraldo]

Audiolab CDT9000...Supra cables...bliss

Cheers

 

[George Hincapie]

So, you say. And I don't see a slight either, I simply disagree. Sorry, that hurts your sense of being

Movin on

I'm not hurt.

 

[sygnus21]

Audiolab CDT9000...Supra cables...bliss

Cheers

Thank you. Yeah, I'm playing with both the Supra LoRad silver and copper-based power cords in my system. I have 3 cords in the system - 2 copper-based cords, one silver cord.

I've found if I place the both the copper-based cords on the DAC and headphone amp, silver cords on the CD player, I get thick heavy bass, which is very impressive, BUT... at the cost of soundstage and detail. If switch the power cords from CD Player - silver cord to DAC, and copper to CD player, I get this expansive soundstage that's equally impressive, and better details, but at the cost of that thick heavy bass. The bass is there, but not as pounding as before.

In the end, I found the walled off sound (loss of soundstage) to constricting and not a very enjoyable listen, so silver cord to DAC, copper cord to CD player.

I have another Supra LoRad silver cable arriving next week, so I'll be replacing the copper power cord on the CD player to see how that goes. I'm looking to get that bass back without sacrificing that wide soundstage I have now.

From my PC files to Iris to DAC to headphone amp, I get the same effect - thick heavy bass notes with the copper cable on the DAC, better soundstage with the silver cord on the DAC. So, in this instance silver v copper power cord is drastically changing the sound.

But yes!!!! A Supra cable on the CD player is bliss

BTW, how are you liking that Audiolabs CDT9000. Also, does it have balanced outs?