I am currently using the USB input into my Mscaler/DAVE combo, fed from an Antipodes CX & EX . I have had this setup for about a year now and have been very happy with it to date. However, recently, for reasons not particularly relevant to this post, I needed to borrow another source for a short period of time. My local dealer was kind enough to lend me a CD transport, along with with a Black Rhodium digital Co -axial cable , which I think sells for around £1000. The transport itself sells for under £400 and was replacing what is a +£10K source. Now I am not suggesting the CD transport was better, but considering the price difference I was astounded at the increased soundstage depth and layering it gave over the Antipodes, which incidentally, I had selected originally over other servers/streamers I home demoed, as that combo gave the most three dimensional sound stage in my system. The CD transport also sounded more flowing and natural, vocals in particular seemed to convey more emotion. (The negatives were the soundstage was not as focused, instruments occupied a larger space and overlapped more) Now this has got me questioning a few things, but specifically for this forum, I would be interested to know if people feel the Co-axial SPDIF input on the MScaler is in anyway superior to the USB input? The spec's would suggest the opposite, as the USB is galvanically isolated whereas it appears that the BNC inputs are not. (I think the outputs are)
I am familiar with the argument that a CD transport, due to its low power and simplicity generates less noise than, say, the dual processors of the CX & EX, but surely something like the Antipodes would mitigate that effect, especially against a £400 transport? This is why I am asking could it be more to do with input type and format into the MScaler? I am now thinking could I replicate this sound and still keep the convenience of a server by using a D-D converter and feed the Mscaler via SPDIF. (My antipodes only outputs USB or Ethernet)
