[Shahter]

Maybe somebody know where is the best place to buy some used Transporter ?

Somebody want to sell ?

 

[immtbiker]

There are deals all over the place. A Transporter can be had for $1700. The serious advantage of the TP over the SB3 besides the better p/s's, wiring. and output components, besides the top shelf DAC is the ability to use balanced outputs.

Besides that, it's mighty purty. Aircraft grade aluminum turns me on.

 

[Shahter]

Immtbiker , thnx for advice m8 !

Basically I don't need balanced outputs . ATM i have not modded 250 ohm DT880 and already ordered 600 ohm DT990 . So my cans is unbalanced . Is there any combination of SB ( not modded ) + DAC , that wil be close to TP sound quality and still in reasonable for not to buy TP price ?

Thnx

 

[immtbiker]

I need the balanced outputs for my pre-amp not for headphones (I don't think they are headphone outputs also). I tried the SB2 with an ACK! dACK! and a Headroom MicroDac, but can't compare the 2 until I get my Transporter this week.

 

[Shahter]

BTW , I was thinking about using SB3 with Presonus CS . Is it good combination ?

 

[Dimitris]

I checked out their room at this week's show. I was surprised by the size of the Transporter. Its bigger than it looks on the photos. It was the same with the squeezebox when I opened the box.

It looked very nice. I guess I will have to wait and check it out against my Cary. I need the balanced outputs too since my amp and my interconnects are balanced.

 

[immtbiker]

I received my new Transporter yesterday and I honestly don't know how I ever lived without it. I spent until 4 am revisiting some of my digital collection.
It is quite a piece of ingenuity. I have it hooked up through the balanced outputs into a balanced input on my speaker preamp and the sound is fantastic. I also have a coax digital output running into an ACK! dACK! into single ended inputs on my pre and found, while switching back and forth, on the fly, that the DAC in the Transporter is measurably better.

Just for kicks, I hooked up my Iriver H120 to one of the 5 digital inputs on the Transporter and enabled the toslink input the the Slimserver and was able to enjoy the lossless music off my DAP 10 levels above my normal use of my Microdac. There are coax, toslink, bnc, worldclock, and s/pdif aes digital inputs on this thing, just so you can use it as a DAC only through headphones or a main system.

I am very happy with this purchase.

When it is in standby, I even have a news ticker running acrooss the vacuum flourescent display so I can see what world disasters are occuring at any given time.

It is a class act.

 

[Dimitris]

Keep the impressions coming.

 

[Mr.Shadow]

Quote:

Originally Posted by immtbiker /img/forum/go_quote.gif I received my new Transporter yesterday and I honestly don't know how I ever lived without it. I spent until 4 am revisiting some of my digital collection. It is quite a piece of ingenuity. I have it hooked up through the balanced outputs into a balanced input on my speaker preamp and the sound is fantastic. I also have a coax digital output running into an ACK! dACK! into single ended inputs on my pre and found, while switching back and forth, on the fly, that the DAC in the Transporter is measurably better. Just for kicks, I hooked up my Iriver H120 to one of the 5 digital inputs on the Transporter and enabled the toslink input the the Slimserver and was able to enjoy the lossless music off my DAP 10 levels above my normal use of my Microdac. There are coax, toslink, bnc, worldclock, and s/pdif aes digital inputs on this thing, just so you can use it as a DAC only through headphones or a main system. I am very happy with this purchase. When it is in standby, I even have a news ticker running acrooss the vacuum flourescent display so I can see what world disasters are occuring at any given time. It is a class act.

Seems like you are having loads of fun with your new Transporter

I wonder how the Digital Volume on the Transporter/squeezebox is compared to a decent pre-amp, if you can comment on that, it will be nice if one day I want to make a speaker setup with cheapo setup

How is the Transporter in terms of SQ compared to other well regarded known dacs such as the lavry/Stello/Benchmark/etc.. or even the good old SB3 ?

Again ,congrats on your new gear

 

[immtbiker]

Got the Transporter late last night and I a/b'd it with both the Microdac and the ACK! against the Transporter, and the difference between the Micro was huge...while the difference with the ACK! was measurable but in subtle ways.
I ran my H-120 through the toslink digital input and it sounded the best I've heard it.

Honestly, except for having a cool new component for a cool new technology, the SB3 is every bit as good as the TP if you use an external DAC. The screens, software and setup are identical. For a headphone setup the SB3 is definitely the way to go. For home stereo, either does the trick.

The DAC in the SB3 is average and what you would expect ($249 for the whole unit) and the Transporter DAC is top notch along with it's power supplies. Other than that (which won't matter if you use an external conversion) the TP is just a glorified, much cooler component.

I personally wanted the balanced out capability, and that was the trigger puller.

Also, I keep the digital volume maxxed out at 0dB's and use the preamp control. I don't think that the TP's digi volume cotroller is going to be able to hold a candle to my C45.

 

[tyrion]

Quote:

Originally Posted by immtbiker /img/forum/go_quote.gif Also, I keep the digital volume maxxed out at 0dB's and use the preamp control. I don't think that the TP's digi volume cotroller is going to be able to hold a candle to my C45.

We were using the Transporter as a preamp for the Aleph 30 and F1 in the K1000 room in San Jose and it was only adequate as a preamp.

 

[immtbiker]

You work your whole life, to be the best DAC that you can be, and somebody comes along and labels you as "only adequate".

It's a cold cruel world out there, my friends.

 

[Dimitris]

How does it hold against the G08 and the DV50?

 

[KenW]

Quote:

Originally Posted by immtbiker /img/forum/go_quote.gif You work your whole life, to be the best DAC that you can be, and somebody comes along and labels you as "only adequate". It's a cold cruel world out there, my friends.

Ah but the little SB3 makes a mighty fine transport when paired with the Stello DA200 MKII so it all evens out, no?

 

[Mr.Shadow]

Quote:

Originally Posted by immtbiker /img/forum/go_quote.gif You work your whole life, to be the best DAC that you can be, and somebody comes along and labels you as "only adequate". It's a cold cruel world out there, my friends.

But he talked about the capabilities as a pre-amp, not as a DAC.
If the Transporter was to be an ultimate DAC and Pre amp, it would have cost proably much much more and sound as well.

But the Transporter's main poprose is to be a Stellar transporter and a superb DAC.
the pre-amp thing is just a... bonus, IMO at least.

as well as it's tons of other features, which makes him to what he is, a lot more than "just" a dac or "just" a transporter.

let's compare "apples to apples" gentlemens