CD Player/Transport Reviews

Digital sources: Mark Levinson No.31.5 CD transport and No.30.5 DAC, connected with Illuminations Orchid AES/EBU link; Wadia No.270 CD transport and No.27ix DAC, connected with ST-glass links. (The Levinson '31.5 was also used to drive the 27ix via an ST link.) Nagra-D open-reel digital recorder at 44.1kHz (and at 96kHz via the dCS 972 D/D converter) and Panasonic SV-3700 DAT recorder, all connected via a Meridian 518 reclocking unit and Canare 110-ohm AES/EBU cables; California Audio Labs CL-20 and Denon DVD-5000 DVD players for 96kHz material.
Analog source: Linn Arkiv/Ekos/Sondek LP12/Lingo on Archidee table.
Preamplifiers: Mark Levinson No.380S or none with Wadia digital sources, Meridian 518 with Levinson source components, Linn Linto with phono source.
Power amplifiers: Mark Levinson No.33H monoblocks; Pass Labs Aleph 3 stereo amplifier, Revel Ultima LE-1 crossover/subwoofer amplifier.
Loudspeakers: Revel Ultima Gem satellites with Revel Ultima SUB-15 subwoofer, B&W Silver Signatures.
Cables & interconnects: Madrigal CZ Gel-1 (Mark Levinson components); AudioTruth Diamond balanced interconnects (Wadia components), with AudioTruth Lapis x3 from LE-1 crossover/amplifier to satellite power amplifiers; AudioTruth Sterling biwired speaker cables (Gems), or B&W's solid silver cables (Silver Signatures); Cardas Cross speaker cable from LE-1 to SUB-15.
Accessories: Audio Power Industries Power Wedge 116 Mk.II and PE-1 AC line conditioners (not power amps), ASC Tube Traps, RPG Abffusors.—John Atkinson