CD Player/Transport Reviews

Digital sources: Mark Levinson No.31.5 CD transport & No.30.6 D/A processor; dCS 972 upsampler; Technics DVD-A10 DVD-Audio player; Ayre D-1X, Musical Fidelity Nu-Vista 3D CD players; Musical Fidelity Tri-Vista SACD player.
Preamplification: Mark Levinson No.380S line preamp, Z-Systems rdp-1 digital control center (updated to handle 96kHz sources).
Power amplifiers: Mark Levinson No.33H & Lamm M2.1 monoblocks.
Loudspeakers: Canton Karat Reference 2 DC, KEF Reference 207, Dynaudio Confidence C4, EarthWorks Sigma 6.2.
Cables: Datalinks: Kimber Illuminations Orchid AES/EBU, AudioQuest SVD-4 S/PDIF. Interconnect: Madrigal CZ Gel-1, Ayre Signature Series (balanced); DiMarzio (unbalanced). Speaker: AudioQuest Gibraltar. AC: Synergistic Research Designer's Reference², PS Audio Lab Cable.
Accessories: Target TT-5 equipment racks, PS Audio Power Plant 300 at 90Hz (preamps, CD players only), Audio Power Industries 116 Mk.II and PE-1 AC line conditioners (not power amps), ASC Tube Traps, RPG Abffusors. AC power comes from two dedicated 20A circuits, each just 6' from the breaker box. A Mark Levinson No.33H or a Lamm M2.1 was plugged into each.—John Atkinson