I have asked how a poorly constructed piece of dung like a computer could produce a data stream as musical as a good transport and have been reassured repeatedly that all that matters is the data stream, the bits the DAC receives. Build quality and cheesy computer wiring do not matter.
OK, having been told this by a lot of folk I respect, I took it one step further. If a junky computer produces an acceptable data stream, why would not a junky CD or DVD player acting as a transport do the exact same thing and have the same result when played into a good DAC?
I bought a used Benchmark DAC1 and hooked it up with a very inexpensive Phillips DVD player as a transport. I used a good Transparent digital cable, insured I had clean contacts everywhere and played the new hookup into my existng amp. The result...my 8 year old Adcom 750 CD player sounds far better than this new setup. I changed the Philips player out and used a 10 year old Optimus portable CD player with a digital out and that sounded as good as my old Adcom. If bits is bits, why do changes in units acting as transports change the sound quality?
I have asked how a poorly constructed piece of dung like a computer could produce a data stream as musical as a good transport and have been reassured repeatedly that all that matters is the data stream, the bits the DAC receives. Build quality and cheesy computer wiring do not matter.
OK, having been told this by a lot of folk I respect, I took it one step further. If a junky computer produces an acceptable data stream, why would not a junky CD or DVD player acting as a transport do the exact same thing and have the same result when played into a good DAC?
I bought a used Benchmark DAC1 and hooked it up with a very inexpensive Phillips DVD player as a transport. I used a good Transparent digital cable, insured I had clean contacts everywhere and played the new hookup into my existng amp. The result...my 8 year old Adcom 750 CD player sounds far better than this new setup. I changed the Philips player out and used a 10 year old Optimus portable CD player with a digital out and that sounded as good as my old Adcom. If bits is bits, why do changes in units acting as transports change the sound quality?