would a decent transport outperform my DAC/PC ?

[roob]

I think Simon is inferring that those dissatisfied Windows users have not got their machines set up correctly for audio
playback.

[jkeny]

I think Simon is inferring that those dissatisfied Windows users have not got their machines set up correctly for audio
playback.

If that's correct, I agree.
The first area to investigate is ground-loops. This is the most damaging issue in computer based audio because it is insidious. Common mode noise causes sensitive circuits to perform rather badly as the ground reference is disturbed by this noise.
Check this initially by trying a laptop running on batteries. If there is an improvement in the sound, it is most likely CM noise. Test it by grounding the laptop & seeing if the sound remains the same or not.

[Welder]

If that's correct, I agree.
The first area to investigate is ground-loops. This is the most damaging issue in computer based audio because it is insidious. Common mode noise causes sensitive circuits to perform rather badly as the ground reference is disturbed by this noise.
Check this initially by trying a laptop running on batteries. If there is an improvement in the sound, it is most likely CM noise. Test it by grounding the laptop & seeing if the sound remains the same or not.

Couldn’t agree more regarding the grounding issues. I came to the conclusion that one of the factors that give a purpose built file server an edge over a properly set up laptop is the grounding along with what supplies power where.
Some Dacs seem more sensitive to grounding issues than others.

To answer the OP, I haven’t heard a CD transport or player that can outperform a well set up file system yet.

[YNWaN]

Is it that an Apple is so much more expensive than the competition that owners can't face the idea of buying a transport too?

[chelsea]

"would a decent transport outperform my DAC/PC ?"

Yes, that is certainly my experience.

I've done several comparisons, including a bake-off specifically arranged to do such a comparison - a good CD transport won every time.

Word on the street is that some of the new streaming devices have got this sorted - including the one from NVA that Marco and Ali have tried, I think. The Lampizator streamer also gets good reviews. But they are very expensive. A decent Pioneer stable platter CDP used as a transport costs less than £100 and easily beats SBTs as well as some very sophisticated streaming setups etc, imho.

Is it on general sale yet?

[Alex_UK]

Well I totally disagree with that opinion Jerry, ain't no way a Pioneer stable platter CDP is going to sound better than a properly configured file based audio system - if it does, then you are doing something wrong (IMHO)

Me too, but then I've only tried a few CDP transports... Still, blown away by all the File Based systems I've tried!

[Tim]

Is it on general sale yet?

Yes, available on eBay.

NVA TFS - Computer Hifi / Digital Streamer

[chelsea]

Cheers.

[Yomanze]

Funny how it's always windows users saying streaming isn't as good as a decent transport into a dac. I wonder what the determining factor is? ;-)

When I was using Windows XP > FLAC or WAV > Foobar2000 > ASIO > HagUSB it sounded good, and so did the HiFace that replaced the HagUSB, but neither are at the level of my reference CD transport.

[Welder]

When I was using Windows XP > FLAC or WAV > Foobar2000 > ASIO > HagUSB it sounded good, and so did the HiFace that replaced the HagUSB, but neither are at the level of my reference CD transport.

Mainly out of curiosity and the more recent comparison of John's laptop with Martins Ayre CD player, what is this refernce CD transport?