Folks, I've now had a Transporter for a week and have done some testing with it and the SB3 into my TacT system (see signature). In all cases, the Transporter and SB3 were synchronized as to volume and source material.
There are a large number of permutations, and I've tried many of them. I guess I'll summarize in no particular order. 1) The Transporter vs. SB3 digital coax out sound very close, but the nod, particularly in the mid and low bass, goes to the transporter. 2) I can't tell the difference between the SB3 running through the Apogee Big Ben into the TacT RCS and the Transporter running direct into the RCS. The SB3 was connected to the BB with an inexpensive glass-fiber Toslink cable for electrical isolation. The BB is connected to the RCS with home-made AES-EBU cables. For a digital source, the SB3 + BB will run you about $1300 (for a used BB) vs. the $2k for the Transporter. I was happily listening to the the SB3 while watching the Transporter VU meters! All further references to the SB3 refer to it running through the Big Ben. Among the permutations tried were setting the last 4 RCS inputs to SB3+BB coax, Transporter coax, SB3+BB AES/EBU, and Transporter Toslink and cycling through them. I had no preference for any of the inputs. 3) All of the digital outputs on the Transporter sound the same to me, with the exception of the BNC output. Using a Radio Shack BNC to RCA converter, it sounds just a smidge more fatiguing than the other outputs. I can't even pin it down to a tonal or spacial difference, I just don't enjoy listening to that particular output as much. 4) The Transporter analog output into the RCS A/D converter sounded exactly the same as using the Transporter digital outputs. There was about a 2dB level difference, but the louder (digital) one didn't sound better - it sounded the same. 5) 96kHz/24 bit rips from LPs (Weavers Reunion at Carnegie Hall) sounded the same on both SB3 and Transporter. I used to hear a different between 96 and 48kHz playback from my PC, but I don't hear it now. It could be older ears or better done digital. 6) I did try electrically isolating the Transporter by using just the Toslink output - I still heard no difference between the Transporter and the SB3+BB. Bugs encountered: 1) The Transporter somehow got into a state where there was no digital output on any output. Pulling the power plug fixed it. 2) When playing 96kHz material on the synchronized boxes, the SB3 slowly got behind the Transporter, approximately one second per 5 minutes of play. I'd guess there was a bug in the 48kHz downsampling algorithm. Notes: 1) Spdif coax cables are Zaolla DCR-3 2) Analog cable is BEL P1-1 3) SB3 is running a stock Lambda linear power supply 4) BB is running a Welborne linear power supply 5) RCS is modded - power supply, shielding, input transformers, etc. 6) Power conditioning consists of an ExactPower EP15a, ExactPower SP15 balanced power transformer, and Electronic Specialists ISO-21 isolation filter. 7) Your mileage may vary. Regards, Kim -- krochat ------ SB3 (+linear) -> Big Ben -> TacT RCS 2.2X -> 2xS2150 -> Vandersteen 3a Signature + TacT W210 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ krochat's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=6579 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=28307 _______________________________________________ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
