george_k;291077 Wrote: > I ordered a transporter and spent the better part of the weekend > listening and comparing it to my SB3. For most of my music I could hear > no real difference. With other, better recorded, music the transporter > sounded a little more resolved and clear. > > I really like the additional hardware features but it lacks the musical > impact I was expecting to hear. > > At this point I'm thinking of returning it. Anybody share any similar > experience? The rest of my system consists of a McIntosh 6900 and a > pair of B&W 703. My music collection is all FLAC based.
One way to see if it is your ears or the Transporter is to return the Transporter and buy a $2500 DAC (Bel Canto e.One DAC3 D/A processor comes to mind) and drive it with an SB3. I own a VERY expensive DAC and I own a Transporter. Do I think I can hear a difference between the Transporter and my Dodson DA-217 MkII-D with an SB3? I can on several all digital Jazz and Classical tracks. Could it be the over and up sampling of the Dodson just clearing and cleaning up the final product? I think that is exactly what it is. But lets look at Apples for a moment. Does the Transporter cost $5500 like a Dodson plus an SB3, no it does not, not even half. So that speaks pretty highly of the Transporter in and of itself. Would I like it to up sample and over sample as high as the Dodson? I would love that, but I would also expect the price of the Transporter to double (that I would not love). Can I hear a difference between any of my SB3s and the Transporter? I can pick the Transporter every time. Is it a wow, I can never listen to an SB3 again? No it is not, because the SB3 is pretty good for the money. The Transporter takes everything to a higher level i.e. better power supply, better DAC, better parts, metal enclosure, balanced analog outputs, etc. Which I hear in the form of a larger more defined soundstage, deeper quicker fuller bass, and precise crystal highs for just a start that let me know it is the Transporter not the SB3. It is not my intention to put you or your equipment down, but it is my opinion that it could be your ears, your equipment, even how you have your equipment setup or a combination of the above. With properly setup audio gear, the Transporter seems to make everything clearer and bigger in a good way compared to an SB3. Noting again, that the SB3 sounds pretty good in its own right. Several people have also remarked on the subject of gear to which I have to agree. The main audio equipment has to be up to the task of taking advantage of an upgrade in an audio source component. This becomes even more important IMO when upgrading a Digital Source. If the 703 have a weakness, it is the mini monitor size 6.5 inch woofer trying to get down to the 703s 30Hz rating. Yes there are two which equals a little more then an 8 inch woofer while doubling unnecessary driver interaction (they only did it so they could claim a 90dB efficiency). The 703 really start to roll off fast below 50Hz, which is not going to make the Transporter shine in the bass department. -- iPhone iPhone Last.FM http://www.lastfm.com/user/mePhone Media Room: Transporter, Vandersteen Quatro Signature, Ayre MX-R Mono Blocks, VTL TL-6.5 Signature Pre-Amp, VCC-5 Reference Center Channel, four VSM-1 Signatures, Runco 710, RAM Oppo DV970HD, VeraStarr 6.4SE Living Room: SqueezeBox Duet, Vandersteen Model 3A Signature, Two 2Wq subs, VCC-2, Two VSM-1, ADCOM GTP-870HD, Cinepro 3K6SE III Gold Bedroom: Squeezebox 3, Thiel 2.3, NAD C370 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ iPhone's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=13622 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=46271
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