Transporter vs Separate DAC

Dave,

I have heard the slim devices transporter, but not in an all Naim system. It was used in conjunction (fed into)with the Bel Canto III DAC in an all Bel Canto system with monoblocks. The music was quite good in my friends set-up. This is not cheap at $2995 (has its own pre). Of the DACs that I have demoed this was by far the best of the lot including the "Killer of all Dacs" the Lavry-DA10!

In fact at Promusica yesterday I heard some tunes with JS' "modified" $80 chinese dac (similar to the beresford) and this was fun and IMO outperformed pretty much everything I've auditioned.

But the SN with the same input was still more tuneful. Getting the feed more sorted helps a lot.

I had a Lavry/SB2 setup and later upgraded to Transporter standalone. To me the Transporter sounded both more relaxed and more detailed.

However I have not compared the Transporter->Lavry Vs transporter analogue out. I was so satisfied with the Transporter that I did not feel the need to experiment. I felt the Transporter is superior to the Lavry DAC, or at the very least, its equal.

My system is currently sans speakers in between system changes. Once I have procured my new speakers I will give it a try.

Quick question on a tangent, can the Transporter be controlled with an iPod Touch ?

>> Quick question on a tangent
Not on a tangent at all. I am using iPod Touch to control my Transporter and SB2 with iPeng software. And it is just one of the three options available from the iPhone store. Just search for Squeezecenter from your iPod Touch.

Surprisingly, iPeng works just as fast as the iTunes remote software controlling iTunes and Airport Express.

Cheers JY, will have a look at it...

I use Remote with the touch and AppleTV - generally very good, though I have the bug where artwork often doesn't show on the Touch, drives me nuts !

I also used the Touch with both an AppleTV and an Airport Express connected to the Lavry DA10.

The AppleTV I returned due to its always on, always spining hard disk and thus enviromental/heat concern.

Gets hot doesn't it ! Actually, I think with the last firmware update, there is now an option in the menu to turn 'off'...It's slightly buried though.

quote:

However I have not compared the Transporter->Lavry Vs transporter analogue out. I was so satisfied with the Transporter that I did not feel the need to experiment. I felt the Transporter is superior to the Lavry DAC, or at the very least, its equal.

Are you currently using the balanced or unbalanced outputs from the Transporter?

Thanks

Unbalanced since it is connected to my NAC 202

I'm also using unbalanced - and given that this is a Naim forum could have guessed your answer.

I'd be interested in hearing how you get on with the new speakers. Thanks

Sorry Dave, I just got my new speakers. But unfortunately, some made an offer for my Lavry and it is sold to a nice chap.

But the new speakers are sounding quite glorious.

The fact that you sold the Lavry and kept the Transporter answers my question. What speakers did you end up with?

quote:

Originally posted by DaveBk:
The fact that you sold the Lavry and kept the Transporter answers my question.

I've two friends with Transporter.

One can't stand a Naked Transporter and tells me that an outboard DAC is a must.

Another tells me he sold all the DACs he had ( including the flagship Mark Levison DA/Transport) and kept the Transporter and using it naked.

But they use very different systems.

quote:

Originally posted by DaveBk:
The fact that you sold the Lavry and kept the Transporter answers my question. What speakers did you end up with?

I am now enjoying a pair of Harbeth M30s

quote:

One can't stand a Naked Transporter and tells me that an outboard DAC is a must.

Another tells me he sold all the DACs he had ( including the flagship Mark Levison DA/Transport) and kept the Transporter and using it naked.

Everyone's ears are different... mine tell me a naked Transporter sounds excellent. Thanks eveyone, I'll just sit back, relax and enjoy the music.

quote:

Originally posted by DaveBk:

quote:

One can't stand a Naked Transporter and tells me that an outboard DAC is a must.

Another tells me he sold all the DACs he had ( including the flagship Mark Levison DA/Transport) and kept the Transporter and using it naked.

Everyone's ears are different... mine tell me a naked Transporter sounds excellent. Thanks eveyone, I'll just sit back, relax and enjoy the music.

Same here, and it would take a Naim DAC to possibly lure me to another upgrade again.

Which brings me to another subject.

Has anyone with a Transporter used it with a higher end DAC with word clock input? circa DCS, EMM Labs, Esoteric?

Or even the plain old DAC64?

I'd be interested to know if anyone has managed to improve the Transporter substantially.

It seems there are only a few Transporter users on this forum. If the rumours are true and Naim are about to launch their own DAC then I will definately listen to it... until then...

quote:

Another tells me he sold all the DACs he had ( including the flagship Mark Levison DA/Transport) and kept the Transporter and using it naked.

OK - I can go along with shelves making a difference under computers feeding DACs, but I can't believe the sound improves if you take your clothes off - that just sounds too Peter Belt to me.

quote:

Another tells me he sold all the DACs he had ( including the flagship Mark Levison DA/Transport) and kept the Transporter and using it naked.

I am aware of one guy with a system consisting of Linn CD12, Magico Mini, EMM Labs DAC, Mark Levinson and DartZel amps, and hsa sold his CD12 in favor of the Transporter. According to him most people prefer the Transporter analog out to the EMM Labs DAC which cost 5X the Transporter.

Last time I checked he has owned the Transporter for almost 2 years and swear by it.

If you search the web for Magico Mini and transporter you will probably find his blog describing his system.

quote:

Originally posted by munch:

quote:

Originally posted by ROTF:

quote:

Another tells me he sold all the DACs he had ( including the flagship Mark Levison DA/Transport) and kept the Transporter and using it naked.

OK - I can go along with shelves making a difference under computers feeding DACs, but I can't believe the sound improves if you take your clothes off - that just sounds too Peter Belt to me.

Come on Rotf,
How many time's do you listen to this


NAKED?

Let it be is much better Naked - well any process that removes Phil Spector production is for the good of mankind.

Next up



Naked - what an album that would be ..... as it should have been

Peter Gabriel – vocals, flute, percussion, oboe
Steve Hackett – guitar
Tony Banks – organ, guitar, piano, electric piano, mellotron, vocals
Mike Rutherford – bass, guitar, vocals, bass pedals, cello

On thread - very interesting about the Transporter - perhaps that is the kind of device that Naim will show at Bristol.

ATB Rotf

And on and on and on........

quote:

On thread - very interesting about the Transporter - perhaps that is the kind of device that Naim will show at Bristol.

It will certainly be interesting, but opinions on this thread, other fora and my own ears tell me that the Transporter does an excellent job already.

DaveBk,

You may have seen my other post in this and Slim forum that my system is sounding broken probably due to change of speaker banana plugs or Transporter Firmware.

Have you "upgraded" your SqueezeCenter to the latest version? Do you notice any degradation in sound quality like what I experienced?

I listened to "The Pianist" last week and was stunned by the scale. Now it sounds like just another piano disc.....