SB3 plus DAC vs Transporter with or without DAC

[bluesdoc]

So what do you think? for best SOUND quality would you think Squeezebox3 plus DAC (eg. Benchmark or equivalent), vs Transporter alone, vs Transporter plus DAC (which might be overkill? or not?) thanks in advance. BluesDoc

[ModelCitizen]

So what do you think? for best SOUND quality would you think Squeezebox3 plus DAC (eg. Benchmark or equivalent), vs Transporter alone, vs Transporter plus DAC (which might be overkill? or not?) thanks in advance. BluesDoc

Personally I far prefer the sound of the Transporter to the SB3 Dac1 combo (which is what I had before buying the Transporter). I was never happy with the Benchmark's cold, uninviting analytical 2d-ness. But of course this is my personal opinion and is probably disagreed with by many.
Other dacs will sound different (better/worse depending on the person) to the Transporter.

I'm only certain of the answer to one part of your question... you'd be daft to use the Transporter with another Dac.

MC

[bluesdoc]

Well....I'm not suggesting you're wrong, and I certainly don;t know differently, and please only take this in the best interest of objectivity, but how do you know this for certain? thanks

[tomjtx]

Well....I'm not suggesting you're wrong, and I certainly don;t know differently, and please only take this in the best interest of objectivity, but how do you know this for certain? thanks

I agree with MC but I don't mean this to answer for him.
The TP has a great DAC . I haven't heard better. i've compared it to the Lavry DAC
(which many like better than the Benchmark).
I like the TP better than the Lavry. I think the 2 are so close it may just be a matter of opinion.

IMO it would be a waste of money to use the TP to feed an external DAC since I don't think there is a DAC out there that is better.

If you want to use an external DAC you can save a lot by using it with an SB

If you want a TP for the looks, I would suggest you live with it a month, then compare it to other DACs.
I would be surprised if you still wanted a stand alone DAC.

Let us know what you decide and what you hear in your comparisons, should be interesting and (hopefully) fun

[ModelCitizen]

Thanks tomjtx.
This about says it all except... if you aren't going to use the Transporter's DAC then why buy it? You'd be better off saving your money and buying a SB3 and using that along with an external DAC.
MC

[PhilNYC]

IMO it would be a waste of money to use the TP to feed an external DAC since I don't think there is a DAC out there that is better.

If you want to use an external DAC you can save a lot by using it with an SB

FWIW, I use my Transporter with an external DAC (Dodson DA-218). And it sounds far better than my SB2 + Dodson.

[rajacat]

Unless you get your TP modded, perhaps the best sound quality would be an analog modded SB direct to amplifier. Eliminate the external DAC. It's not that the TP internal dac is exceptional but that by eliminating the external dac you are simplifying the signal path and no interconnects are necessary.

[95bcwh]

Phil,
I forgot.. do you have a modded SB2??? I must admit that the stock SB2 with stock Walwart sounded flat and liveless to me.

FWIW, I use my Transporter with an external DAC (Dodson DA-218). And it sounds far better than my SB2 + Dodson.

[Konig]

I agree with MC but I don't mean this to answer for him.
The TP has a great DAC . I haven't heard better. i've compared it to the Lavry DAC
(which many like better than the Benchmark).
I like the TP better than the Lavry. I think the 2 are so close it may just be a matter of opinion.

IMO it would be a waste of money to use the TP to feed an external DAC since I don't think there is a DAC out there that is better.

If you want to use an external DAC you can save a lot by using it with an SB

If you want a TP for the looks, I would suggest you live with it a month, then compare it to other DACs.
I would be surprised if you still wanted a stand alone DAC.

Let us know what you decide and what you hear in your comparisons, should be interesting and (hopefully) fun

SB3 doesnt have a wordclock input function. You can slave the transporter to an external DAC to reduce jitter but this cant be done with a SB3. Usually such dacs (i mean well implemented ones) come at a higher premium than the larvy and benchmark

[highdudgeon]

Which is what makes the Benchmark and Lavry such great values. Again, if they're good enough for top mastering studios...they're probably good enough for home use. You owe it to yourself to try one, if possible.