Rajacat, I do agree with you -- one can approach, and perhaps equal, the Transporter by going the path of a Squeeze Box and ancillary devices. I've heard way too many DACs in the last few months, but I can tell you this: you would be hard pressed to equal a Benchmark and especially a Lavry. And, assuming you had the engineering background of a Dan Lavry, you'd still be into it for the time involved. Time, of course, is money.
The Transporter is certainly a luxury item in a few ways. Instead of several boxes, you have one box. Instead of a voided warranty, you have a valid warranty. Aesthetically, it is very nice, and this is worth quite a bit to some people. My wife thought that the SB3 and Lavry looked geeky and out of place in our living room. She was right. She thinks the Transporter looks elegant and cool (her words). She is right. So, I think we are perhaps in agreement -- there are a number of ways to skin a cat. Much depends on one's aesthetics, abilities (not everyone is up to the soldering iron and 'scope challenge), needs, and budgets. rajacat;150521 Wrote: > My NOS DAC only cost $250 and the consensus seems to be that it competes > well with DAC's and state-of-the-art CDP's that cost multiples more. > http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0406/mhdt_laboratory_dac.htm > > I think that, for the most part, that you can, with intelligent > choices, at least equal the SQ of the stock Transporter with a modded > SB (either analog or digital) and a linear powersupply. If you choose > the digital mod the choice of a good DAC is critical. The Transporter > is a nice luxury but if you already own a SB, there are other more cost > effective routes to sonic bliss. > > With the increased popularity of MHDT DAC's you might have to pay more > than $250, perhaps $350 or so. > > Raja -- highdudgeon Relax. It's about the music. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ highdudgeon's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=2195 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=29124 _______________________________________________ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
