Author Topic: Jay’s Audio CDT2-MK2 CD Transport and DAC-2 Signature and RCA vs BNC vs I2S  (Read 3395 times)

Offline dpatters

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This will be my personal opinion of the transport, dac, and the connection/cable used. I am not by any means a regular reviewer of equipment. There are many professional reviews online. Jay’s Audio is a Chinese Company distributed by Vinshine Audio in Singapore. Alvin Chee of Vinshine provides some of the best customer service I have received in this business. Shipping was less than a week to my home in Central Pennsylvania.

My goal was to get the best sound from my CD collection within my budget constraints. Transports from Esoteric or Aqua Acoustics were out of my consideration due to cost. The CDT2 at 2500.00 and the DAC-2 at 3,000.00 fit my my cost requirement. I received the transport about 4 months ago and it replaced a Woo Audio WTP-1 dedicated transport. I put it in my system along with my Border Patrol DAC SE and was a little stunned by the improvement. I had expected some difference but not what I was hearing. Just better across the board. I just wanted to get through as many CDs as I could. The vinyl rig got a real rest for a few weeks. I then ordered the DAC which I received a couple of weeks ago. Definite improvement over the Border Patrol when connected with the coax/RCA with Acoustic Zen Absolute MC2 cable, but not as large of a leap than the transport had made. I then inserted Empirical Audio cable using the BNC connection. I can’t really say there was much difference between the two as they were extremely close. I then received HDMI cable from P.I. Dave. Now we were really cooking. I much preferred this connection over the other two. It was immediately discernible. I am extremely satisfied with the sound I’m getting from the shiny discs at this point. I also want to mention that I did try the oversampling filters but prefer the dac in NOS mode. The other point I want to bring up is the build quality of the units. Solid aluminum casing and really nice looking in my rack. Also hefty at 35 lbs each. A shout out to Dave for the HDMI cable. I was glad to be your beta tester. I think you have another winner. 
Vapor Audio Joule Black
Kinki Studio EX-B7 mono amps
Kinki Studio EX-P7 preamp
Jay’s Audio CD-2MKII transport
Jay’s Audio DAC Signature
Music Hall MMF 7.1/Ortofon 2M Black MM
Graham Slee Gold Era Mark V phono pre
TWL Full Loom
Totally custom UberBUSS

Offline rollo

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 Yes Sir that dedicated transport using I2S connection is just better.  Enjoy !!

charles
contact me  at rollo14@verizon.net or visit us on Facebook
Lamm Industries - Aqua Acoustic, Formula & La Scala DAC- INNUOS  - Rethm - Kuzma - QLN - Audio Hungary Qualiton - Fritz speakers -Gigawatt -Vinnie Rossi,TWL, Swiss Cables, Merason DAC.

Offline P.I.

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This will be my personal opinion of the transport, dac, and the connection/cable used. I am not by any means a regular reviewer of equipment. There are many professional reviews online. Jay’s Audio is a Chinese Company distributed by Vinshine Audio in Singapore. Alvin Chee of Vinshine provides some of the best customer service I have received in this business. Shipping was less than a week to my home in Central Pennsylvania.

My goal was to get the best sound from my CD collection within my budget constraints. Transports from Esoteric or Aqua Acoustics were out of my consideration due to cost. The CDT2 at 2500.00 and the DAC-2 at 3,000.00 fit my my cost requirement. I received the transport about 4 months ago and it replaced a Woo Audio WTP-1 dedicated transport. I put it in my system along with my Border Patrol DAC SE and was a little stunned by the improvement. I had expected some difference but not what I was hearing. Just better across the board. I just wanted to get through as many CDs as I could. The vinyl rig got a real rest for a few weeks. I then ordered the DAC which I received a couple of weeks ago. Definite improvement over the Border Patrol when connected with the coax/RCA with Acoustic Zen Absolute MC2 cable, but not as large of a leap than the transport had made. I then inserted Empirical Audio cable using the BNC connection. I can’t really say there was much difference between the two as they were extremely close. I then received HDMI cable from P.I. Dave. Now we were really cooking. I much preferred this connection over the other two. It was immediately discernible. I am extremely satisfied with the sound I’m getting from the shiny discs at this point. I also want to mention that I did try the oversampling filters but prefer the dac in NOS mode. The other point I want to bring up is the build quality of the units. Solid aluminum casing and really nice looking in my rack. Also hefty at 35 lbs each. A shout out to Dave for the HDMI cable. I was glad to be your beta tester. I think you have another winner.
Don, nice review of the digital system as a whole.  I'm ghlad the Jay's Audio gear has upped your digital appreciation.

Thanks for the kind words about the HDMI cable.  It is an improvement visually with the Direct TV to flatscreen.  Blacks are definitely blacker and the contrast is cleaner... not sharper necessarily, but more consistent.  That is the only way I have to judge HDMI cables, so your opinion is appreciated, as always.

I'm trying to figure out ferule covers for the connector ends that meet my design criteria and isn't too clunky looking.  I'm not satisfied by the heat shrink being the only protection.  Keep me posted on the continuing break in so I'll know how long that period is. 

Thanks again!   :thumb:
"A man with an experience is never at the mercy of a man with an argument." - Hilmar von Campe

Offline Nick B

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This will be my personal opinion of the transport, dac, and the connection/cable used. I am not by any means a regular reviewer of equipment. There are many professional reviews online. Jay’s Audio is a Chinese Company distributed by Vinshine Audio in Singapore. Alvin Chee of Vinshine provides some of the best customer service I have received in this business. Shipping was less than a week to my home in Central Pennsylvania.

My goal was to get the best sound from my CD collection within my budget constraints. Transports from Esoteric or Aqua Acoustics were out of my consideration due to cost. The CDT2 at 2500.00 and the DAC-2 at 3,000.00 fit my my cost requirement. I received the transport about 4 months ago and it replaced a Woo Audio WTP-1 dedicated transport. I put it in my system along with my Border Patrol DAC SE and was a little stunned by the improvement. I had expected some difference but not what I was hearing. Just better across the board. I just wanted to get through as many CDs as I could. The vinyl rig got a real rest for a few weeks. I then ordered the DAC which I received a couple of weeks ago. Definite improvement over the Border Patrol when connected with the coax/RCA with Acoustic Zen Absolute MC2 cable, but not as large of a leap than the transport had made. I then inserted Empirical Audio cable using the BNC connection. I can’t really say there was much difference between the two as they were extremely close. I then received HDMI cable from P.I. Dave. Now we were really cooking. I much preferred this connection over the other two. It was immediately discernible. I am extremely satisfied with the sound I’m getting from the shiny discs at this point. I also want to mention that I did try the oversampling filters but prefer the dac in NOS mode. The other point I want to bring up is the build quality of the units. Solid aluminum casing and really nice looking in my rack. Also hefty at 35 lbs each. A shout out to Dave for the HDMI cable. I was glad to be your beta tester. I think you have another winner.

Thanks for the review. Looked at the Jay’s Audio site and was very impressed. Interesting also that they’re doing power supply modifications. As to Dave’s products, they’re always a winner 👍🎶🎶
Orchard Starkrimson Ultra amp
Supratek Chardonnay preamp
JMR Voce Grande speakers
Border Patrol SEi dac
Holo Red streamer
Hapa Aero digital coax
WyWires Silver cables
TWL Digital American II p cord
Audio Envy p cords
Roon, Tidal, Qobuz
PI Audio UberBUSS

Offline P.I.

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Thanks for the review. Looked at the Jay’s Audio site and was very impressed. Interesting also that they’re doing power supply modifications. As to Dave’s products, they’re always a winner 👍🎶🎶

Thanks, Nick! :)
"A man with an experience is never at the mercy of a man with an argument." - Hilmar von Campe

Offline dpatters

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Dave - I would say after 20-30 hours I can’t ascertain any more change in sq. Sounds fantastic. By far the best digital sound I’ve ever had. I’m really glad I dumped my server and returned to spinning CDs and vinyl.

Don P
Vapor Audio Joule Black
Kinki Studio EX-B7 mono amps
Kinki Studio EX-P7 preamp
Jay’s Audio CD-2MKII transport
Jay’s Audio DAC Signature
Music Hall MMF 7.1/Ortofon 2M Black MM
Graham Slee Gold Era Mark V phono pre
TWL Full Loom
Totally custom UberBUSS

Offline P.I.

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Dave - I would say after 20-30 hours I can’t ascertain any more change in sq. Sounds fantastic. By far the best digital sound I’ve ever had. I’m really glad I dumped my server and returned to spinning CDs and vinyl.

Don P
Thanks for the info.  I'll file that in the me olde brain-pan.

The only thing going for a server is ease of use.  Click and go >>>>>> the question is to where SQ-wise.
"A man with an experience is never at the mercy of a man with an argument." - Hilmar von Campe

Offline rollo

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  Well not so fast there. Depends on server. Yes my TP/DAC combo is better. However slightly. The Innuos Zenith mk3 and USB re-clocker playing from SS hard drive will knock ones socks off. Not all servers are the same. Naitive DSD recorded in DSD are better than TP/DAC combo. Just not enough recordings available recorded in DSD.
 Enjoy !!!
charles
contact me  at rollo14@verizon.net or visit us on Facebook
Lamm Industries - Aqua Acoustic, Formula & La Scala DAC- INNUOS  - Rethm - Kuzma - QLN - Audio Hungary Qualiton - Fritz speakers -Gigawatt -Vinnie Rossi,TWL, Swiss Cables, Merason DAC.

Offline dpatters

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  Well not so fast there. Depends on server. Yes my TP/DAC combo is better. However slightly. The Innuos Zenith mk3 and USB re-clocker playing from SS hard drive will knock ones socks off. Not all servers are the same. Naitive DSD recorded in DSD are better than TP/DAC combo. Just not enough recordings available recorded in DSD.
 Enjoy !!!
charles
That may be true but as you point out, how much music that you want to listen to is available in that format. Probably nothing I listen to.

Don P
Vapor Audio Joule Black
Kinki Studio EX-B7 mono amps
Kinki Studio EX-P7 preamp
Jay’s Audio CD-2MKII transport
Jay’s Audio DAC Signature
Music Hall MMF 7.1/Ortofon 2M Black MM
Graham Slee Gold Era Mark V phono pre
TWL Full Loom
Totally custom UberBUSS

Offline rollo

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  • Rollo Audio - Home demo the only way to know
  Well not so fast there. Depends on server. Yes my TP/DAC combo is better. However slightly. The Innuos Zenith mk3 and USB re-clocker playing from SS hard drive will knock ones socks off. Not all servers are the same. Naitive DSD recorded in DSD are better than TP/DAC combo. Just not enough recordings available recorded in DSD.
 Enjoy !!!
charles
That may be true but as you point out, how much music that you want to listen to is available in that format. Probably nothing I listen to.

Don P

   Agree. Not much. I rip all my CDs into the server. Blue Coast Records gives me native DSD. About 400 songs. Not foe everyone. Enjoy the sound Don.


charles

contact me  at rollo14@verizon.net or visit us on Facebook
Lamm Industries - Aqua Acoustic, Formula & La Scala DAC- INNUOS  - Rethm - Kuzma - QLN - Audio Hungary Qualiton - Fritz speakers -Gigawatt -Vinnie Rossi,TWL, Swiss Cables, Merason DAC.

Offline jbtrio

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Re: Jay’s Audio CDT2-MK2 CD Transport and DAC-2 Signature and RCA vs BNC vs I2S
« Reply #10 on: September 23, 2020, 01:45:36 PM »
I have the Jay's transport too. I think it is excellent. I like it much better than my PS Audio DS transport I use to have. Running it with a Tubulus Argentus i2s Cable to an Audio Mirror Tubadour III SE Dac. It sounds analog like with very good, tone, texture, and flow.
VPI classic3,3d arm, Lyra Kleos SL,K&K maxxed-out phonostage,Quadratic MC-1 SUT,Mola Mola Tambaqui Dac, Jay's Audio CDT-2 Mk.3transport,Supratek Sauvignon preamp,Frankenstein 300b mk.2 amps,FW SIT-3 amp, Purepower 1500+,Horning Eufrodite Ellipse speakers