Digital Drive: Re: Recommendations needed for a mid end transport for Ack dAck by tommytube

Both the CEC and the Parasound units you mention would do a fine job. I'm in the same boat having had the Ack for 6 months. I've tried a Creek CD43 CDP (nice, but not all it could be), a couple Sony DVD players (workable, but just barely) and now a Teac P500 from Ebay. The Teac immediately has a ton of detail the other's didn't have, but the overall sound was a little light in the bass and a littel nervous sounding. I got a Cryo'ed Bolder digital cable that helped a little and are now using the Ack analog interconnect and like the sound.

Modding the Teac is where it'll take it to another level (just llike many players). I had one modder quote me $1100 to upgrade the Teac saying we'll run out of money before we run out of stuff we can improve. But spending $1100 on a 10 year unit that cost me less than $300 is a little steep. So I've begun doing my own mods. I just got done installing a Furutech IEC outlet so I use something other than a captive power cord. Some people say the transports power cord is one of the most noticeably positions in a system. I also installed a couple Auricaps on the incoming AC. This increased bass definition tremedously and evened out the Teac general tonal leaness. I still have tons of detail, but it's more balanced and sounding quite good.

The bottom line is the two you mention along with Theta transports are good bets in that price region. Ack is going to come out with a transport kit sometime early next year that might also be an option. But the other way to go is to contact the modders and see which DVD players, ect. they have worked on and make great transports once modded. It's my impression they can do wonders on some players, it'll just cost you.