Primare DD15

Primare's DD15 is a compact high end CD transport with a stylish minimalist look. If you've only ever owned CD players, you may be puzzled by the concept of a CD transport. But accurately reading the information on your discs is the first step to great CD sound. The Philips slot-load disc drive that Primare chose for the DD15 was originally developed for automotive use. It's extremely reliable and well isolated from both external and internal vibrations, ensuring long life and low noise. Many years ago I got to audition a separate DAC and CD transport from another respected high-end audio company. I was mainly interested in the DAC, so I started by using my CD player as a transport and, sure enough, the DAC easily outperformed the one in my CD player. Almost as an afterthought I replaced my player with the CD transport, and was startled by further improvements in sound quality. Among other things, the transport provided tighter mid-bass. No matter what DAC you plan to use, sending it the purest digital sig...