CD/SACD-проигрыватели и транспорты — Nuprime Audio CDT-8 Pro

NuPrime Audio built the CDT-8 Pro purely as a disc drive with digital outputs - it has no analogue outputs and no internal converter. The company lists it at EUR 1,099 and now marks it as discontinued. NuPrime anodises the aluminium case either black or silver.

Key specs that matter

There are four digital outputs at the back. Coaxial, AES/EBU and HDMI I2S each carry up to 24-bit and 768 kHz PCM or DoP256, while the Toslink optical socket is limited to 24-bit and 192 kHz or DoP64. A selectable sample rate converter can pass the disc data at its native 44.1 kHz or convert it to 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, 192, 352.8, 384, 705 or 768 kHz, and it can also package the stream as DSD over PCM at DoP64, DoP128 or DoP256. The mains input accepts 100 to 240 V AC and is protected by a 1 A slow-blow fuse. The box stands 55 mm high, 235 mm wide and 300 mm deep and weighs 4 kg.

Engineering and use context

Reading the disc is the job of a Philips SAA7824HL chip for laser head control and decoding, supervised by an ARM LPC2103F processor that manages reading and error correction. A DSP-based decoder applies the full Red Book error-correction routine, and a master clock governs the whole decoding system to keep jitter low. The drive spins at single speed, a choice NuPrime explains as a way to limit vibration and cope with unbalanced discs. The coaxial output is isolated by its own transformer, and the HDMI I2S link is aimed at professional-grade converters that accept that interface. The supply is built on a shielded R-type transformer of NuPrime's own specification, which guards against radio-frequency and electromagnetic interference. Front panel controls cover play, next and previous track, without a numeric keypad, so direct track entry and the choice of output sample rate are left to the supplied aluminium remote. Loading is quick and the table of contents is read rapidly. The transport ships with vibration-isolating feet, and NuPrime gives a one-year warranty.

Pairing

A separate DAC is required, and the choice of link depends on its inputs - AES/EBU or coaxial suit most converters, while HDMI I2S needs a DAC with a matching port and pin assignment. The SRC lets owners set the output to the highest rate their converter accepts, or leave CD data at its native rate, and the Toslink link suits older DACs and receivers with lower input limits.

Alternatives

The NuPrime CDT-9 is the follow-up transport with the same four outputs and upgraded noise filtering.