CD/SACD-проигрыватели и транспорты — Nuprime Audio CDT-9

The CDT-9 is a CD transport from NuPrime Audio, the company that grew out of NuForce and builds compact half-width components. It reads Red Book CDs and sends the data out through digital outputs only, with no DAC and no analogue stage. A selectable sample rate converter lets it deliver the CD data at higher PCM rates or as DSD, and an HDMI I2S output connects it to NuPrime converters. The CDT-8 Pro is the earlier transport built on the same DSP decoder concept.

Key specs that matter

Decoding is DSP-based with full Red Book error correction, and a master clock controls the entire decoding system. An ARM LPC2103F chip handles disc reading and error correction, and Philips SAA7824HL chips control the laser and decoding. The optical output carries up to 24 bit and 192 kHz and DoP64, while the coaxial, AES/EBU and HDMI I2S outputs carry up to 24 bit and 768 kHz and DoP256. The sample rate converter offers 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4 and 192 kHz and higher rates up to 768 kHz, plus DSD256 over DoP. Power comes from a 12 to 15 V DC input with an external 100 to 240 V adapter included, and an LPS-212 linear supply is offered as an option. The transport is 55 mm high, 235 mm wide and 281 mm deep and weighs 4 kg. It is finished in black or silver anodised aluminium.

Engineering and use context

The transport runs at a single speed, which reduces vibration and avoids reading problems with unbalanced discs that faster multi-speed drives can have. A custom R-type transformer with shielding protects the circuits from radio-frequency and electromagnetic interference, and the coaxial output has its own isolation transformer to break ground loops between the transport and the DAC. Using one master clock for the whole decoding chain keeps the timing of the data consistent from the disc to the outputs, which lowers jitter. The HDMI I2S output carries data, clock and word clock on separate lines instead of combining them in one S/PDIF stream, but NuPrime specifies it for use with its own products only, since I2S pin assignments differ between makers. The aluminium remote control and NuPrime isolation feet are included, and the fuse is a 1 A slow-blow type.

Pairing

Through HDMI I2S the CDT-9 connects to NuPrime DACs such as the DAC-9X, and NuPrime lists the STA-9 and STA-9X amplifiers as related products. The coaxial and AES/EBU outputs work with converters from any maker. Upgrading to the LPS-212 linear supply replaces the supplied external adapter.

Alternatives

NuPrime also made the CDT-8 Pro, an older CD transport of the same kind.