Oracle Audio CD1000 MkIII CD Transport

The Oracle Audio CD1000 MkIII is a top-loading CD transport that reads your discs on a Philips CD PRO 2LF drive, decoupled on Delrin pillars inside a chassis sculpted from a massive aluminum block. It has no DAC of its own. Three digital outputs (BNC S/PDIF, XLR AES/EBU and optical) feed the converter you already own, and a magnetic clamp adapted from Oracle's turntables holds each disc still.

Most people know Oracle for turntables, so the CD systems tend to surprise them. The thinking is the same. Oracle traces many of the problems in reproducing recorded music to unwanted vibration, from inside the unit or around it, and the CD1000 MkIII is built to keep that vibration away from the laser. It sits below the CD2000 MkIII in Oracle's line: the same drive and the same style of clamp, without the CD2000's floating chassis and suspension towers. If you still have a serious CD collection and a DAC you like, this is the way into Oracle's digital line.

"Oracle analog and digital products have always been designed and built as 'musical instruments' that can stand the test of time."

Key Features of the Oracle CD1000 MkIII

• Philips CD PRO 2LF Drive: The laser mechanism Oracle specifies for the CD1000, decoupled from the main frame on Delrin pillars
• Sculpted Aluminum Block Chassis: Machined from a massive aluminum block, brushed and sealed in a clear lacquer coating
• Urethane Suspension Feet: Act as a suspension and mechanical filter between the transport and the surface it stands on
• Turntable-Derived Magnetic Clamp: A magnetic disc clamp with a urethane vibration damping ring, adapted from the clamps on Oracle's analog turntables
• Three Digital Outputs: BNC S/PDIF (0.5V peak to peak at 75 ohms), XLR AES/EBU (4V peak to peak at 110 ohms) and optical (650nm)
• Outboard Power Supply: A separate Oracle supply connects over a 15-pin DC cord, with the main power switch on the back of the supply
• Aluminum Top Cover: Sits over the disc during play; Oracle says the darker environment helps the laser read more accurately
• Infrared Remote Control: Included, with program, shuffle, repeat, A/B repeat, scan and fast search
• Full Dome Dust Cover Option: Add Oracle's full dome clear acrylic cover when you order this listing

Why Is the CD1000 Chassis Carved From an Aluminum Block?

Mass and control. Oracle says many of the problems that affect the accurate reproduction of recorded music come from unwanted internal or external vibration, so the CD1000 MkIII chassis is sculpted from a massive aluminum block, and the CD drive unit is decoupled from that main frame through Delrin pillars rather than bolted straight to it.

The finish is part of the construction. The aluminum is brushed and sealed in a clear lacquer coating, which is why Oracle packs the unit in an inner protective bag and asks owners to use it again when repacking. The whole transport measures 16.5 inches wide, 6 inches high and 14 inches deep, and weighs about 30 pounds. The low, wide profile puts the drive in the middle of the block, with the display module and its five buttons set into the front edge.

How Do the Urethane Feet Isolate the CD1000?

They are the second barrier. The Delrin pillars decouple the drive from the aluminum frame, and the urethane feet under the frame act as a suspension and mechanical filter, decoupling the whole transport from its external environment, starting with the shelf or rack it stands on.

This is a simpler scheme than the CD2000 MkIII, which floats its chassis on four spring towers. On the CD1000 the isolation comes from mass, with one decoupling layer at the drive and one at the feet.

Why Does the CD1000 Use a Magnetic Disc Clamp?

To stop chatter. A CD spinning at speed vibrates slightly, and Oracle says that wobble costs the laser focal clarity, which leads to misread information and makes the error correction work harder. Oracle pioneered its record clamp for analog records in 1979, and adapted the same thinking to its CD players.

The CD1000's clamp holds the disc with magnetism coupled with a slight vacuum created by a thick urethane washer, a ring of Oracle's own urethane compound that works as a vibration damping trap. The urethane grips the disc well enough that you can lift the clamp straight up and the CD comes with it, so keep a hand underneath. That grip fades as the urethane picks up dust. Oracle's advice is to clean it with the included Brilliance cleaner or denatured alcohol, and never to set the clamp down urethane side first.

How Do You Play a Disc on the CD1000?

It is a top-loader. Lift off the aluminum top cover, place the disc on the CD turntable, seat the magnetic clamp, and put the cover back. Press Reset and the display shows the number of tracks and total playing time, then press Play. Oracle says the cover significantly improves performance by giving the laser a darker environment.

Press Disc Reset every time you change discs, or press STBY twice on the remote, which does the same job. Oracle asks that the top cover stays on at switch-on until the display reads "No Disc". The infrared remote covers numeric track selection, scan, program, shuffle, repeat, A/B repeat, pause and a fast search that runs at about ten times normal speed. Power comes from an outboard Oracle supply joined to the transport by a 15-pin DC cord, and the main on/off switch lives on the back of that supply.

What Can I Connect the CD1000 To?

Any DAC with a coaxial, AES/EBU or optical input. The CD1000 MkIII has no analog output. Its BNC S/PDIF output runs at 0.5V peak to peak into 75 ohms, the XLR AES/EBU output at 4V peak to peak into 110 ohms, and the optical output at a 650nm nominal wavelength.

Pick the output your DAC handles best. Oracle's own advice is to use the best digital or optical interconnect you can, since this cable is the only thing between the transport and the converter.

Does the CD1000 Come With a Dust Cover?

Only if you choose it. This listing offers the CD1000 MkIII with no dust cover or with Oracle's full dome clear acrylic dust cover. The full dome covers the whole unit down to the support table, with the rear left open for the audio and power cables, and measures 19 3/4 x 15 1/4 x 8 1/2 inches.

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Oracle CD1000 MkIII Specifications