Overview

Read a disc without a single error, then send the data to an external converter: the brief fits on one line, and T+A dedicates an entire 29 kg device to it. This HV series transport contains neither a converter nor an analogue output. Inside is a disc mechanism developed by the brand in Herford and a proprietary digital link that also carries the DSD stream from SACDs to the brand’s own converters.

A disc mechanism developed from scratch

T+A has not used any existing disc-reading module. Processors, lasers, motors and control electronics were selected for a single purpose: audio playback. The dual GaAlAs laser system operates at two wavelengths: 785 nm for CD and 650 nm for SACD, whose denser recording requires a finer beam. The drive is linear, with the optical pickup moving in a straight line along the radius of the disc.

The entire assembly is housed in a shielded enclosure machined from solid aluminium, which separates the moving parts from the rest of the device. This enclosure rests on two precision linear bearings, themselves suspended from a thick support plate attached at just three points to the chassis’s central plate. The mechanism is thus decoupled from the heavy outer case, itself built exclusively from non-magnetic metals.

Before the drawer is closed, a stabiliser (a puck placed in the centre) is fitted to the disc to press it against its support. This puck is essential: the device detects its absence and automatically reopens the drawer. The motorised drawer extends and retracts slowly; a second press of the button stops it and reverses its direction, and a safety clutch protects the drive if an obstacle blocks it.

A pure transport, without a built-in converter

The PDT 3100 HV stops where conversion begins. It reads the disc, decodes the data and transmits a digital signal; an external converter (DAC) then turns this signal into an analogue voltage for the amplifier. This division of tasks keeps the mechanism, its motors and its power supply away from the conversion circuits, and leaves the owner free to choose the converter.

The transport plays audio CDs, CD-Rs and CD-RWs as well as the stereo layer of SACDs, and displays CD Text and SACD Text information. With a hybrid SACD, which contains both a CD layer and an SACD layer, the layer to be played is selected by turning the MENU/LAYER knob with the drawer open; if the disc does not contain the requested layer, the other is played automatically. The stated range goes from 2 Hz to 20 kHz with 100 dB of dynamic range for CD, to 2 Hz to 44 kHz with 110 dB for SACD, reflecting the inherent difference between the two formats.

IPA-Link and conventional digital outputs

The rear panel brings together five digital outputs. The most distinctive is IPA-Link, a proprietary link that connects the transport to the brand’s SD 3100 HV and SDV 3100 HV converters. It transmits PCM and DSD signals bit for bit, accompanied by a high-precision clock, as a continuous stream of raw data rather than packets. This is the only route by which the native DSD stream from an SACD leaves the device.

The other four outputs can be used with any converter: a balanced AES/EBU output on an XLR connector (32 to 192 kHz, 16 to 24 bits), a coaxial output on RCA, a coaxial output on BNC and an optical Toslink output. They deliver only PCM, the CD format.

T+A PDT 3100 HV CD player in silver grey, rear view with power socket, network ports and digital outputs

Controls, display and operation

Two large rotary knobs flank the graphic display. The left-hand knob opens the configuration menu and selects the SACD layer, while the right-hand knob scrolls through tracks and starts playback when pressed. The display has seven brightness levels and can stay on, switch off after each operation or remain permanently off. Two display modes are available: a large-character view readable from the sofa, and a detailed view showing CD Text. The metal F 3100 remote control, shared across the HV series, provides access to direct track selection, repeat playback and a playback programme of up to 30 tracks.

Two H-Link sockets link the transport to other HV series devices, allowing the entire system to be operated with a single remote control. This bus is specific to the HV series: T+A devices equipped with R2Link or E-Link connections cannot connect to it.

An installation that requires preparation

Measuring 17 × 46 × 46 cm, the PDT 3100 HV matches the dimensions of the other HV series components and forms a visually consistent stack with them. Its 29 kg weight requires furniture capable of supporting it without the device overhanging the edges, two people to move it and a stone, glass or metal surface rather than delicate wood or lacquer. It requires 10 cm of clearance all around for ventilation, and its power consumption remains modest for a device of this weight: 40 W during playback, less than 0.5 W in standby.

The case is available in silver lacquer or titanium lacquer, and the HV Individual programme offers other colours on request. Launched in March 2019 alongside the SD 3100 HV and SDV 3100 HV converters, this transport was developed with support from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.

Frequently asked questions

Can the PDT 3100 HV be connected directly to an amplifier?

No. The transport has no analogue output: a digital-to-analogue converter must be placed between them, either standalone or built into a preamplifier, an integrated amplifier or a network player with digital inputs.

Which T+A converters support the IPA-Link connection?

The SD 3100 HV and SDV 3100 HV. The SDX 3100 HV, successor to the SDV 3100 HV, does not include an IPA-Link input in its list of connections: the transport connects to it via AES/EBU, coaxial or BNC, using PCM.

Can SACDs be played with a converter from another brand?

The AES/EBU, coaxial and optical outputs transmit only PCM, while an SACD’s DSD stream passes exclusively through IPA-Link. With another converter, playback is limited to CDs and the CD layer of hybrid SACDs, which must be selected with the drawer open.

Does the transport play multichannel SACDs?

It plays the stereo layer, present on the vast majority of SACDs, including those that also contain a multichannel version. The rare exclusively multichannel discs, with no stereo track, cannot be played.

What is included in the box?

The mains cable, F 3100 remote control, stabiliser puck, IPA-Link cable, an H-Link cable, a 4 mm hex key and the instruction manual. T+A offers the Power Three HD mains cable, Power Bar power distributor and Audio Triax digital cable as options.

What should you do if the drawer refuses to open?

After unplugging the device, insert the supplied 4 mm hex key into the designated opening on the rear panel and turn it in the indicated direction until the drawer is fully extended. If the safety clutch has disengaged after a blockage, it must be re-engaged by an authorised workshop.

How should the device be prepared for a move?

Remove the disc and puck, then secure the closed drawer with the transport screw on the front panel, tightening it until it stops without forcing it. To close the drawer without the puck, simply switch off the device with the drawer open: it closes before entering standby. The transport then travels in its original packaging.

Can the PDT 3100 HV be integrated into a home automation system?

Yes. Its network socket is used for diagnostics and operation by control systems such as Crestron or AMX; it does not provide access to any network playback function. The device also automatically enters standby after 90 minutes without playback or operation, a function that can only be disabled outside the European Union.

Technical specifications

Type and compatible formats

Type: high-end CD / SACD transport
Compatible formats: CD, CD-R, CD-RW, stereo SACD, CD Text, SACD Text

Playback mechanism and laser system

High-precision playback mechanism with linear drive
- Developed specifically for audio applications
- Fully shielded playback assembly
- Mechanism chassis machined from solid aluminium
- Decoupled from the main chassis by two precision linear bearings
- Support plate secured at three points for optimal mechanical isolation
- Design optimised for precise, error-free playback of CDs and SACDs
Dual GaAlAs laser system
- SACD: 650 nm
- CD: 785 nm