AudioCircle
Audio/Video Gear and Systems => Cheap and Cheerful HiFi => Topic started by: Doublej on 1 Dec 2023, 01:45 pm
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I bought a WiiM Pro Plus and it has only a SPDIF input for digital so I am looking for a cheap, sub $100 device that I can use as a CD transport.
Anybody have a recommendation? All I can find are DVD and Blu-ray players with coaxial outputs.
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Some of the old school high end DVD players can make competent transports.
I have been using a Denon 3910 that I repurposed years ago as a transport and it sounds pretty good.
The top end old Marantz, Sony and Denon's are built well.
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Are you thinking something along these lines?:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/176056199028?epid=663303606&hash=item28fdc46774:g:9iUAAOSwt61lXQwX&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA4CqnYLs%2BiIxGYcEWzCyi07zxUBq9wrlarhERtcwC6KG0dw3XTcY2LxWddEriJLFKjEGDFZJkUPheo9%2BcXb1cbStNOiDWaCrvO%2FAGxb2qBIZ78zcoMDBF98XNynUbxMEAGueDIHwuvfOVH6BvIDqjEINMLAN3q2tJOuFIdQHYpNkn6DNVgD%2BioZUQOrMzWyA%2Fez0f5SzWgB3sn2AWj8JsfMja%2Fm7ZII3StlTawx1afAHRsf6gbeNjTaN8zH%2FmnTPGi2ow3UVr5ZJG7t%2Bong59U0W9I%2BSas%2BH0o9HLh4Ig9Etv%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR8SigumEYw
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Yes, something with an optical output and a solid mechanism. Time to peruse my local Facebook marketplace and Craig's List.
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A Coaxial to SPDIF (Optical) Digital Audio Converter are around $15. The converter will last longer than any DVD or Blu-ray player freeing you up to buy any player you like. I always bought the $30-$50 DVD players for my woodshop because they always filled up with sawdust and stopped working after a couple of years.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N32C5GT/ref=sspa_dk_detail_0?pd_rd_i=B01N32C5GT&pd_rd_w=5JB14&content-id=amzn1.sym.f734d1a2-0bf9-4a26-ad34-2e1b969a5a75&pf_rd_p=f734d1a2-0bf9-4a26-ad34-2e1b969a5a75&pf_rd_r=VQQR7T5WQ8Q66JMJVJ1A&pd_rd_wg=omGLz&pd_rd_r=941f4874-4672-4a49-a565-d50f2b7a1688&s=electronics&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9kZXRhaWw&th=1 (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N32C5GT/ref=sspa_dk_detail_0?pd_rd_i=B01N32C5GT&pd_rd_w=5JB14&content-id=amzn1.sym.f734d1a2-0bf9-4a26-ad34-2e1b969a5a75&pf_rd_p=f734d1a2-0bf9-4a26-ad34-2e1b969a5a75&pf_rd_r=VQQR7T5WQ8Q66JMJVJ1A&pd_rd_wg=omGLz&pd_rd_r=941f4874-4672-4a49-a565-d50f2b7a1688&s=electronics&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9kZXRhaWw&th=1)
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Be careful when using the S/PDIF output on DVD players. I seem to recall that several of them resample internally from 44.1 kHz to 48 kHz when playing CDs.
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I seem to recall that several of them resample internally from 44.1 kHz to 48 kHz when playing CDs.
Is that a bad thing? And how would a person find out if a $50 Sony resampled the Coax output? And resampling probably makes it sound better, that is why almost every DAC on the planet resamples, even the excellent sounding Denafrips R2R DACs resample a little in the background.
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I bought a WiiM Pro Plus and it has only a SPDIF input for digital so I am looking for a cheap, sub $100 device that I can use as a CD transport.
Anybody have a recommendation? All I can find are DVD and Blu-ray players with coaxial outputs.
Hey!
If you are only going to play CD, just get one of the older CD player... Sony, JVC and etc. Older ones with swing arm laser seems to be good. Don't use the DVD player, since it full of other stuffs for the video that could have noises and etc.
I'm currently using a Sony CDR pro machine as a transport and it sounds fine. Although, I have to admit that I've never had expensive transport to compare it with though.
I also have a Sony SACD changer from the early 2000's and a single disc JVC with swing arm laser from mid 1990's. And yes, each transport sound different, at the end I prefer the Sony CDR.
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Old Oppo DVD Player, like the 980 etc...
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Old Oppo DVD Player, like the 980 etc...
Good advice.
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I had done a bit of research a few years back and ended up buying an Audiolab 6000CDT. Do a search and you will find lots of excellent reviews. It uses a slot loading mechanism to clamp the CD for better quality output. It is an excellent CD player. I have a lot of music in the form of FLAC files and it didn't have a USB input so I ended up replacing the Audiolab with another CD player that has a USB input on the front. Mine has been sitting in the closet so let me know if you are interested in buying it - just sent you a DM. I have the box and remote.
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Is that a bad thing?
Only you can answer that for yourself. Personally, if any processing is to be done to the digital signal, I prefer to do it myself. (I wrote audio DSP firmware for a living for a very long time.)
Folks can be as fastidious about bit-perfect audio as they are about cables or capacitors.
And how would a person find out if a $50 Sony resampled the Coax output?
In my case, I had to synchronize downstream equipment to the signal stream. Wrong sampling rate = no sync.
And resampling probably makes it sound better ...
Again, only you can determine that for yourself.
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...I had to synchronize downstream equipment to the signal stream. Wrong sampling rate = no sync.
That is not a concern with the WiiM Pro Plus:
Input via the SPDIF (Optical) is up to 192kHz/24-bit and it will output up to 768kHz/32-bit and DSD512.
I like a dedicated CD player interface much better than than the cheapo DVD players I have used.
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It's going to be hard to find a CD player at your price. Like you said DVD players can be found but CD only tends to be at least a couple hundred like entry level Marantz or NAD. Going below $100 for used models means going much older and maybe reliability problems.
Cayin makes a Mini CD mk2 for around $280. That's the closest I can find.
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... looking for a cheap, sub $100 device that I can use as a CD transport.
I just discovered CD Carousel Players are still a thing.
The Sony CDP-C515 has SPDIF out
Manual: https://www.manua.ls/sony/cdp-c215/manual?file=943866 (https://www.manua.ls/sony/cdp-c215/manual?file=943866)
There are a bunch on eBay $64.55
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Reverb has a selection of CD players:https://reverb.com/marketplace?product_type=home-audio&category=digital-players&condition=used (https://reverb.com/marketplace?product_type=home-audio&category=digital-players&condition=used)
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Look for an older Magnavox or Phillips.
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I have an old Sony CD/DVD 5 disc player with a SPDIF optical output. Pretty sure it should work fine for basic CD sound quality.
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I bought this one https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007F9XHBI?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details
Was looking for a cheap CD player that I could use if the internet goes down. I was pleasantly surprised how good it sounded when plugged into my Holo Audio Spring 3 DAC.