[Johnny]

Sorry if this is off topic but I'd appreciate some advise from AKSA minded ppl  

I'm very happy with my mostly diy analog system, but I hate my CD player. Its a JVC player, maybe 8-10 yo, deep discount cost $750. It was well reviewed back then...

What can I do for short money? New cdp or keep the JVC and add an outboard processor?

For players, I've been steered to NAD in the under $500 category, and the ARCAM CD73 for $599. That's pushing it  

I know nothing about outboard processors  

tia
John

[Carlman]

I have found that there are quite a few cheap DVD players that sound as good as most $500 cd players.  I have not heard the NAD but I'd be willing to bet a cheap DVD player will at least be as good... You'll save now and you could save up for a good DAC down the road.  

I haven't heard them all but I haven't heard a DVD player yet that I thought wasn't as good as a $500 'high end' cd player.

-C

[TG]

I have found that there are quite a few cheap DVD players that sound as good as most $500 cd players.

I'd second that - a few months ago I purchased a Panasonic combo VHS/DVD player to replace my aging VHS recorder.  I didn't expect much from the disk player but amazingly it is audibly superior to both my old $600 Marantz CD-63 and my $1,200 Sony CDP-920.  I'd attribute it to the 192 upsampling.  The old players have just been traded in and the Panasonic is now my main disc source - it's that good.

The recent generation of entry and mid-range audio gear offers some phenomenal value.  I've heard better CD players, but only in the +$1,500 range.

[tropicalcb]

check out the CEC CD3300  ... do a google search...will cost u about AU$850 but its the best buy under $2k  ... u won't need an o/board processor & it makes very detailed, analogue-sounding and invilvingly neutral sounds .... but if u evr add a processor then its also an excellent transport. check out jean hiraga's review on revue de son ...click the translate button & u get weird english french but u'll get the gist of it & there are other reviews as well with one giving a bit of background to CEC an esoteric - (they're all audio masons I think!!) div of sanyo optronics.....cb

[Al Garay]

Step 1. Buy Squeezebox from http://www.slimdevices.com/  
            for about $199 wired or $279 wireless
           
Step 2. Buy a used Mensa modified ART DI/O for around $350 or a used AcK dAck for about the same.  And if your budget is much larger, buy a DEQX instead but that's another story.

Rip your CD library into FLAC lossless format (no bits lost) using Plextor Plextools Professional. And you are going to be surprised how excellent the sound quality is and the ease using the SlimServer software and remote control to play your music. You don't need a fancy transport.

I got a Squeezebox for Christmas and loving it.

Al

[Felipe]

I am not going to comment on the choice of the squeezebox. Not everyone wants to have the task of ripping all the CDs to the PC and then have the PC on everytime you want to listen to music.
Not quite the most pratical choice....?

About the DAC, used diy dacs are good, but for that i have a suggestion :
DAKSA ! It would probably be the ultimate DAC you will ever need....plus its an Aspen product, and you'll be sustaining Hugh and his family.
Its the next product coming out from Hugh's lab...

Filipe

[Anton K.]

I just wanted to point out that IMO CD or DVD-players in sub USD 500 category do not do justice to AKSA, unless you have very unrevealing speakers of course

[Johnny]

US $419 from Audio Cube!
Any one else had a go at this one?
Thanks for the tip cb.
Cheers,
John

check out the CEC CD3300  ... do a google search...will cost u about AU$850 but its the best buy under $2k  ... u won't need an o/board processor & it makes very detailed, analogue-sounding and invilvingly neutral sounds .... but if u evr add a processor then its also an excellent transport. check out jean hiraga's review on revue de son ...click the translate button & u get weird english french but u'll get the gist of it & there are other reviews as well with one giving a bit of background to CEC an esoteric - (they're all audio masons I think!!) div of sanyo optronics.....cb

[Johnny]

Thanks to all for input- very helpful and raises more questions, as it should!

Ah yes- DAKSA!
Its been a long time coming, and worth the wait I'm sure
Any ballpark cost estimate yet?

So, I'm still a little confused
How important is the transport? Would the the old JVC or a cheap DVD be adequate with a DAKSA for example?

Thanks,
John

About the DAC, used diy dacs are good, but for that i have a suggestion :
DAKSA ! It would probably be the ultimate DAC you will ever need....plus its an Aspen product, and you'll be sustaining Hugh and his family.
Its the next product coming out from Hugh's lab...

Filipe

[Seano]

......according to the intimations by both Hugh and Tinker, the quality of the CD transport will be, to a certain extent, irrelevant.  So as long as your old JVC has a SPDIF digital out (a single RCA jack) then you'll be apples.

I plan to use my 12yr old (and still very fine) NAD 502 with the DAKSA so I can't see why your old JVC can't fill the bill.

As for the opinion about any CD player worth less than US500 not doing justice to an AKSA.......well my opinion is that your opinion is a load of bollocks. But then that's just my opinion.

[DSK]

So, I'm still a little confused
How important is the transport? Would the the old JVC or a cheap DVD be adequate with a DAKSA for example?
Thanks,
John

Hi Johnny,
A few years back I used the Pioneer DV-717 DVD player as a transport into my P-1A/P-3A/Monolithic combination. The 717 was quite a decent DVD player and claimed by reviewers to be one of the best DVD players on redbook CD's. However, my AH! Tjoeb99 (based on low end Marantz CD player) was clearly better as a transport into this combo.

When I replaced the AH! Tjoeb with a Sony SCD-XA777ES I again tried the DAC combo but could hear no differences between the 777 direct and via the combo, so I sold the DAC combo.

The prevailing philosophy for some time has been that the transport is relatively unimportant. However, in recent times there are a growing number of posts on AA claiming that the transport is significantly more important to the sound quality than the DAC. I haven't done enough testing myself to form a strong opinion on this. Many (including TAS) have sung the praises of the Sony DVP7000 & DVP7700 DVD players as CD transports. I seem to recall that TAS even suggested that the 7000 was pretty much equal to their ML transport. If you have a DAC that supports 96/24 and some DAD discs, a DVD player that outputs 96/24 from its digital output might be attractive to you.

[MikeC]

In my experience, CD transports most definately do make a difference. I previously posted here about a laser disk transport being ideal. They can be picked up second hand for little $$, but are not nearly as sexy as a modern player. I have heard my EAD transport in comparison to a Sony DVD player digital out, PS Audio transport and NAD CD player digital out. The Sony was the worst, the PS Audio was 2nd best. The results were consistent with both a DAC-in-a box and a very expensive Wadia DAC.

All the combos were better than the Sony DVD player alone, but I will concede that even the worst performer (the Sony DVD) actually played what was on the disk. The big difference was, the best performers (EAD/Wadia and EAD/DIB combos) just really played better MUSIC (or played music better).

Everyone has to make compromises somewhere, but garbage in, garbage out applies just as well to audio. Ivor Tiefenbrun was right all thos years ago. The better your source, the more you will get out of your AKSA.

Cheers

Mike

[stvnharr]

Johnny,
If you now do not like your cd player and it's 12 years old, time for a change most likely.   You could add a dac, of course, but your present player would have to have an Spdif connector to do you any good.  If it only has toslink, forget it.  Likewise if there is NO digital out.

For new players, NAD, Arcam and the like are good values.
You can also shop on audiogon for good used players, usually at good prices.