[mix4fix]

Discussed elsewhere on AC, someone mention on getting a brand new inexpensive video player (DVD?Blu-ray) as a cheap and cheerful CD player.

Any thoughts? I don't believe a modern cheap video player is going to be as good as an older, better made DVD player.

[WGH]

I always used a $50 DVD player as a transport with a Van Alstine Insight DAC via a 75 ohm coax cable when I had my woodshop. The cheap DVD player seemed to last as long as any CD player, it was the fine sawdust that killed them.

I never compared the sound to my home setup but with the JBL L100 speakers in the shop the sound was killer.

Track selection, times and all the other stuff CD players do so well was missing with the DVD player but I always plugged in a CD and let it play to the end. The DVD player always played my burned disks too, not like my friends CD player which is real finicky about what disks it will play.

[Letitroll98]

I have an ancient battleship JVC DVD player acting as transport in my main system that sounds much better than my inexpensive Sony Blu Ray player in my 2.1 TV system, which also feeds a separate DAC.  Years ago I tried the Sony in the big rig and it didn't match up to the JVC.  Since the JVC was a $5 thrift store find plus $20 universal remote on eBay compared to the I think $140 Sony Blu Ray, the most C&C is the older but much more robust JVC.

[vrao81]

Well I had an Integra dps 5.5 dvd player and replaced with a cd player, Tascam cd200. I think the Tascam sounds better as a cd player and as a cd transport. The tascam cost me $80 off ebay. The integra i got for $25 shipped

[wushuliu]

I'm about to post a coax/spdif accessory review that might be of use to anyone using a cheap transport.

[Poultrygeist]

The secret of a budget DVD/Blu-ray is using it as a transport with its digital output fed into a decent stand alone DAC.

An expensive player's internal DAC is usually inferior to an average priced stand alone DAC.

[Sparky14]

I agree that a cheap new DVD player is fine for CD playback if you have an external DAC. But yeah, I do like the old high end DVD players.

Even though I have a pretty decent DAC (Topping E70 Velvet). I still use an old DVD player (Toshiba SD-9200, a $40 garage sale purchase) for CD playback. I have had to make a couple of minor repairs over the years to keep it going (replaced one internal cable which went bad, and also one plastic gear wheel). It is a heavy tank of a machine, sounds great, and still plays HDCD discs which modern players do not. I also use an Oppo for playback of SACD, DVD-A, BR-Audio discs.

[Doublej]

The solution is arriving, SMSL PL100 CD Player.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DQL4ZZDJ?th=1

[Letitroll98]

The solution is arriving, SMSL PL100 CD Player.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DQL4ZZDJ?th=1

Interesting.  A remote is listed in the what's included list, and the AI assistant says there's one in there, but no pics of one.  Any confirmation of remote operation?  I suppose for the price you shouldn't ask about sound quality, but what about sound quality?  Great find regardless.

[rif]

The solution is arriving, SMSL PL100 CD Player.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DQL4ZZDJ?th=1

That is interesting.  But the fact that it can't connect to a pc via USB for ripping is a potential deal breaker for me.  Of course it wasn't meant for that so I can't really knock it for that. 

But the small form factor, great looks, and inexpensive, and my weakness for gadgets... it's tempting.  And I do have some Amazon gift cards under the tree.

[audibleguy]

I have used a Sony DVP-S7700 DVD player as a CD transport for years as its built like a tank and has all copper shielding in and around the chassis. In fact I am selling it with original remote, manual and box. Let me know if anyone is interested?