[_mark_]

I've read about people using specific cheap DVD players as CD players with good results.

Could anyone give me details of the models still available on amazon etc?

[zybar]

I've read about people using specific cheap DVD players as CD players with good results.

Could anyone give me details of the models still available on amazon etc?

Sony S-7700

George

[fajimr]

i've also heard (read) good things about the oppo 970 (which is supposed to have better audio than the 971 which has better digital).

http://www.oppodigital.com/

do a search here and I am sure you'll find some reviews

[kbuzz3]

i used an modded oppo with good results.

[JLM]

The Sony 7700's are getting long in the tooth (5 - 9 years old now).  A friend tells of shelves of them at his shop, all broken.  Look for small green tag on the back.  It will give year and batch.  I had one of the last, a 01B.  The 7700 has both CD and DVD heads which made it unique and quite good.  Empirical Audio still mods them I believe, but you could be looking at $2000 with a decent DAC.

The $150 Oppo 970 is the current low cost darling, but I don't know of cheap mods (RAM's start at $640).

[Bemopti123]

I third the Oppo 970.  Excellent built quality, with the convenience of a swiss audio knife (can decode anything out there...)  and at just $150!  At that price, some mods can be considered without breaking the bank.

[JoshK]

Not to make more things to freak out about, but I read something recently about DVD players using a clock freq that wasn't a multiple of CD freq.  They suggested that most DVD players use a freq that optimizes video rather than CD audio, and thus CD audio was likely to be compromised as a result (or jitter introduced, etc).  Anyone know anything more about this?

It's be pretty easy to check out some DVD players....clocks are easy to spot and the freq is usually written on it.

[_mark_]

Thanks for the info.

I've looked around, and I can't seem to find a distributor for either the 7700 or the Oppo in the UK. Does anyone know whether the Oppo players are sold under a different brandname over here?

[JLM]

Google "Oppo 970", it's sold via internet only (factory direct, maybe also carried now by Amazon).

[timothyharnett]

Thanks for the info.

I've looked around, and I can't seem to find a distributor for either the 7700 or the Oppo in the UK. Does anyone know whether the Oppo players are sold under a different brandname over here?

Mark,

I'm in the UK and bought the Oppo direct from the factory www.oppodigital.com .  After taxes and ridiculous fees applied by parcelforce, it works out at around £137 dependant on currency.

It uses a switch mode power supply so it can also cope with our voltage without modification.

[Mudjock]

Depending on what you consider cheap, the Samsung HD850 is available on TigerDirect for $59.99 with a $30 rebate that brings the total down to a ridiculous $29.99. 

[flintstone]

I used my Pioneer 563A for a while, the latter 578A is also pretty good as a transport. You can find these two models at Ebay for around $100 or so. I tried a Technics, Panasonic and the Pioneer...the Pioneer "clearly" was better than those others.

If you do a search at the Audioasylum forum you will find that others also like these two Pioneers used as budget transports.


Dave

[GHM]

The Pioneer 578A is a decent transport.When using any of these players put a little extra money to the side for a jitter reducer. The difference will be very noticeable. The player does play every disc you can throw at it. The only problem being the jitter will effect the sound in the end if not corrected by another device.

Good luck