Sub 2K$ cd player

mvwhiting_83 · « **on:** 19 Jan 2009, 08:08 pm »

Hello,

I'm interested to hear peoples thoughts on cd players. There are many to choose from in the sub 2K$ level.... I won't have the chance to hear 80% of them... I've heard alot of good things from professional reviewers, but they get paid to say good things... So I want to hear what real people have to say. What players do you guys have? What do you like about them?

Sorry if this topic is beaten to death, just ignore it... We don't need the repeat topic police to add nothing.

Big Red Machine · « **Reply #1 on:** 19 Jan 2009, 08:29 pm »

If you insist, it's a lot of dough to get stuck with a DAC circuit you may not care for:

Some of the units I have owned and liked - Raysonic 128 and 168 - preferred the 128 for some reason. A tubed output CDP.

Cary 303/300 - superb unit because you can switch between SS and tube outputs on the fly and several smapling rates and basically choose the sound you like in one unit. Also built like a tank.

rydenfan · « **Reply #2 on:** 19 Jan 2009, 08:46 pm »

Rega Apollo is very nice and will cost you only about $1,100 new.

max190 · « **Reply #3 on:** 20 Jan 2009, 12:17 am »

You asked...
Bada HD-22SE $599.00
SS and tube buffered output
Heavy / quality build
You can use the remote as a weapon... just in case

Sounds better to me than my old trusty Rotel
Silver face / matches my Bada Int.

warnerwh · « **Reply #4 on:** 20 Jan 2009, 01:00 am »

I'd buy a good quality player and then try different dacs. Otherwise like the above poster states you'll have only the one in the player which may be fine. However you can buy and sell them without losing much if any money. Many excellent dacs to choose from. With your budget you can get a quality built player and try possibly 2 different dacs at a time.

Buying used is the way to go because you can resell stuff you don't want to keep. There's plenty of used players. At Audiogon and Audioasylum you have plenty of gear to choose from.

doug s. · « **Reply #5 on:** 20 Jan 2009, 04:42 am »

i picked up my audio alchemy acd pro used for $325. retail, i think it was $1295. it uses pioneer's stable-platter mechanism, which make for a great transport. it's supposed to be a fine stand-alone player, but i have never tried it that way; i use it w/a modded art di/o dac, which cost me <$300. i would put this digital system up against any digital rig at any price. (tho i have only compared it to rigs up to $8k.) you don't need to spend anywhere near $2k to get redbook playback, close to as good as you can get, imo...

ymmv,

doug s.

AUDFILE74 · « **Reply #6 on:** 20 Jan 2009, 05:44 am »

this is a good starting point. it has a digital out so adding a dac down the road may be an option:

http://www.consumer.philips.com/consumer/en/us/consumer/cc/_productid_DVDR3576H_37_US_CONSUMER/Hard-disk-DVD-recorder+DVDR3576H-37#/consumer/en/us/consumer/cc/_productid_DVDR3576H_37_US_CONSUMER/Hard-disk-DVD-recorder+DVDR3576H-37

if you add this dac you are at or a little over a grand for both peices :

http://www.cambridgeaudio.com/summary.php?PID=320

mvwhiting_83 · « **Reply #7 on:** 20 Jan 2009, 05:49 am »

So I'm starting to think that I can either go with a Killer player, or a decent player with a killer DAC.... And be happy with either.

planet10 · « **Reply #8 on:** 20 Jan 2009, 06:17 am »

For that kind of money you could have an entry level MacBook or MacMini and a pretty good DAC....

On my short list if i had that budget and needed a stand-alone CD player it would be

Rega Apollo
Cambridge Azur 840
Cyrus CD8SE

And if Ian (Grant Fidelity) had his new CD & DVD players (i heard the protos) i'd have a look at those.

dave

TheChairGuy · « **Reply #9 on:** 20 Jan 2009, 12:40 pm »

Quote from: mvwhiting_83 on 20 Jan 2009, 05:49 am

So I'm starting to think that I can either go with a Killer player, or a decent player with a killer DAC.... And be happy with either

3rd option.....keep your current player and buy one or more Dakiom Feedback Stabilizers.

www.dakiom.com

Dr. Dao's ads on Audiogon for them sound downright weird....but, the little 'leeches' truly and really work. Frankly, all the (new) players I have heard since about 2002 have been very listenable now - but Dakioms improve even them. The pre-2002 players can sound dicey, but Dakioms even make them listenable.

The priciest pair is like $218....but they take the place of your IC's so they're cost ain't too bad when factoring that, too.

If more folks knew about Dakiom's, there'd be a lot less talk of DAC's about I suspect. They are THAT good.

No affiliation here at all...just an amazed customer. John

mbakes · « **Reply #10 on:** 20 Jan 2009, 02:32 pm »

I love my Exemplar 2900 that I picked up for $1250. Redbook playback is way above it's price.

DTB300 · « **Reply #11 on:** 20 Jan 2009, 04:16 pm »

You could also look for a used McCormack UDP-1 Deluxe. I have seen them for around your price point even with full warranty on the 'Gon.

The UDP-1 Deluxe (Modified by CJ and Steve M.) is a great player and IMO will sound better than any stock player at $2k or under. But like anything each of us have our own opinions on sound.

Personally, I prefer going the modded route with a player as they will out perform stock players costing 2-3 times as much.

saisunil · « **Reply #12 on:** 20 Jan 2009, 04:53 pm »

Tube Research Labs (TRL) mods Sony NV900S (out of production) - retailed for $1000 - you can find one for $500 in the used market. You can send it for the mod for $700. People have reported selling transport / DAC combo in more than $10k range in favor of this player. They also have a battery mod - for another $700 (you can choose the battery mod upfront or later) and now it competes with price no object CD player.

I have not compared to uber expensive players in my system but to me - it sounds as good as it gets.
I ended up getting another one for backup (in case one failed) - I have been considering selling the second player.

In any case, whether you get the regular mod or the battery mod - it is not only a good value for money but get you so close to the performance and gets the sound so right ....

Good Luck

boead · « **Reply #13 on:** 20 Jan 2009, 05:18 pm »

Arcam. But take note that most peoples impressions of Arcam are from their sub $1000 Diva series which are good but not outrageous or representative of what they can do at a different price point.

The very popular DiVA CD72 ($799) uses Burr-Brown Delta-Sigma DACs as have many other audiophile brand players and DAC’s. Nice but nothing special.

Model DiVA CD92 ($1700) and the Model FMJ CD23 ($2400) uses dCS’s "Ring DAC" digital to analogue converters. dCS licensed Arcam to use their DAC’s for a short time. Apparently they rivaled dCS’s players in the $8000 range so the relationship ended with just the two models. Arcam switched to Wolfson DAC’s (DiVA CD192 and the Model FMJ CD33) which are in the same price range.

I’ve listened to the CD72 (wasn’t impressed), the FMJ CD33 and the FMJ CD23. I liked both the FMJ’s but thought the older model 23 with dCS’s DAC’s were smoother, more analog/musical to my ears. I also listened to a number of others in the $2000 +/- range (Cary, Shandling, Meridian Parasound Halo and others) and besides the Arcam FMJ, I liked the Meridian 508 which is one hell of a sounding digital player!!!

In the sub $1000 range… Jolida, CAL, Rega, Music Hall, Ah!, to name just a few. All good but nothing like the Arcam FMJ or Meridian 508 in my opinion. I also have yet to hear a sub $2000 DAC that had the warmth, resolution and nuance of these players. You can always criticize something but in the end these players are just comfortably musical 99% of the time. I believe many people interpret full-out detail and resolution as being better. I find it fatiguing and less musical most of the time. I also find many upsampling DACs to be like this. Fun and intriguing at first but then...

I have to say that the tube-dac’s I’ve owned and heard make MP3’s sound great(er) then they deserve too.

Yeah, its hard to shop and everyone has an opinion. www.usedcables.com will lend you equipment for a commitment to buy from them. You can’t get that from their website, just call and inquire. Basically they will lend you gear and they have nearly everything, you commit to a % so there is no actual fee just the commitment to buy. Their prices are excellent and they are very cool to deal with, a real hidden audiophile gem. I’ve gotten to listen to literally tens of thousands of dollars in cables and audio gear from them!! In my own home!!! Don’t’ like it, send it back and try something else.

doorman · « **Reply #14 on:** 20 Jan 2009, 06:08 pm »

Check out http://www.decware.com/newsite/ZCD.htm
Don

Audioclyde · « **Reply #15 on:** 20 Jan 2009, 07:49 pm »

I've tried a number of what I consider to be high end CD players, including Muse, Audio Aero Prima, Bat Vk-5, Accuphase dp-67 and my current Raysonic CD168. Of these, the Bat, Accuphase and Raysonic stand out above the others for my taste. I like a detailed but slightly warm sound, 'musical' for want of a better description. The Bat is great, but pricey, and I ended up having to roll 6(!!) Amperex 7308's into it to get the sound like I wanted. The Accuphase is a gem, but again pricey and I craved that sound/musicality that only tubes can do for me.

I purchased the Raysonic CD168 used and have been very pleased with its sound. Great soundstage and very musical. I'd recommend searching for a used CD128 or 168 that falls in your price range.

Just my 2 cents!

bummrush · « **Reply #16 on:** 20 Jan 2009, 09:18 pm »

Arcam cd 92 and 23 and 92t and 23t are classics as far as cd players go.

JLM · « **Reply #17 on:** 20 Jan 2009, 11:47 pm »

Going the computer route to reach the high end isn't cheap. The computer, monitor, plus two hard drives are going to set you back around $1,000 (and you'll still be limited to a couple thousand FLAC copies that you had to rip and copy). Plus the Boulder modded Duet will run about $1,500 with power supply upgrade. After all that you still can't take it with you without hauling 6 components and can't just listen to a CD without ripping it first. Then there's the matter of computer glitches that can paralize a non-geek.

A Benchmark USB DAC plus a digitally modded Oppo with a nice cable would stay south of $2k and provide PC radio/digital pre-amp features.

planet10 · « **Reply #18 on:** 21 Jan 2009, 12:00 am »

Quote from: JLM on 20 Jan 2009, 11:47 pm

Then there's the matter of computer glitches that can paralize a non-geek.

That's why you get a Mac...

dave

boead · « **Reply #19 on:** 23 Jan 2009, 03:37 pm »

This is a good deal:
Decware Dec-685 SACD/CD/DVD player
http://www.decware.com/N68/viewlisting.php?view=127