DVD Player instead of CD Player?

riverrat373

Active Member
I'm looking for an inexpensive used (less than $100) CD player in silver finish to match my vintage audio gear. I'm having a hard time finding a CD player in silver that meets my budget but have seen lots of DVD players in silver on Ebay.

Does anyone here know how DVD players compare to CD players as far as audio quality goes? Any brand suggestions? :music:
 
Biggest plus side is being able to play DVD-audio, or in the case of Sony products SACD/DVD-audio and CD's. Often DVD players will be better, but you have to look at the individual specs for the unit your interested in. No real cut and dry way to tell except maybe for the SACD players which are optimized for "listening".
 
I use the DVD recorder/player in my HT/secondary 2-channel music system to play back CDs, and it sounds fine to my ears. I also have an older inexpensive Pioneer DVD player that to my ears also sounds fine playing back CDs.
 
I often use DVD for audio CDs. Soundwise I find my Integra DPS 5.5 sounds spectacular and will play any disc I through at it, even scratched discs that won't play on any other player in the house. The drawbacks are that the DVD player takes much longer to start playing a disc than a CD player. I guess it needs to figure out what kind of disc is in there. Also, some DVD need the remote to do many/all the functions. I like to use the machine, not a remote. Luckily the Integras desing their stuff to have all functions available from the front panel.
 
I use this DVD player for CDs only:

rotelrdv-1040.jpg


Picked this up on eBay for $150. The same thing in CD only was several hundred more!
 
For less than $100 I think you're gonna have a difficult time finding a DVD player that will out perform a dedicated Cd player. I was using an Insignia DVD player (cost me $100) for the longest time and while it wasn't bad it certainly wasn't helping my CD listening (i only had like 15 CD V 300 LP's at the time). I picked up an old Sure CD player at a thrift for 9 bucks and well the insignia is now gone and my cd collection has more than doubled (You do the math). I may suggest the secondhand route you can get a damn good CDP or DVD player for half it's value...........looks like Clydeselsor beat me to it.
 
I often use DVD for audio CDs. Soundwise I find my Integra DPS 5.5 sounds spectacular and will play any disc I through at it, even scratched discs that won't play on any other player in the house. The drawbacks are that the DVD player takes much longer to start playing a disc than a CD player. I guess it needs to figure out what kind of disc is in there. Also, some DVD need the remote to do many/all the functions. I like to use the machine, not a remote. Luckily the Integras desing their stuff to have all functions available from the front panel.
Take longer to load? That seems odd. I've heard that about Blu-ray (which I haven't experienced) but not CD playback. Your probably right about the machine determining what is loaded, just not sure why it would take longer.
 
I picked up an old Sure CD player at a thrift for 9 bucks and well the insignia is now gone and my cd collection has more than doubled

Same thing happened to me when I got my PD-M900. I used to only buy CDs if the album wasn't made on vinyl or was way too expensive on vinyl from being OOP. I think I've gotten about 30 more CDs since I got it, and that was only a month or two ago.
 
Get a 'cheap' Universal DVD player with a digital out then add a DAC

You can do that in 2 step$
 
Take longer to load? That seems odd. I've heard that about Blu-ray (which I haven't experienced) but not CD playback. Your probably right about the machine determining what is loaded, just not sure why it would take longer.

These 'super players' that play mp3, photo disc, CD, DVD, SACD, HDCD etc. seem to take longer to load. Its really not that bad but compared to a 90's Sony that seems instant, the Integra is slower.
 
I'm looking for an inexpensive used (less than $100) CD player in silver finish to match my vintage audio gear. I'm having a hard time finding a CD player in silver that meets my budget but have seen lots of DVD players in silver on Ebay.

Does anyone here know how DVD players compare to CD players as far as audio quality goes? Any brand suggestions? :music:

Harman Kardon DVD48 - you can pick up factory refurbs on ebay direct from Harman Kardon. It was on my front door on Christmas Eve and I bought it like the 22nd;)

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=338765

:banana:
 
On the head to head comparisons I've done it seems to me that a good CD player sounds better. A good DVD plaer will sound fine, but a good Cd player will have more detail, better imaging and a larger soundstage. But they should, as the CD player was designed to just reproduce music. And that's the reason they cost more. It's true that you will have a hard time finding a good CD player for $100. Good CD players aren't cheap. I don't know how much luck you are going to have finding a silver one though.
Good Luck, Martin.
 
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My impression is that, in lower price ranges at least, DVD players seem to make better CD players.
 
IMHO, one of the best (used) bargains out there is the Toshiba HD-A1 HD DVD player. It uses Burr-Brown DAC's and sounds amazing. You can pick these up for $50 or less. The XA1 is heavier (double-walled), but shares the same electronics.
 
IMHO, one of the best (used) bargains out there is the Toshiba HD-A1 HD DVD player. It uses Burr-Brown DAC's and sounds amazing. You can pick these up for $50 or less. The XA1 is heavier (double-walled), but shares the same electronics.


Is that the one that lots of guys were making simple mods to and reporting even better sound? A couple of pals had them and they sounded swell both before and after mods. And they were silver. ;)
 
No, they are slow to use and at least with cheaper models sound horrible. I used one as a cd player for years but was never satisfied with the sound. In fact it wasn't until I bought turntable did I realise the source made so much difference. I then experimented with other dedicated cd players and came to the conclusion that my dvd player was utter crap, and was the cause of my audio woes.

Lesson learnt, buy a cd player instead.
 
No, they are slow to use and at least with cheaper models sound horrible. I used one as a cd player for years but was never satisfied with the sound. In fact it wasn't until I bought turntable did I realise the source made so much difference. I then experimented with other dedicated cd players and came to the conclusion that my dvd player was utter crap, and was the cause of my audio woes.

Lesson learnt, buy a cd player instead.

Well that depends on the DVD player a good one which would cost more than $100 new would have no problem as a CDP. If you're set on buying something new for less than a C-note then you're pretty much up the creek as they say. I've never heard any "bargin' DVD player that a good used CDP couldn't beat.
 
A dvd that does well dollar for dollar with a dedicated cdp?
Once again I'll throw my hat in for the sony dvp-s7000, basically an es cdp in disguise.
Also available for under a c-note comfortably, even available in silver in japan but hey I've seen them appear on that auction site from time to time.
 
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