Cambridge Audio Azur 650C & Other Budget CD Players

[Art K.]

Over the last 10 yrs I've owned some fine CD players from a variety of manufacturers. CD is my primary source and will be into the foreseeable future. In this thread I will be comparing and contrasting various players from memory, notes and direct comparison. This is not an exercise which I go into willingly as I was quite happy with the sound of my NAD C545BEE however their unreliability has forced me to look elsewhere for a player.

Just a sampling of players I've owned (yes there are more) over the last handful of years.

Rotel RCD 971
NAD C542
Audio Refinement CD Complete Alpha
Rega Apollo
Rega Saturn
NAD C545BEE
Marantz CD5004
Matrantz DV6400 (I think)
Sony CDP-CE375
Sony SCD-CE775
Denon DVD 2910

...and as of next Tuesday I will have the Cambridge Audio Azur 650C.

I would very much appreciate any and all participation, especially from folks who have used any of these and/or are interested in using any of these players.

 

[guitarman50]

Over the last 10 yrs I've owned some fine CD players from a variety of manufacturers. CD is my primary source and will be into the foreseeable future. In this thread I will be comparing and contrasting various players from memory, notes and direct comparison. This is not an exercise which I go into willingly as I was quite happy with the sound of my NAD C545BEE however their unreliability has forced me to look elsewhere for a player.

Just a sampling of players I've owned (yes there are more) over the last handful of years.

Rotel RCD 971
NAD C542
Audio Refinement CD Complete Alpha
Rega Apollo
Rega Saturn
NAD C545BEE
Marantz CD5004
Matrantz DV6400 (I think)
Sony CDP-CE375
Sony SCD-CE775
Denon DVD 2910

...and as of next Tuesday I will have the Cambridge Audio Azur 650C.

I would very much appreciate any and all participation, especially from folks who have used any of these and/or are interested in using any of these players.

I am about to take a plunge in to the world of high end CD players for the first time. Today I'm going to be picking up a Rega Appollo. Its in a town about 90 minutes. I found it on Canuck Audio Mart and I'm just going for the owner to show me its fully operational and if so I'll be buying it. I have nothing to compare it to other than cheap low end mass market players. So I expect it should beat all those. My only real comparison will be the sonic quality I will get from it compared to my P3-24 with the only mods being a groovetracer reference subplatter, the upgraded white belt and a rega exact cartridge. If it comes real close in sound qualit to my turntable my CD playing will probably go from 10% to 50%.

 

[dr*audio]

 

[Art K.]

I am about to take a plunge in to the world of high end CD players for the first time. Today I'm going to be picking up a Rega Appollo. Its in a town about 90 minutes. I found it on Canuck Audio Mart and I'm just going for the owner to show me its fully operational and if so I'll be buying it. I have nothing to compare it to other than cheap low end mass market players. So I expect it should beat all those. My only real comparison will be the sonic quality I will get from it compared to my P3-24 with the only mods being a groovetracer reference subplatter, the upgraded white belt and a rega exact cartridge. If it comes real close in sound qualit to my turntable my CD playing will probably go from 10% to 50%.

The Apollo is a great CD player but it won't come close to the best sound you are getting from analog rig unless your phono pre amp isn't very good. You have a great rig with that P3-24GT/Exact.

 

[guitarman50]

The Apollo is a great CD player but it won't come close to the best sound you are getting from analog rig unless your phono pre amp isn't very good. You have a great rig with that P3-24GT/Exact.

I have a graham slee 2 SE. Certainly not high end but it beat the built in phono pre in my Pioneer receiver.

 

[Art K.]

I have a graham slee 2 SE. Certainly not high end but it beat the built in phono pre in my Pioneer receiver.

That's a nice phono pre.

 

[mfhale]

I'm eagerly awaiting your review, Art.

Having never owned a really nice CD player, I'm starting to wonder what I might be missing. The 650C is on my short list.

 

[jimfet]

Me too.

 

[Quint]

Only heard the 650 once, but I’ve heard the 840C more times than I can count, both at my home and at other people’s places. I’ll just say this about Cambridge digital products: either you’ll be amazed at their performance (especially for the price) or totally mystified at why the press reviews are so glowing. I’m curious what your long-term impressions will be.

 

[Art K.]

Interestingly players using the Wolfson 8740 Dac's include but are not limited to:

Rega Apollo
Rega Saturn (2)
Cambridge 550C
Cambridge 650C (2)
NAD C545BEE
NAD C565BEE (2)

Anybody think of others who use that particular Wolfson DAC.

Comments so far about each of the decks with 2 Wolfson 8740's in dual differential configuration all talk about the much fuller bass. I experienced that with Saturn vs the Apollo. I almost sent the Saturn back as I felt that it departed further from neutrality than did the Apollo. Fuller yes, better, depends on what you are looking for.

This should be fun!

 

[prisoners]

I like the Cambridge. I also liked my NAD 541i but of course it's dead. My Sony 3100ES sounds pretty good as does my Denon 2800....but by far the biggest improvement added to digital playback for me was adding a Peachtree iDac. It will not only improve the sound of your existing player but will also give you iPod and computer connections as well. You may not use either one now, but the conveinence is huge. It's just under a grand, which puts it right there with what most would consider a 'good' cd player.

 

[Art K.]

Thank you for the input. Would like to keep this discussion to CD players and not stand alone DAC's and iPods. Both which no doubt have an important place as part of many folks day to day listening.

 

[Art K.]

Only heard the 650 once, but I’ve heard the 840C more times than I can count, both at my home and at other people’s places. I’ll just say this about Cambridge digital products: either you’ll be amazed at their performance (especially for the price) or totally mystified at why the press reviews are so glowing. I’m curious what your long-term impressions will be.

I think much will have to do with the setup that it's in. The Rega Saturn shined in my setup with a Sonneteer amp and DeVore speakers. It sounded bloated and slow in my NAD/Harbeth setup and the C545BEE was an improvement...so much has to do with how well components work together in a given living space.

I have some friends who have been through some mighty high end pieces of late and they rave about the 650C (not the previous 640 which is altogether different). In fact one said it ran nearly (emphasis on nearly) neck and neck with his Bryston DAC...mighty praise indeed.

Unfortunately if it doesn't work out there will be no more trades as I'll just have to sell it and move on. The NAD's are too unreliable to return to.

 

[prisoners]

Thank you for the input. Would like to keep this discussion to CD players and not stand alone DAC's and iPods. Both which no doubt have an important place as part on many folks day to day listening.

Cool. In that case I liked the Cambridge, listened to it with the matching integrated amp and several different speakers at a local shop. Not exactly a long-term demo, but I was there several hours with all sorts of music. I was speaker shopping at the time but came away impressed with the Cambridge units.

 

[Art K.]

Cool. In that case I liked the Cambridge, listened to it with the matching integrated amp and several different speakers at a local shop. Not exactly a long-term demo, but I was there several hours with all sorts of music. I was speaker shopping at the time but came away impressed with the Cambridge units.

Now you're really making me jones for Tuesday! Always some fun in the anticpation...unfortunately it's often followed by a thud when our dreams hit the shitter...

Here's to hoping that doesn't happen!

 

[prisoners]

Well....it's all in personal preference I suppose. But if I was looking I'd start there.

 

[Art K.]

The CA's have arrived and are warming up. They are attractive machines. Slim and well laid out. This is gonna be a blast...or a bust!

 

[thedelihaus]

I've enjoyed various Regas at my friend's high end hifi shop.

I've owned the Cambridge Audio 640. Thought the performance was great. Some folk feel they are a bit forward in certain systems. In mu system, perhaps a tad, a smidge forward, but clear, quiet, lovely. Build quality is great. I kept the player close by- 2 feet- and I could hear the transport, but it was mild- further away, it wouldn't be an issue. Or perhaps a little Dynamat.

What HiFi actually raved about that Marantz you had owned, feeling it was a knockout. They preferred it over the 640 and 650- but I would prefer the 640 and 650.

The NAD stuff- also have listened to it. Have not owned one- they all exhibited issues with burned CDs. I don't have many burned CDs, but it is a known issue with the NAD players- out of the box, or developing 6 months, perhaps a year down the road.

The Rotel 1072- this was favored slightly over the Cambridge 640. Mildly, mildly better. Almost splitting hairs.

Of all the players, I was most impressed with the Rega construct, but felt the Cambridge Audio gear was cleanly built. Clean design, nice layout. Nice kit.

These players all have great sound. Build quality is not like some of the vintage Sony, Marantz, Denon and Pioneer top players- no copper clad chassis, copious shielding, etc.

But the sound? Wonderful.

 

[JohnVF]

I found my Cambridge 640c to be very system dependent. I loved it with my tube system, and found it a bit too analytical/forward in very-revealing systems. When it's was well matched to other gear, however, it's a nice player. My other 'budget hi end' CD player is an old AMC CD-6b with the optional tube output. It is quite the opposite in sound to the Cambridge. Not nearly as open/detailed but maybe a bit more dead-on as far as timbre of instruments. It was replaced because I felt it way too warm/rolled off sounding. Nice in the right context, however. I should roll some tubes into it now that I'm thinking about it.

 

[thedelihaus]

The CA's have arrived and are warming up. They are attractive machines. Slim and well laid out. This is gonna be a blast...or a bust!

I'm hoping a blast. I think you made a good selection.