lorne
Sonic Lizard
ONE APPROACH THAT HAS THE FUTURE IN MIND: Strong older players as transports only!
Did the Yamaha CDX series ever get exported? Years ago I got a CDX 1020 from HiFiDo. I hate to use the cliche, but it's built like a tank! It does not have a hood; it has a top made of steel plate that nestles into a bed on the chassis and fastens with a number of bevelled machine screws all around. That should tell you about the build quality in a nutshell.
But it is only a second generation machine, which are not usually known for their stellar sound — although it's not that bad. Nonetheless, I did not buy it to make the noise, but rather only to transport it with a minimal amount of jitter. The outboard DAC does the sweet-talking, which in my case is a DIY Paradise Monica III.
So my two cents worth in this thread is to buy a hi-end, EARLY gen player that most discerning people would pass up. You might get a really good deal. Put your dosh towards a DAC of your choice. Actually, any decent player with "digi out" will do as a transport. Put the emphasis on the DAC. If an older players dies in action, you still have your larger investment intact and waiting for another transport, or even a USB something. I really think this is the way to go.
Did the Yamaha CDX series ever get exported? Years ago I got a CDX 1020 from HiFiDo. I hate to use the cliche, but it's built like a tank! It does not have a hood; it has a top made of steel plate that nestles into a bed on the chassis and fastens with a number of bevelled machine screws all around. That should tell you about the build quality in a nutshell.
But it is only a second generation machine, which are not usually known for their stellar sound — although it's not that bad. Nonetheless, I did not buy it to make the noise, but rather only to transport it with a minimal amount of jitter. The outboard DAC does the sweet-talking, which in my case is a DIY Paradise Monica III.
So my two cents worth in this thread is to buy a hi-end, EARLY gen player that most discerning people would pass up. You might get a really good deal. Put your dosh towards a DAC of your choice. Actually, any decent player with "digi out" will do as a transport. Put the emphasis on the DAC. If an older players dies in action, you still have your larger investment intact and waiting for another transport, or even a USB something. I really think this is the way to go.