Good used CD players that are not expensive
- Thread starter Da He Hua
- Start date
There are plenty of options, but apart from sound quality you should also have reliability in mind when deciding. This is why i don't spend more than 20 on used cd players, you almost never know when they're going to start acting up. Me being a casual listener, i'd try tracking down a cheap sony ES/QS or Denon dcd-1420 or above. Marantz players are very popular for their sound, but i'm not convinced of their general reliability.
If you listen to cds on a daily basis a safer route would probably be a new or lightly used player. You should be able to get one for less than 150 usd.
If you listen to cds on a daily basis a safer route would probably be a new or lightly used player. You should be able to get one for less than 150 usd.
xero-D-hero
Super Member
If one is looking for reliable vintage CD players the ones to seek out are the Philips based players with the CDM "swing-arm" transports.
The Philips CDM transports are typically far more reliable the Sony KSS transports.
Vintage Magnavox/Marantz/Philips all typically used the Philips CDM transports,among a few select others.
Sony mostly uses their KSS transports (obviously...) as do many other brands of CD players,Denon being among them.
Problem with the Sony KSS transports mostly relates to the lasers,and their tendency to die.
And many of the Sony replacment lasers are'nt available anymore,thus making a player using one little more than a paperweight when the laser dies.
Which is a d@mn shame because there are some very nice CDP's that used those Sony KSS transports.
Anyhow JMO that this place >>>> http://www.dutchaudioclassics.nl/ is probably one's best resource when shopping for vintage CDP's.
Beyond just which CDP's are reliable,then you get into other areas like the DAC(s) a given player uses and how those affect sound quality.
So that website helps fill in those blanks by listing DAC's and tranports given players use.
Just some food for thought.
HTH
Bret P.
The Philips CDM transports are typically far more reliable the Sony KSS transports.
Vintage Magnavox/Marantz/Philips all typically used the Philips CDM transports,among a few select others.
Sony mostly uses their KSS transports (obviously...) as do many other brands of CD players,Denon being among them.
Problem with the Sony KSS transports mostly relates to the lasers,and their tendency to die.
And many of the Sony replacment lasers are'nt available anymore,thus making a player using one little more than a paperweight when the laser dies.
Which is a d@mn shame because there are some very nice CDP's that used those Sony KSS transports.
Anyhow JMO that this place >>>> http://www.dutchaudioclassics.nl/ is probably one's best resource when shopping for vintage CDP's.
Beyond just which CDP's are reliable,then you get into other areas like the DAC(s) a given player uses and how those affect sound quality.
So that website helps fill in those blanks by listing DAC's and tranports given players use.
Just some food for thought.
HTH
Bret P.
Many SACDs are available for classical music. A used Oppo DV-980H is commonly available on eBay for less than $100, and plays CDs and SACDs.
If you can stretch your budget, there is a wealth of classical music, opera, and ballet on Blu-ray, Pure Audio Blu-ray, hi-res (24bit/192kHz) FLAC downloads (e.g., HDTracks), and DSD downloads.
See www.hraudio.net, and Amazon.
If you can stretch your budget, there is a wealth of classical music, opera, and ballet on Blu-ray, Pure Audio Blu-ray, hi-res (24bit/192kHz) FLAC downloads (e.g., HDTracks), and DSD downloads.
See www.hraudio.net, and Amazon.
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Grenadeslio
Lunatic Member
These Sony decks with an original MSRP of $1000 can be found on eBay as low as $80, they are more plentiful in black though.
I'm not a Sony CD fan. I had their TOTL model and it was magnificent, perfect — and soulless.
I was very happy with a Marantz CD5000, and any player with the 1541(?) dac-chip. Lampizator, the crazy-genius digital guru in Poland who modifies every CDP with tubes, publishes a list of players that he considers GREAT right out of the box, no mods needed.
The Marantz CD 5000 is on his list. They sell for very low prices online.
I was very happy with a Marantz CD5000, and any player with the 1541(?) dac-chip. Lampizator, the crazy-genius digital guru in Poland who modifies every CDP with tubes, publishes a list of players that he considers GREAT right out of the box, no mods needed.
The Marantz CD 5000 is on his list. They sell for very low prices online.
onanysunday
Listen carefully
I modify/ upgrade vintage cd players as a hobby and have listened critically to several dozen that have passed through my hands throughout the years. Take it with a grain of salt but here are my observations of the black plastic.
Kenwood - never sounds great, average at best
Sony - Perhaps most 'balanced' sounding and not particularly memorable unless hard-to-find ES series
Onkyo & Yamaha - I put these together because they sound similar to me very bright and thin, almost too clear at high volumes while sounding more enjoyable at lower listening levels.
To my ears, JVC, Pioneer all sound average, the same unless you're listening to their Elite and Super Digifine models.
Magnavox CDB series - Very good all around, especially with its "TDA1541" DAC variants. Almost seems softer and smoother without losing any realism, more natural and easy to listen to.
Vintage Luxman, Nakamichi, Akai, Mitsubishi, NEC, Marantz ALL winners.
Kenwood - never sounds great, average at best
Sony - Perhaps most 'balanced' sounding and not particularly memorable unless hard-to-find ES series
Onkyo & Yamaha - I put these together because they sound similar to me very bright and thin, almost too clear at high volumes while sounding more enjoyable at lower listening levels.
To my ears, JVC, Pioneer all sound average, the same unless you're listening to their Elite and Super Digifine models.
Magnavox CDB series - Very good all around, especially with its "TDA1541" DAC variants. Almost seems softer and smoother without losing any realism, more natural and easy to listen to.
Vintage Luxman, Nakamichi, Akai, Mitsubishi, NEC, Marantz ALL winners.
