Will Blu Ray player play CD’s?

vinylubber

New Member
So I just ordered the Beatles White Album 6 disc box set, it’s the only way to get all of the other cool stuff (Esher demos, alternate takes, mono, 5.1, blah blah). One problem...I don’t have a CD player, haven’t played a CD in years, back to vinyl!! Anyway, I have a Sony BDP-S3500 Blu Ray player. Will it play CD’s? If so, how do I hook it up to my McIntosh MAC 1900?
 

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So I just ordered the Beatles White Album 6 disc box set, it’s the only way to get all of the other cool stuff (Esher demos, alternate takes, mono, 5.1, blah blah). One problem...I don’t have a CD player, haven’t played a CD in years, back to vinyl!! Anyway, I have a Sony BDP-S3500 Blu Ray player. Will it play CD’s? If so, how do I hook it up to my McIntosh MAC 1900?
Yep..
Blu-ray players the best because they don't skip like the old CD players I have.
I don't use any CD players anymore except in my garage and when I turn it up too loud with my Mach ones the CD player will skip like an old Turntable record player when you bump it
 
As for how you're going to hook it up to your Macintosh someone else will have to help with that.

my Sony Blu-Ray players have analog out as well as HDMI.
And I use the analog out audio Jack's and hook them to the auxiliary of my vintage receiver
 
You have to get a converter which takes HDMI input, extracts the audio and converts it from digital to analog. There are inexpensive ones, but I would guess that the low-end units will be a weak link in your signal chain.

Unless you have other reasons to spend money on a nice DAC which can take HDMI input, perhaps the best choice would be to pick up a used CD player. They can be had for pretty low dollars...about the same as the cheapest HDMI converters, I believe.
 
You have to get a converter which takes HDMI input, extracts the audio and converts it from digital to analog. There are inexpensive ones, but I would guess that the low-end units will be a weak link in your signal chain.

Unless you have other reasons to spend money on a nice DAC which can take HDMI input, perhaps the best choice would be to pick up a used CD player. They can be had for pretty low dollars...about the same as the cheapest HDMI converters, I believe.
 
What’s a good single used CD player? I had a nice Denon one back in late 80’s that I swapped for a crappy Sony multi disc player. What a mistake. Something for $100 would be perfect.
 
You can get a digital to analog converter (DAC) with a digital coax input and use the corresponding output on the DVD player, make that connection and the DAC will have at least one single pair of RCA analog outputs. Get some RCA cables and connect the DAC to an RCA input on your MAC 1900, such as Tape 1. Select that input on the front controls of the MAC and you should be good to go.
 
Can you show me an example? So many types of DAC converters, I’d like to order the correct type. Thanks for the reply!!!
 
In my limited experience, if he wants to invest in a DAC, he should get one with both coax and USB input. Great idea if he wants a DAC, but I thought the OP's focus is on vinyl?

I've heard a few of the economy-grade DACs, and not been very impressed with them. For me, $250 is the floor for a nice sounding DAC.

As I implied in my other post, if he has interest in going down the digital path, a DAC is the right way to solve his problem. And yes, now that I've looked up his Sony Bluray player, I see that it has both HDMI and coax output...coax will of course be much easier to deal with than HDMI if he goes with a DAC.

Alternatively, he can probably get a very nice CD player for low $ to play his few CDs.
 
In my limited experience, if he wants to invest in a DAC, he should get one with both coax and USB input. Great idea if he wants a DAC, but I thought the OP's focus is on vinyl?

I've heard a few of the economy-grade DACs, and not been very impressed with them. For me, $250 is the floor for a nice sounding DAC.

As I implied in my other post, if he has interest in going down the digital path, a DAC is the right way to solve his problem. And yes, now that I've looked up his Sony Bluray player, I see that it has both HDMI and coax output...coax will of course be much easier to deal with than HDMI if he goes with a DAC.

Alternatively, he can probably get a very nice CD player for low $ to play his few CDs.
 
Ok, so you’re saying $250 for a proper DAC converter? Isn’t it cheaper to get a nice used CD player? I’m just looking for something to play the CD’s with. If I can utilize something that I already own, the Blu Ray player, is getting something to make that work better or worse than getting a new or used CD player? Sounds like there’s two schools I’d thought. I’m sure there’s maybe a third or fourth option!!
 
Much cheaper to get a good used CD player...something of reasonable quality, like your old Denon.

To be fair, you can get a standalone DAC for about the same money as the CD player ($30-100). But if you do a bit of homework, I believe you will fairly easily find a used CD player that sounds appreciably better than these lower-end DACs.

Of course, if you are looking to get serious about digital sources - instead of just being able to play an occasional CD - then by all means get a standalone DAC with both coax and asynch USB inputs. But if you go that route, IMHO you need to be willing to spend the same kind of money you would spend on a turntable and cartridge if buying new. Otherwise, your digital is going to get left in the dust by your vinyl.:)
 
My suggestion: get a CD player of enough quality to match your wonderful McIntosh amp. Using cheap gear (e.g., most BR or DVD players) in the front end would yield a low quality sound in the output, regardless what is the rest of your system.
 
Have all three of these great players. All retailed at or over $1000 but now can be had on eBay for $80. I also have a Sony BRP, BDP S6500 and it's nowhere near in the same league in SQ.

Sony DVP NS900V, have 3 in black, still wanting one in silver.
sony900v.gif

Sony DVP NS999ES
x158dvp999s-f_LD.jpeg

Sony DVP CX777ES
x158DVPX777-f.jpeg
 
IMO, an inexpensive (<$100) used CDP is the "dollar for dollar" way to go. It is pretty easy to find older TOTL CDPs for literally 10 cents on the dollar of what the original MSRP was when they first hit the market. They were specifically designed for redbook audio CDs and high quality analogue audio output. IME, although DVD and BRD players will play audio CDs, their emphasis is not on audio quality, are slow to queue standard redbook CDs, and the displays are not as "user friendly" for just audio CD playback.

Unless you go "really old" on your choice of CDP, most of them will have and optical or coaxial digital output (or both) that you can use to feed to a stand-alone DAC in the future. As others have posted, a good stand-alone DAC can make a significant improvement in SQ, and the majority of these DACs can accept optical, coax, and USB digital inputs--the USB being significant should you choose to start streaming music from a computer, phone, tablet, music server.
 
Will it play CD’s? If so, how do I hook it up to my McIntosh MAC 1900?

Yes. I have the Coax out of my Samsung Blu-Ray into a low $ DAC to GF’s powered speakers so she can spin her CD’s or stream. Could do the same with your MAC.
 
In my experience (as far as me liking the sound) .. depends on the player. My universal Yamaha Blu Ray (AVENTAGE BD-A1060BL) does a nice job with Rebook CD's .. that being said .. I still run Coax out to external DAC Schiit Audio Modi 2 Uber.
 
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Yes, it would be cheaper to just get a good used CD player. In comparison to your DVD player, which only has the digital coaxial output, a CD player already has a DAC chipset inside and RCA outputs so you can connect it to your MAC with no additional sound processing hardware.
 
Have all three of these great players. All retailed at or over $1000 but now can be had on eBay for $80. I also have a Sony BRP, BDP S6500 and it's nowhere near in the same league in SQ.

Sony DVP NS900V, have 3 in black, still wanting one in silver.
View attachment 1324815

Sony DVP NS999ES
View attachment 1324814

Sony DVP CX777ES
View attachment 1324813
Have all three of these great players. All retailed at or over $1000 but now can be had on eBay for $80. I also have a Sony BRP, BDP S6500 and it's nowhere near in the same league in SQ.

Sony DVP NS900V, have 3 in black, still wanting one in silver.
View attachment 1324815

Sony DVP NS999ES
View attachment 1324814

Sony DVP CX777ES
View attachment 1324813

Found a nice 999ES, $125, looks clean w/remote. Sound good? Maybe I’ll offer $100.
 
I dont know much about it, but as a dvd player it may need to be connected to a display to manage some aspects of its functionality. Also, start up times may be slow as it figures out what kind of disc you are playing. I have no clue about its sound quality...but be sure it has 2 channel analog out connections if you decide to get it.
 
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