• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

Best budget CD player

boojum

boojum

AK Member
I know this is a question that has been submitted before, but I'm not finding anything very recent in my searches. As CD and DVD technology is constantly evolving, I've noted several threads that plainly state a recent, cheap Walmart DVD player will kick the butt of any vintage 80's or 90's high-end CD player due to improvements in the DAC's and other circuitry.
I'm currently running a Toshiba BDX-2000 through my Onkyo TX SR805 and vintage Advents; not terribly impressed by the audio (stereo) despite running Audyssey, making adjustments, etc.
I have a line on a Toshiba HD-XA1 for not much money (which is important for my budget), but don't know if the CD reproduction would be any improvement on the BDX. Any thoughts would be appreciated. :scratch2:
 
Register to hide this ad
boojum said:
I know this is a question that has been submitted before, but I'm not finding anything very recent in my searches. As CD and DVD technology is constantly evolving, I've noted several threads that plainly state a recent, cheap Walmart DVD player will kick the butt of any vintage 80's or 90's high-end CD player due to improvements in the DAC's and other circuitry.
I'm currently running a Toshiba BDX-2000 through my Onkyo TX SR805 and vintage Advents; not terribly impressed by the audio (stereo) despite running Audyssey, making adjustments, etc.
I have a line on a Toshiba HD-XA1 for not much money (which is important for my budget), but don't know if the CD reproduction would be any improvement on the BDX. Any thoughts would be appreciated. :scratch2:
Click to expand...

I disagree 100% on this. :thumbsdn:
 
boojum said:
Here's an interesting thread re: vintage 80's, 90's versus cheap and new.
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=271725
Click to expand...


Didn't read the whole thread, since it seems your basing your comments on the OP's findings. Remember, there are about as many opinions on AK, as there are CD players. Take his observations with a grain of salt. It's kinda like the State Farm Ins. ad on TV. The girl tells the State Farm customer that people can't post lies on the internet. :)
 
gt59 said:
For under $200, the Onkyo C-7030 is hard to beat.
Click to expand...


I am mostly into vinyl but looking for something inexpensive to play CDs on a vintage 2 channel system.

Does the Onkyo C-7030 sound good when using the analog outputs?

thanks, Bob
 
For a real budget beater get the Sony PS-1 (Playstation 1) model SCPH-1001. $20 used, at a a local video game store. Leave it on all of the time- takes 3 days to start sounding really good. I'm not kidding.
 
If you can find an older Rotel RCD-971 CD player on the used market (roughly $150-250), you'd be doin' good, IMO.
...Good DACs (two of them): Burr-Brown PCM-63, and with the Pacific Microsonics PMD-100 HDCD decoder/digital filter.
 
Last edited:
boojum said:
I know this is a question that has been submitted before, but I'm not finding anything very recent in my searches. As CD and DVD technology is constantly evolving, I've noted several threads that plainly state a recent, cheap Walmart DVD player will kick the butt of any vintage 80's or 90's high-end CD player due to improvements in the DAC's and other circuitry.
I'm currently running a Toshiba BDX-2000 through my Onkyo TX SR805 and vintage Advents; not terribly impressed by the audio (stereo) despite running Audyssey, making adjustments, etc.
I have a line on a Toshiba HD-XA1 for not much money (which is important for my budget), but don't know if the CD reproduction would be any improvement on the BDX. Any thoughts would be appreciated. :scratch2:
Click to expand...

Some have said that the HD-XA1 is an excellent CD player. I have one, but never A/B'd it against another. It's very heavy, has a cool fold down door, but the only downside is that it has some fan noise. Not really noticeable if you're playing music at any reasonable volume, but it's there, not unlike a PC fan (actually, the HD-XA1 has a very PC-like architecture I've heard).

Boot up time is pretty long as well. But for say $75 or less, it'd be worth considering to me. Can play DVD's and HD DVD's at high quality level as well. I still have mine.
 
LordOfTRings said:
Yeah, me too, I still have mine; that Toshiba HD DVD player. :)
Click to expand...

Believe it or not, I have 4 HD DVD players in the house: HD-XA1, HD-XA2, DV-HD805 (Onkyo version of HD-XA2), and HD-A35. 2 or 3 bought after HD-DVD was clearly going down for the count, as back ups and because they were clearance priced. With the Reon processor, the HD-XA2 and DV-HD805 make superior DVD players, and the other two are quite good as well. And I do have a bunch of HD-DVD movies.

That being said, one doesn't need FOUR HD-DVD players. :no:
 
I suspect the Maggotbox "CDP" (repurposed DVD player) I am using right now in MA probably cost 50 or less new. I found it on the swap pile at my favorite local emporium; only picked it up because the remote was with it (they so rarely are). The transport is rather noisy; there's no on-board display (which doesn't seem like an outrageous compromise given that it is meant to be a DVD player)... it sounds excellent.

DSC_6439_zpsdab02eb5.jpg
 
It sounds good to me. Nice construction, good sized power supply, Wolfson dac.

Dies not do cd text, but does do mp3 tags

Sent from my XT907 using Tapatalk 2
 
Ths364 said:
For a real budget beater get the Sony PS-1 (Playstation 1) model SCPH-1001. $20 used, at a a local video game store. Leave it on all of the time- takes 3 days to start sounding really good. I'm not kidding.
Click to expand...

I'll +1 this. I have 2 of them and am planing some rework of at least one. They sound amazing for $20!
 
Based on my experience with a Onkyo DX-703 (15+ years, then started acting up), I would be confident the newer C-7030 would be a safe bet. It even costs, now, the same as mine did then.

OTOH, I think my new NAD C546BEE is easier to listen to for a long time than the old Onkyo. It also sounded better, in the store, than the C515.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom