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CD player dead.....using alternative players

S

Standingwave

Member
My CD Player died. Tray failure. I also own a Sony DVD player and Pioneer laserdisc player. Of course I also own computers with CD/DVD players built in. I have been advised to use any or all of these units as an alternative to a purpose-built CD player since they probably have better built in DACs than the rather simple, very early model CD player that died. Finally, they recommend getting a new Blu ray player for the best possible music reproduction from CDs. Any thoughts about what to do to play my consideable library of CDs?
 
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I am interested too. Does a Blu-Ray player sound better with CDs than a universal player that plays SACD, but is not a Blu-Ray player?
 
Junknewbian said:
I am interested too. Does a Blu-Ray player sound better with CDs than a universal player that plays SACD, but is not a Blu-Ray player?
Click to expand...

If you like listening to CD's through your TV set!
My new Sony blue ray player doesn't have an analog audio output. I bought an external small DAC for $60 that works good enough though.
 
First, unless you physically broke the tray mechanism, it is probably a simple fix involving lubrication and/or a belt, something that can be fixed for $1.

Second, drive/transport technology has not changed/advanced much in the past 20 years, so a drive is a drive is a drive. However, DAC technology is advancing by leaps and bounds. Grab anything you have handy (computer, DVD, CDP, BRP) with a digital out and feed it to a "modern" DAC and you will be fine/better than what you had.
 
Let's see, new $30 plastic piece of crap Blu-ray player vs used $1000 (now $50 - $75) Sony DVP NS900V DVD player, it wasn't even close. Plus the Sony plays SACD's, now if comparing to a $1000 Blu-ray that's a whole different kettle of fish.
 
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It is more work up front, but the best thing to do is rip all of your CDs in a lossless format to your computer or a dedicated drive and set up a music server. Besides having the potential to sound better the convenience and flexibility are huge advantages.
 
charles 1973 said:
If you like listening to CD's through your TV set!
My new Sony blue ray player doesn't have an analog audio output. I bought an external small DAC for $60 that works good enough though.
Click to expand...

One of my pet peeves is that most pictures of these new Blu Ray players don't offer a view of the back side input/outputs. Why are they hiding this?

Most CD players (stand alone) still show pictures of the back.

You can get an HDMI to RCA or Digital Coaxial to RCA converter (after market) ... but that's really BS to have to buy that in addition to a brand new unit. It's also a violation of my KISS principle of hooking up electronics.

My old Sony Blu Ray player (analog outs) died after only four years of light use. So I solved the problem real quick. Since I only owned three Blu Ray's & used the player mostly for rentals. I just gave up on Blu Ray for now. Maybe I'll get a universal Blu Ray someday when my universal DVD player dies.

Hey ... if the low end Blu Ray player manufactures ( :finger: John Q Public) don't care ... I don't care either.
 
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Condorsat said:
One of my pet peeves is that most pictures of these new Blu Ray players don't offer a view of the back side input/outputs. Why are they hiding this?

Most CD players (stand alone) still show pictures of the back.

You can get an HDMI to RCA or Digital Coaxial to RCA converter (after market) ... but that's really BS to have to buy that in addition to a brand new unit. It's also a violation of my KISS principle of hooking up electronics.

My old Sony Blu Ray player (analog outs) died after only four years of light use. So I solved the problem real quick. Since I only owned three Blu Ray's & used the player mostly for rentals. I just gave up on Blu Ray for now. Maybe I'll get a universal Blu Ray someday when my universal DVD player dies.

Hey ... if the low end Blu Ray player manufactures ( :finger: John Q Public) don't care ... I don't care either.
Click to expand...

You noticed the lack of pictures of the back's of cheap new Blue Ray players too. I had to search the web to find them on some players I looked at.

I feel much the same way as you about the rest. I'm not the least bit interested in anything more than DVD's myself with regard to commercially recorded programs and movies. Heck, I still use VHS tapes, Which sometimes offer a better picture than poorly mastered DVD's. Even the Dolby Pro-Logic SS can sound impressive.

But since I had already bought the Blue ray player, And might use the smart function to connect the TV to Netflix and Internet TV, Adding a Cheap Tiny DAC seems to work for me.

I just bought some new movies and will not pay extra for blue ray, and will never replace DVD's with them until I can no longer buy DVD players used. As it happened, the Transformers movie was the same price on Blue Ray as DVD, So in this case, I bought the Blue Ray. Like jeans, I would never pay full list price for a pair of Levi's, But might buy them when Sears has them on sale for 50% off.
 
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charles 1973 said:
You noticed the lack of pictures of the back's of cheap new Blue Ray players too. I had to search the web to find them on some players I looked at.


But since I had already bought the Blue ray player, And might use the smart function to connect the TV to Netflix and Internet TV, Adding a Cheap Tiny DAC seems to work for me.
Click to expand...

Yes ... they are dong that by intent ... it's an attitude. Same story with LCD or LED now. Most have terrible internal sound ... you have to buy a sound bar. Salemen will tell you that you can't fit a good speaker in a small profile display unit ... but my old Panasonic Viera managed to do it just fine. I still play my hard media movies and special programs (music channels/Palladia concerts ... etc) through my living room speakers but the sound is okay for normal TV watching.

Not sure what the smart function is ... last time I bought a TV ... it was my Panasonic Viera LCD (720P) in 2010.

Dac would work ... just don't like being forced to buy another component so the manufacture can save money on their end.

Really thought I would use the Blu Ray format more than I did. When I bought movies (mostly I just rent anymore) ... the DVDs were always less expensive and many of the old movies I wanted were only available on DVD. It's easier to get DVD's than Blu Rays from my local Library. In addition ... the last rental store in my small Ohio town ... still stocks more DVD's than Blu Rays ... even in 2015 :yikes: go figure.
 
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Yeah, no contest between the sound of a stand alone CD player, either my Arcam or Cambridge vs my BluRay. Heck, even an old Playstation 1, if you can grab one for $20 will suffice and sound better than you might expect.
 
While I save money towards the OPO BP105 that I really want I needed at least something on hand to play blu-ray, dvd and cd's. I ended up choosing a LG BP-620 specificly because it's one of the last low cost (aka cheap) players that still has 2-channel RCA outputs as well as the optical and hdmi outputs. Specs aren't great, but then again they aren't that bad for the price, and better than the old Sony dvd player that it replaced.

Cheers,
James
 
Bratwurst7s said:
I ended up choosing a LG BP-620 specificly because it's one of the last low cost (aka cheap) players that still has 2-channel RCA outputs as well as the optical and hdmi outputs. Specs aren't great, but then again they aren't that bad for the price, and better than the old Sony dvd player that it replaced.

Cheers,
James
Click to expand...

Yes ... that looked good but the 45 1 star reviews (compared to 116 5 star) on Amazon scared me away. I take it ... you like yours?
 
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Condorsat said:
I take it ... you like yours?
Click to expand...

Well, I like it to the degree that it's been servicable for the price, which was $92 last June.

It has those rca jacks, which let me run 2-channel to my AX-1090, and optical out which is usefull for me because my aging DSP-E800 doesn't have HDMI inputs. I have 2 friends that bought it for the same reasons, low price and usable with older gear.

It loads blu-rays and dvd's reasonably quickly, but perversely is a bit slower than I'd like when loading cd's. It's specs of 0.02% THD, 90db SNR and 95db DNR are slightly better than the dvd player that it replaced and the sound that it outputs is reasonably good for the price.

It reads Flac files which is important for me, but the file display interface is clunky and I personally dislike the now universal method of displaying files as icons/objects. It only has 1 usb port, on the front. That's usefull for using usb sticks but I dislike having cables sticking in the front when using a HD. I'm always concerned that someone is going to come along and bump into it and break the plug so I never leave anything plugged in when not actively using the player.

I've found it usefull for displaying vacation photos and such, it makes a reasonably good photo viewer. It also reads mkv files which I like as I can archive my films to a HD and saves me from loading disks.

It has W-LAN but I can't tell you how well that works as I have that feature disabled. When I reach a point where I have to update the firmware to read new blu-rays I'll just plug it into my router which is close by.

The remote is reasonably usefull, it's form when holding it naturally puts the most used buttons where my fingers can find them without major shifting of the hand. But like all remotes these days it's very cluttered with a lot of buttons that I'll never use.

A friend gifted me an Onkyo DX-6900 CDP at the begining of the year so I don't use the LG to play cd's any longer as the Onkyo is far and away better sounding, but that's comparing apples and pumkins because when new the Onkyo was enornormously more expensive.

Well, there ya go.
James
 
Fix your CD player or get another. They go for peanuts now. Even the really good universal players from just a few years ago are dirt-cheap.
 
I would add that no dvd or blu-ray player that I've used so far has loaded cd's as fast as a CDP. They seem to have an irritatingly long latency to read the disk and be ready to play it. With the Phillips CDP that I had and the Onkyo that I have now the cd is ready to play almost instantly, perhaps a second or 2.

Cheers,
James
 
I've been impressed with my 80s vintage HK CD players but haven't really compared with much of the newer high end ones. I did pick up a yamaha universal 6 disc changer at the thrift shop for $18 because it needed new drive belts. My boss has a bunch of SACDs that he keeps forgetting to bring me that I am super excited to try out.
If they are that much better I'll probably invest in a yam Sx000 player depending on how much I feel like spending.
I have zero interest in DVD playback as I don't have a TV.
 
One of our members urged me to try my shelved Pioneer Laserdisc player last year. I finally pulled it out of storage and hooked it up and the CD play is fantatic. Too bad these don't play DVD's as well, but what the heck. I use it as a CD player and as a rediscovered Laserdisc player. I have about 40 or 50 Laserdiscs that I've not viewed since the late 90's. The other day I put on The Eagles "Hell Freezes Over". It was fantastic. Sure, you don't get an HD pic, but you do get amazing sound. I have it on my ManPatio hooked to a Panasonic 35" CRT Television, so HD isn't important anyway. What fun! Welcome to 1995! :)

Yea, Laserdisc Players make GREAT CD Players.
 
I have four systems with decent sound. One has a CD player, one has a Blu-ray player, and two have DVD players. They all sound good to me. Peace and goodwill.
 
Many thanks for all the useful replies. Guess I'll play the CDs through my laserdisc player until that conks out then move to my DVD player. meanwhile I will try to fix the balky tray on my very old CD Player. The tray slides out when I press the correct button but then instantly flies right back in again before I even have a chance to drop in a disc.
 
There are several threads around here discussing a $150.00 TEAC CD player.

I don't know what your budget is but if I wanted to spend $150.00 on a cd player, the TEAC would be on my short list.


edit:I just found the cd player: TEAC CD-P650-B

Now going for $130.00 on Amazon.
 
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