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CD player for under $200

Here is a list from Audiogon:

NAD C515BEE - $215.00 OBO (very well reviewed unit)
Marantz CD5004 - $265.00 OBO
Sony DVP-NS999ES - $225.00 OBO (SACD and from Sony's ES series)
Adcom GCD-700 - $110.00
AV123 - Onix XCD-88 - $199.00 OBO (a not so well known unit, that is remarkably good)
NAD C541i - $250.00 OBO
Rotel RCD-950 - $99.00 OBO
Sony C555ES - $190.00 OBO
Onkyo DX-C390 - $99.00 (Refurb @ Accessories4Less)

Some, like the Onkyo, are multi disc units, which I have never been a fan of, but they are convenient.

The ones that I have listed that are over $200.00, have OBO (Or Best Offer) next to them, so you might buy them for $200.00 or less.
 
roggae said:
Originally Posted by Brett a
I've never heard an 800 series Rotel. Maybe OK, but I'd look at the 900 series as they will be newer and still within your budget.
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is there something specific about the rotel that causes that signature you like?
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You mean do I know what specifically they do with their build process to make their signature sound?

Short answer would be "no".

The longer answer would be that it is likely their choice of internal DACs (my 1070 has a well-regarded Burr-Brown) and their choice of high-quality build parts (from the transport mechanism to the capacitors, to the power supply)

The few 900 series Rotel I've had the pleasure to hear have all been real tasty sounding. And I bet you could find one for under $200 in short time.

But, as others have suggested, you'd also do well with something from NAD, Cambridge, Adcom, etc. I just happen to like the Rotel sound (in CD players at least)
 
I listen to classical and bluegrass music. My opinion of the Panasonic still stands. Even the sound of music streaming on the Pandora service has fidelity as a good as the best sources I have heard.
 
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grateful said:
I listen to classical and bluegrass music. My opinion of the Panasonic still stands. Even the sound of music streaming on the Pandora service has fidelity as a good as the best sources I have heard.
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You need to hear more sources, my friend.
 
I've seen used Music Hall CD25 or CD25.2 approach that price on occasion. OTOH, you could consider a DAC and feed it from any number of sources, likely including your computer or some other CDP/DVD player.
 
roggae said:
i am currently in the market for a CD player. Since i am unemployed (read stay at home dad) and my wife is buying the unit, i'd like to keep it under $200 if possible. i am currently using a jolida 302 amp and AR 2axs. my current CD player is some magnavox unit we picked up at a sprawl mart a few years ago. i'm all over the idea of a vintage CD player, but really i've been on the vinyl trip for so long i've pretty much lost touch with what constitues a good CDP. Sorry for the somewhat of a crosspost, but i just saw this subforum...
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In my personal experience I think the AK members who are recommending stand alone CD players are steering you in the right direction. A component designed for a particular function is going to perform that function best. I haven't heard the Rotels, but they have a great reputation, I know some of the NADs sound good. You could also look for a Luxman, or an Arcam which is a pretty nice player. Some of the old Denon players are pretty sweet sounding also. I have had great luck with Kyocera. I have two model 710s, and love the way they sound. Great imaging, tight full base, and a large soundstage. I also have had a 610, but prefer the 710. They can be found on eBay with remotes at around $150. They are older though. Kyocera quit audio production in 1988 I think, but they were innovators and quite a few manufacturers had Kyocera make their players for them. Where do you live? If you live in a large area look on Craigslist and ask a seller to give you a week trial. Many people will, (I always do).
Good luck!!!
 
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PR Audio said:
Here is a list from Audiogon:

NAD C515BEE - $215.00 OBO (very well reviewed unit)
Marantz CD5004 - $265.00 OBO
Sony DVP-NS999ES - $225.00 OBO (SACD and from Sony's ES series)
Adcom GCD-700 - $110.00
AV123 - Onix XCD-88 - $199.00 OBO (a not so well known unit, that is remarkably good)
NAD C541i - $250.00 OBO
Rotel RCD-950 - $99.00 OBO
Sony C555ES - $190.00 OBO
Onkyo DX-C390 - $99.00 (Refurb @ Accessories4Less)

Some, like the Onkyo, are multi disc units, which I have never been a fan of, but they are convenient.

The ones that I have listed that are over $200.00, have OBO (Or Best Offer) next to them, so you might buy them for $200.00 or less.
Click to expand...

thanks a ton. i'm going to make an offer on the first NAD.
 
I own a Rotel RCD-855. It's a little more mellow-sounding than the newer players I've heard (including the Denon DVD-2900 I have been using up until recently), but not in a bad way. Its best feature is it is built like a f'in tank.

I have an NAD 502 too. I bought it for cheap on craigslist. It's the only NAD CDP I've used, but I think next to nothing is about the right price for this unit. The display is dim, the buttons are touchy, and it sometimes ejects on its own at random. I use it in my headphone rig.
 
I am a firm believer in the single disc player.

Look for vintage Magnavox/Philips CD players made in Belgium, also look at vintage Sony ES series players, or a Nak piece.

I usually look for dual DAC units and have not been disappointed.

My Sony X339ES for $150.00 is a great piece, I initially got it for its laser head, to keep as a spare for my X707ES unit, but the X707ES works perfectly and I now hate the idea of cannibalizing the X339ES.

Cheers
 
I'll also recommend the old Philips-built players, with one major caveat. Most of these players used the TDA1541 DAC with a digital filter that oversampled at 4x. There were a few models that dispensed with the digital filter to meet a low price point and used an analog brick-wall filter instead. These players don't sound nearly as good as the oversampled players. There are a number of Web sites that identify the chip sets used on each Philips or Magnavox model; look for models that include a version of the SAA7220 chip in the chip set. This is the digital filter IC.
 
I picked one of these up at Goodwill for $40 a few months back. It was my main CDP until yesterday. Really nice sounding. The bass in particular is much cleaner and more articulate than with my Rotel

Unfortunately the tray is sticking really badly now. Hopefully it is an easy fix, but it is basically unusable at the moment.

Maybe this belongs in D+S but these seem to be slightly cheaper on ebay from what I've seen.
 
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I picked up a really nice Nakamichi CD4 on auction for fifty bucks. They are built like a tank and have that rich Nakamichi sound. Too bad you can't stretch just a little there are nice new players for 300 or so out there like the NAD c515bee.
 
i sent an offer on over for this one:

AV123 - Onix XCD-88 - $199.00 OBO (a not so well known unit, that is remarkably good)

it was accepted. looks like i'll be the proud owner of this unit soon.
 
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