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CD player recommendation

MeatInStereo

MeatInStereo

Can outrun 80% of snakes
I want some info on what CD players to keep a look out for with my new Beveridge system. I am currently using a Sony DVD player and that seemed to work for my other systems but probably need to step it up now...or do I need too as I have read that a lot of newer DVD players are pretty good?

What about using the DVD player as a transport and using an external DAC??
 
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Avoid NAD....I speak from bitter experience. OTOH, I've had 6 various disc players from Sony, and not one of them has ever failed.
 
What's your output?

MeatInStereo said:
I am currently using a Sony DVD player and that seemed to work for my other systems but probably need to step it up now...
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Are you feeding digital out? I'm not sure there's much difference between decks if you're just using them to read the digital stream that gets sent elsewhere for DAC. If you're not sure and want to spend some money, the Oppo BD player seems to be the benchmark nowadays, shy of the esoteric brands.
 
You have a pair of speakers that deserve the very best components you can beg, borrow or steal. They are ultra revealing and will expose every wart and pimple in your gear. Using good gear will reward you with superior sound. They are going to make you want to upgrade everything else.:D

IMO you should look for the best player/transport you can afford. A good DAC should be your next addition after the player.:yes:

You lucky sod!!!:thmbsp:
 
I love NAD receivers and amps...and have heard horro stories but I agree I hear more bad about NAD CD Player then good.

Right now I just have a Sony dvp-ns315 and also a DVP-nc600 with no DAC....but was wondering should i look for a nice player....or just use one of these players as a transport and buy a DAC?
 
JoeESP9 said:
You have a pair of speakers that deserve the very best components you can beg, borrow or steal. They are ultra revealing and will expose every wart and pimple in your gear. Using good gear will reward you with superior sound. They are going to make you want to upgrade everything else.:D

IMO you should look for the best player/transport you can afford. A good DAC should be your next addition after the player.:yes:

You lucky sod!!!:thmbsp:
Click to expand...

Haha...I'm very lucky....

so not only a great player but also a great a DAC?

What are some great players and DACs to look for?
 
Buy a decent DAC with multiple inputs, such as coax, optical, and even USB. Then you have plenty of options for a variety of sources including a computer or music server. The era of the hard disc is coming to an end anyway.
 
prisoners said:
Avoid NAD....I speak from bitter experience. OTOH, I've had 6 various disc players from Sony, and not one of them has ever failed.
Click to expand...

I have a NAD 5240,and love it. Been listening to it at least 15 years with ZERO issues.:yes:

Have you had multiple failures with NAD,just wondering why you mention" bitter experience"?
 
With these speakers MP3's sound like crap enless they are sampled high...so hard disk is kind of out anyway. I noticed even burned discs aren't the best either.
 
I have a Marantz CD5003 which sounds great by itself, although I'm presently using it as a transport only. This model is now available on closeout at Music Direct. It's replacement, the CD5004 has just recently become available. I'm using a Music Hall dac25.2 D/A converter with the CD5003. It has a tubed output. There is a thread about the DAC in the Modern Day Hi Fi forum.
 
nolan said:
I have a NAD 5240,and love it. Been listening to it at least 15 years with ZERO issues.:yes:

Have you had multiple failures with NAD,just wondering why you mention" bitter experience"?
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The laser assembly in my 541i failed after fairly moderate use. Repair cost exceeded the value for me. I was about to buy the M5 disc player from my local dealer but another customer beat me to the display model. A week later he returned it...dead laser assembly. The dealer replaced the unit and no longer carries NAD because of too many defective players.
 
A CD simply being digital bits of information on a cheap plastic disc, IMO the best CD player is one that removes the mechanical elements completely, which takes the disc out of the equation. The audio information is not altered or harmed in any way by transferring it to a centralized database on the computer. After which you can focus on giving your computer the best DAC possible, of which there is quite a selection available. That would be the ultimate CD player, IMO, and the best part being that your CD's can spend their entire life scratch-free on the shelf after you copy them to the computer one time.
 
MeatInStereo said:
I want some info on what CD players to keep a look out for with my new Beveridge system. I am currently using a Sony DVD player and that seemed to work for my other systems but probably need to step it up now...or do I need too as I have read that a lot of newer DVD players are pretty good?

What about using the DVD player as a transport and using an external DAC??
Click to expand...

My 12+ year old Arcam Alpha 8SE just died on me a few weeks ago so I went CDP shopping. I considered all that you seem to be thinking about, then decided to buy 1 more CD Player for the rest of my life.
This is my 2 cents. The rest of my system is a single ended 2A3 amp and Klipsch KHorns.
I can comment on Primare CD21, Music Hall CD25.2, Arcam Alpha 8SE, Rega Apollo (the one I ended up with). All of these were in my room in my system for at least 1 week while I evaluated which way I wanted to go.

MH CD25.2 - For the money ($350 new), the Music Hall was best by far IMO. Great bass, detail, slam. Very nice except that in my system, any glare in the upper midrange is death (Klipsch Horns), and the CD25.2 had a little too much for me. Other systems would probably be a great fit - It's selling for a great price at Music Direct. I recommend this to pretty much anyone but me, or anyone with a similar system.

Primare CD21 ($1300 new) - Nice and laid back, a bit shy on detail (at least in my system). I sold it when I found the Alpha 8SE.

Arcam Alpha 8SE (used ~ $200) - Very nice player, great detail and musicality (Is that a word?). Music flowed nicely, very little digital crud. It's dead, traded in on the Rega Cash for Clunkers deal.

Rega Apollo ($850 new if you act fast and get in on the "Cash for Clunkers" deal) - Musical. Musical. Musical. No digital glare at all, not quite the bass and slam as the MH, but music just flows from this player. Good detail as well, seems to extract the most out of what's on the disc. The top-loading deal is pretty cool, too. Like playing a record.

Hope this helps
 
Well my budget is low as I am looking for a job wanted to know what brands and models to look at to find deals....and maybe even think DAC...Its great having a high end system but it stinks when you have no money to buy a crucial part of it too.

Sebof thanks for that post about those models...

Again I love NAD....i would just stay away from the CDP's as I have hear a lot of stories.
 
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If you are looking for very good sounding CDPs and want to keep on a budget level, I would suggest some good vintage models: Philips/Magnavox (like the Philips CD-350), Denon (DCD-1500 and upper , eg DCD-2560, etc), Cambridge Audio CD 4 SE. Happy hunting!
 
Got a NAD C-515BEE 'CD only' player about 5 months ago for $300 new. It's been an outstanding CD player and sounds 'unreal good'. I really love it...so far.

Sound quality is outstanding. I was very suprised with it's sound quality. It just sounds excellent in every way. Maybe I just got lucky...for once!!
 
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Thanks guys for the model numbers this is what I was looking for...some models to research and try and pin down.

What about getting a SACD player....seems like a lot of those are built pretty well even if you dont have SACD's?
 
My buddy has a Marantz SA-1 SACD player....maybe I can lean on him a little and try and pry it away from him. i don't know too much about it...how good of a player is it?

He is brining it over next week so I can hear it hooked up to the Beveridges...but i only imagine its gonna make me go nuts not having it. :D
 
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