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DVD player for CDs

I used a Toshiba DVD player for a long time, even using it as a transport into a vintage Sony ES DAC. I only switched to a CD transport because I got a killer deal on a PS Audio Lambda transport. Is the sound better? With the same DAC, I notice no difference, the Lambda just looks better. If it ever dies, I will probably go back to a DVDP as a transport.

In short, a DVD player, especially a "dead" one which no longer plays DVD's, is a good choice for CD playback.
 
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Just when I thought I had it all figured out. This one is going to make me crazy. I switched to a Denon universal player months ago and have been very satisfied. BUT, maybe it is only on SACD and DVD-A where the improvement lies. Looks like its time to do some obsessive A/B-ing again. I definitely wont take the Denon out because its a DVD player and plays sacd/dvd-a, but I DO wonder if redbook will be better on a dedicated cd player.
 
seek/destroy said:
Just when I thought I had it all figured out. This one is going to make me crazy. I switched to a Denon universal player months ago and have been very satisfied. BUT, maybe it is only on SACD and DVD-A where the improvement lies. Looks like its time to do some obsessive A/B-ing again. I definitely wont take the Denon out because its a DVD player and plays sacd/dvd-a, but I DO wonder if redbook will be better on a dedicated cd player.
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I had a Denon DVD2910 and the SACD was very nice (as was the DVD playback) however as you have eluded to the redbook playback left something to be desired.
 
Just recently I replaced my wife's beloved Sony carousel with a modified Rotel RCD971...you should have see her eyes the with the first familiar CD she played.
 
I run a Lexicon RT10 uNIVERSAL PLAYER and it is a fantastic all around unit, it does every format under the sun and even has speaker management for SACD multi channel audio.
 
I've bounced around between several pioneer cd players,a jvc cd player, 2 different dvd players, before I purchased a cambridge 640c v2, my others can't even come close, in my ears.
I would consider the 640c the entry level in cd players, I really am eye balling (ear balling ???) the 840c , still a reasonably priced cd player.
willie
 
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Tonight begins my challenge. It will be the Denon DVD 1940CI vs Revox B225/Kyocera 610/Rotel RCD 855/Nakamichi OMS1/CD 4(the RARE CD-4, not the changer)
We shall see who reigns supreme in the battle of redbook playback.
 
willie1 said:
I've bounced around between several pioneer cd players,a jvc cd player, 2 different dvd players, before I purchased a cambridge 640c v2, my others can't even come close, in my ears.
I would consider the 640c the entry level in cd players, I really am eye balling (ear balling ???) the 840c , still a reasonably priced cd player.
willie
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I had the same experience with the 640 v2! I'm saving some money for the 840 now!
 
seek/destroy said:
Tonight begins my challenge. It will be the Denon DVD 1940CI vs Revox B225/Kyocera 610/Rotel RCD 855/Nakamichi OMS1/CD 4(the RARE CD-4, not the changer)
We shall see who reigns supreme in the battle of redbook playback.
Click to expand...

Should be fun, enjoy!
 
seek/destroy said:
Tonight begins my challenge. It will be the Denon DVD 1940CI vs Revox B225/Kyocera 610/Rotel RCD 855/Nakamichi OMS1/CD 4(the RARE CD-4, not the changer)
We shall see who reigns supreme in the battle of redbook playback.
Click to expand...

Would you please let us know your experiences and conclusions?
 
The other night, my wife and I drove to Chillicothe [home of sliced bread] to sell a fellow a Meridian preamp and Dyna tube power amp for his vintage Altec speakers. He was a rare creature, a rural audiophile. I took along a Samsung DVDP which no longer played DVD's, and he thought it sounded much better than his multi-disc CDP. I think it helped seal the deal, and my amps did sound better than the Carver power amp and Rotel preamp he had been using. His Altecs were impressive, and so were his Time Windows.

So there's another convert to this Secret of Audio...
 
Splatter Pak said:
The other night, my wife and I drove to Chillicothe [home of sliced bread] to sell a fellow a Meridian preamp and Dyna tube power amp for his vintage Altec speakers. He was a rare creature, a rural audiophile. I took along a Samsung DVDP which no longer played DVD's, and he thought it sounded much better than his multi-disc CDP. I think it helped seal the deal, and my amps did sound better than the Carver power amp and Rotel preamp he had been using. His Altecs were impressive, and so were his Time Windows.

So there's another convert to this Secret of Audio...
Click to expand...

As I stated early on. An average DVD player will likely sound better than a mass market carousel. My old Panasonic DVD player definitely sounded better than my wife's Sony changer. However, that's not the end of the story.
 
seek/destroy said:
Tonight begins my challenge. It will be the Denon DVD 1940CI vs Revox B225/Kyocera 610/Rotel RCD 855/Nakamichi OMS1/CD 4(the RARE CD-4, not the changer)
We shall see who reigns supreme in the battle of redbook playback.
Click to expand...

Alright, im getting old or I have too much gear or both or neither...the POINT is that I sold the Kyocera this year and completely forgot.

Anyway, I first tried the Rotel and it was disqualified with 30 minutes due to a single skip. That's right, one skip and you are gone. Next up is the Nakamichi CD-4 which I am currently listening to. Its interesting to me because the Rotel was such a highly regarded unit, but this Nakamichi is very pleasing, warm, much warmer than the Rotel. With the Rotel, I felt that there was some shimmer of the cymbals missing and the bass was lean, and not in a way that I liked at all. Separation and imaging was great with the Rotel but the Nakamichi feels smooth and accurate and the imaging seems just as good. I will tell you this, the Nak sounds like a clean record...it seems to have that analog warmth.

Next up, I will listen to a few more cds on the Nakamichi and then A/B with the Denon. The Denon's interconnect is superior, should be interested.
 
seek/destroy said:
Alright, im getting old or I have too much gear or both or neither...the POINT is that I sold the Kyocera this year and completely forgot.

Anyway, I first tried the Rotel and it was disqualified with 30 minutes due to a single skip. That's right, one skip and you are gone. Next up is the Nakamichi CD-4 which I am currently listening to. Its interesting to me because the Rotel was such a highly regarded unit, but this Nakamichi is very pleasing, warm, much warmer than the Rotel. With the Rotel, I felt that there was some shimmer of the cymbals missing and the bass was lean, and not in a way that I liked at all. Separation and imaging was great with the Rotel but the Nakamichi feels smooth and accurate and the imaging seems just as good. I will tell you this, the Nak sounds like a clean record...it seems to have that analog warmth.

Next up, I will listen to a few more cds on the Nakamichi and then A/B with the Denon. The Denon's interconnect is superior, should be interested.
Click to expand...

The Denons interconnect is superior. What does that mean? Change the interconnect and use the same one with each player. What is the difference in age with these players? What DAC's do they use. Can you tell us anything about the power supplies?

I'm not sure that any of this will be valid as a reference, which is ok. Hopefully you will be able to chose which one you will use. Keep in mind that a mid fi CD players from 2009 will outperform many separate DAC/Transport systems with 5 figure price tags from just a few years ago, that's what I mean by a mature technology.
 
Art K. said:
The Denons interconnect is superior. What does that mean? Change the interconnect and use the same one with each player. What is the difference in age with these players? What DAC's do they use. Can you tell us anything about the power supplies?

I'm not sure that any of this will be valid as a reference, which is ok. Hopefully you will be able to chose which one you will use. Keep in mind that a mid fi CD players from 2009 will outperform many separate DAC/Transport systems with 5 figure price tags from just a few years ago, that's what I mean by a mature technology.
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The interconnect is like a pit-bull, it doesnt like to let go and is a real pain to switch. The Nakamichi was produced from 1992-94. Here's more info
 
seek/destroy said:
The interconnect is like a pit-bull, it doesnt like to let go and is a real pain to switch. The Nakamichi was produced from 1992-94. Here's more info
Click to expand...

I understand not wanting to change interconnects. Sometimes it's real pain and if you don't have two matching pairs it's that much more difficult to compare. Here's an observation from me, take it for what it's worth (about .02) you are not comparing like kind. I've listened to those old Kyocera's and Nakamichi's. Your near new Denon should win or it is testament to just how bad Denon really is. A mid line Cambridge, NAD or Rotel player from their current ranges will vastly out perform very, very expensive DAC/Transports from earlier in this decade let alone the 90's. DAC's have improved greatly and so has our understanding of how to isolate power supplies and other parts to lower the noise floor and increase performance not to mention of our understanding of reclocking. CD playback is near it's zenith, 90's playback gear is not.
 
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