Old Cambridge Audio CDs comparison

p.robustini

p.robustini

Active Member
Hi everybody.
I am looking for a cheap CD player for my system, maybe to connect to the DAC when in use.
I am fond of Cambridge Audio since I owned a CD6 in the past.
I am finding various CD4s and CD5s at very good prices but I wonder about the differences. I don't know their history (bigger number = better?).... etc....
For example, the CD5 had at least 3 version, and I wonder if version 3 is worth a bigger effort.
And is it true they were designed with no remote control? The CD6 had one....

Thanks in advance!
Pasquale
 
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I have the Azur 640C, and it has the same DAC chipset and output stage as my DACMagic, and it has a remote.

If you already have a DAC that you like and are planning on using, you can grab any cheap CDP with a digital out, and probably save yourself a lot of money, since all you are really using is the drive.
 
If you can find a cd4 se in good nick i would buy it.
It was desighned by john westlake who now designs for audiolab.
It is a very good player.
 
boza said:
If you can find a cd4 se in good nick i would buy it.
It was desighned by john westlake who now designs for audiolab.
It is a very good player.
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That would be great but, to reply to "boza" too, as of now I can find a D300se and a CD5 v.1 at very cheap prices in my area.
 
savatage1973 said:
I have the Azur 640C, and it has the same DAC chipset and output stage as my DACMagic, and it has a remote.

If you already have a DAC that you like and are planning on using, you can grab any cheap CDP with a digital out, and probably save yourself a lot of money, since all you are really using is the drive.
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I have a 640C,V2 as well.Another pretty dependable piece.
 
Well, thanks for your help guys!
D300SE it is! Coming in today!
From your comments, I figured I could trust any CA models, so I went for the cheapest/more recent availble, since it seems any good enough CDP can be run with an external DAC anyway. I spent 40 euros plus 10 for shipping. There is no remote (I wonder what is this about: a lot of CA CDPs are sold used without remote - an additional 20-30 quid for buying one!).
I'll test it for a while as it is. Then I'll dampen the chassis, get good connect and power cables and see what comes out of its own analog outputs. As of now my DAC is a simple Pro-Ject DACbox E. Far more modern than the D300's but rather cheap.
I might also play with some tunings on the CDP once I am used to its sound. There's a nice thread here on AK with lots of info to overcome many issues of old CDPs and a website with interesting upgrading suggestion for the output stages. It seems an old CDP can last longer then I thought...
 
p.robustini said:
It seems an old CDP can last longer then I thought...
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Yes, they can--depending on the make/model. Many of the older units were built like tanks and will run forever--don't sell them short. I have and old Mission unit that I bought in the very early days of the CD, and still runs fine.
 
savatage1973 said:
Yes, they can--depending on the make/model. Many of the older units were built like tanks and will run forever--don't sell them short. I have and old Mission unit that I bought in the very early days of the CD, and still runs fine.
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Wow! I loved the Mission and the Meridian! I could not afford them then... After a while I found the Cambridge CD6 which I regret I sold for just 60e in 2010...
 
Well, I spoke too early: the guy shipped the D300se only in a cellophane envelope. Can you believe it?
Now it can't read any discs. I'm following the advices from another AK thread but to no avail. I requested further help. Let's see if I can do anything. It's just 50e.... no tragedy but....
The former owner is willing to refund me but what a pity! Such a beautiful machine... So well engineered inside....
 
p.robustini said:
the guy shipped the D300se only in a cellophane envelope. Can you believe it?
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At this point, these days, nothing shocks me with incompetent shipping anymore. I just recently received a 30lb pro-amp packed in a box wrapped in crumpled up newspaper. If it hadn't been a pro-amp designed for abuse, it would have been a box 'o bits.

Take the refund and do the best you can with it--if it is salvageable. Good Luck!
 
It appears the motor shaft is bent: the discs wobble as they spin. It makes any laser pickup reading impossible, of course....
So sorry for a beautifully made machine...
I might as well go for an older CD5 sold at 60e nearby - if still available. I can go and get it myself and maybe obtain a discount.... ;-)
 
p.robustini said:
I am looking for a cheap CD player for my system
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I just bought a Cambridge Audio CXC CD Transport. Found in the Cambridge Audio store on Ebay, it is Refurbished scratches or a dent $338.00 you need to have a DAC for the Transport to function.
Gary
 
sirianni said:
I just bought a Cambridge Audio CXC CD Transport. Found in the Cambridge Audio store on Ebay, it is Refurbished scratches or a dent $338.00 you need to have a DAC for the Transport to function.
Gary
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Well, by cheap I meant well under 100.... ;-)
That's why I was looking among CD4s, CD5s.... and D300s. I know how well praised the CXC is, and I am wishing I will be able to afford it in the future....
Thanks anyway!
But in order to make this thread even more useful for anybody in the furniture, I urge any member who happens to have more info on Cambridge Audio CD players to vi tribute:
As of now I've learned that the 1st great machine they engineered was the CD1, separate transport and DAC, in the 80s?
Then they evolved into the CD2 (not sure), CD3 (highly praised) and the CD4 by Westlake. The Cd5 must have been early to middle 90s. It had 3 revisions before being updated to the CD6, with two separate bitstream DACs and AES/EBU output.
The D300 and D500 followed in early 2000s.
Following that, they issued the topaz series, before the Azur series of today.
That's what I know. Anybody joining in?
 
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I already contributed--I have the Azur 640C and it has been trouble-free, and sounds great. As I mentioned in my previous post, it uses the same DAC chipset and output stage that is used in the Cambridge DacMagic--I have both, and have A/B'd them, and they do sound identical. I also have the CXC--but it is just a transport--you can pick your own DAC/output stage (you have to), and, again, it performs very well and has been trouble-free over the year or so that I have had it. Can't comment on the earlier models, since the 640C was my first Cambridge CDP.
 
I just learned that the D300 and D500 also used a dacmagic chipset and also some CD4 parts (feet, cushions...). The SE versions had Sony transport and laser, and maybe the clock circuits designed by Sony for CA.
 
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