CD Players

VR3

I would like to preface I will ignore any suggestions involving an IPOD, Squeezebox, etc - I do not want it for serious listening, period. I just dont feel it is me.

Now that I got that out of the way - WOOO

Like my amplifiers I am going to most likely downsize here as well...

I would like to keep my budget at around 1k -

I like to buy my sources new, however; I am willing to adventure into the used market of course on a newer model...

This is where my experience is more limited and I do not know of many brands...

My Symphonic Line player is pretty much just amazing - it will be impossible to top and I really dont know if I can part with it but I will try. This one I will buy the player up front to a/b them and if it is close I could see selling my Symphonic Line - hence why new with 30 day trials is a good way to go...

So I am just looking for suggestions if any...

Thanks in advance!

mantis

Look no further then a Cambridge Audio Azur 840c. I have compared it to many others including higher end models and nothing I feel is a better player for under 3000.00 even then and above I don't see anything blowing it away.
As far as your budget , used would score one new you need to save a few more pennies.

Good luck hope this helps.

VR3

I will have to put it on the list...

The Klarheit II sells brand new for $4,000 and is said to be as close to vinyl as it gets... I like to call it a musical Wadia.

So I am keeping an open mind, this is for sure!

Thanks!

VR3

Amazon is actually selling for 1k shipped! Hmmmmm

Paden501

A Jolida JD100 would fit into your budget nicely. It's got a tubed output stage, which is nice to have if you're not using it strictly as a transport.

Face

1K will buy a real nice DAC.

VR3

And do what with the dac???

Players I have heard in the past that did not do much for me -

Rega Apollo (Very flat and 2-d sounding)
A Denon SACD player, not sure of the exact model (just no comparison)
A high end Wadia (Very dark and analytical, a little to dry for me, but an incredible sounding player)

Players I have had before

Shanling CDT100 (really really liked the straight solid state outs, not the tube buffered out)
Onix XCD 88

I have heard the Jolida CD player at several Polk fest and I am not a fan of tubes all over the place, a tube pre seems to be just right for me!

Thanks

pearsall001

They still make CD players???? Big step backwards...huge!

inspiredsports

Musical Fidelity A1 CD Pro

dkg999

The CA 840 CDP is very nice sounding, a big step up from the sound of their other CDP's. IMHO buy the cheapest CD spinner you can find that outputs a solid bitstream and put your money into a good DAC. That will give you the most flexibility.

VR3

dkg999 wrote: »

The CA 840 CDP is very nice sounding, a big step up from the sound of their other CDP's. IMHO buy the cheapest CD spinner you can find that outputs a solid bitstream and put your money into a good DAC. That will give you the most flexibility.

That is interesting, so what would be a good DAC? And what would you use for a source?

dkg999

As you mentioned you don't want more tubes in your system, I would suggest a used CA CDP as a transport and a used PS Audio DLIII DAC. There are mods available for the PS Audio DAC, if you so desire. The Music Hall 25.3 has mods available and uses SS for the balanced outputs. Others here are far more knowledgeable than I on DAC's. I own the PS Audio and the Music Hall and enjoy them both.

I also own the Jolida CDP and the Rotel 1072 CDP's as points of reference. Either DAC I referenced will significantly improve the Jolida SS output or the Rotel CDP output. I have very good tubes in my Jolida and it will just slightly better either of these DAC's.

VR3

Very interesting.... Hmmm

That gives me a good bit to think about!

marvda1

here's a great sounding cdp ( i own one) virtue audio piano m1
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=99870.msg1014199;topicseen#new
i think may still have a couple of new ones so you can configure them like you want, but this used one is a great deal.

heiney9

Vr3MxStyler2k3 wrote: »

And do what with the dac???

Hook it up to a Squeezebox :cheesygrin:




I am curious why it's not "you"? Are you adverse to convenience? Or are you just being an audio snob? I was that way until I actually used one, not anymore.



Just busting your balls a little bit, but I am still curious what it is about the SQB you don't like.



Sorry I can't be of much help since I gave up that archaic cdp machine quite awhile ago

H9

VR3

I honestly like flipping through CDs - I like being "forced" to listen to an entire CD if I so desire... I dont know, it is part of my experience.

Having my entire collection at my finger tips would make it feel a tad disposable to me.

EDUBAG

If you get a good dac, music hall, musical fidelity, wyred4 sound, benchmark, etc you can get a pretty basic cd player as transport and have the flexibility of adding your computer, or whatever fancies you in the future.

I run my oppo dv980 h as cd player and love it, but according to stereophile it really shines as a transport, you can look it up. I paid 80 bucks for mine to a member of the club, so that would leave you with 900 from your budget to buy a dac that will better any 1000 cd player.

Good luck,

Eduardo

Paden501

Vr3MxStyler2k3 wrote: »

I honestly like flipping through CDs - I like being "forced" to listen to an entire CD if I so desire... I dont know, it is part of my experience.

Having my entire collection at my finger tips would make it feel a tad disposable to me.

I agree with you on this point. Sometimes I like a digital source because my entire collection is at my fingertips, but sometimes I feel like I get lost in all that. Putting in a CD or LP and just letting it play out can be really enjoyable. I don't have the urge to 'search' for the next song, playlist, genre, etc instead of just listening like I should be.

steveinaz

Don't overlook Rotel--under appreciated, but very respectable in the bracket you're looking at. The Cambridge is solid as well, and has the benefit of additional DAC inputs. Used Arcam/Musical Fidelity are always a good choice, too.

heiney9

A cd is a digital source. I get where you guys are coming from, I WAS the exact the same way and you can still hit play and listen to an entire cd uninterupted, but the other convenience factors are off the charts so I am no longer that way.

Not trying to take this off topic, so that will be my last comment on the subject of not using a cdp.

Good luck with your search Trey

H9

steveinaz

Some people like to "fiddle" that's part of the big charm of turntables, I "get" it.

heiney9

steveinaz wrote: »

Some people like to "fiddle" that's part of the big charm of turntables, I "get" it.

I can respect that and why I asked the question. I'm sure there are people that don't understand my fascination with tube rolling, that's "fiddling" around all the time

The "fiddling" part of vinyl is why I have never gotten back into it. The "ritual" as some call it, would drive me nuts! :cheesygrin:

H9

falconcry72

I will echo other's comments about getting a decent transport and an external DAC.

This way, you can upgrade either component individually at a later time. Plus a good external DAC will sound better than a CD player in the same price range. All DAC's sound different though, so you've got some research to do.

Face

Changing CD's is as mundane as flipping a record.

Paden501

heiney9 wrote: »

A cd is a digital source. I get where you guys are coming from, I WAS the exact the same way and you can still hit play and listen to an entire cd uninterupted, but the other convenience factors are off the charts so I am no longer that way.

Not trying to take this off topic, so that will be my last comment on the subject of not using a cdp.

Good luck with your search Trey

H9

Yeah I guess my last post was a bit of a misnomer because a CD is 'digital'... but it's also 'physical', whereas computer cataloged digital sources are not.

Don't get me wrong, I have and use both personally, and each has its ups and downs. Which I prefer has as much to do with my mood on that day as anything.

To Trey, I also agree with the last couple comments. I think what you're really looking for here is a DAC. I mean a CDP is really just a transport and a DAC in a single box, and a lot of the better CDPs use the same Phillips style transports anyway, so what you're really hearing is the difference in DAC between different players, and some differences in their output stages (especially for a tubed player).

If you use the bitstream output on a decent transport CDP, and a good DAC of your liking, you may get where you want to go more easilly. It'll also be easier to change the sound of your system later by just changing the DAC alone.

I'm really interested in seeing where you end up going with this because I'm getting more interested in fooling with DACs myself also.

RickTfromAZ

You may want to look at the Sony SCD-XA5400ES. Very highly rated. I believe that it can be had new for around $1000.00 on Agon.

pitdogg2

listen to an Ayre cd player

steveinaz

Ayre is extremely nice, but $$$$$$$$$

BlueFox

Face wrote: »

Changing CD's is as mundane as flipping a record.

Which is why some put the digital CD files on another storage media, and then listen to a play list of CDs, or random shuffle through the CDs, or random shuffle through all the songs on all the CDs. Some of these playback systems let you use an iPhone, iPad, Android phone, or tablet to remotely select CDs, songs, create play lists, etc. Or you can use a web browser instead to manage the music. Basically, everything you cannot do with a CD player.

Face

Yep, I use my Droid 3 to control my music library via J. River(Gizmo app).

Toolfan66

Why not have all of it at your finger tips? Vinyl, CD's, and a Media Library?

Adding to what face said, fiddling through your music library is as mundane as changing a CD or flipping your LP..