Looking for a used CD player

Early B.

I'm on the hunt for a new or used, inexpensive CD player for my modest 2-channel rig upstairs. I have a Cambridge Audio A300 integrated amp and a pair of RTi28s. My budget is $150 or less. Right now I'm using a non-modded Toshiba 3950 DVD player and it doesn't sound as good as I would like it to. Not enough detail and background is a bit on the muddy side.

Should I be looking for a "recent" CD player, i.e., one made in the last 5 years? 3 years? 10 years? Or does it matter?

Should I look for 8x oversampling, or at least 20-bit, or what?

Should I pursue a higher quality new or refurbished DVD player such as a Denon 910 or one of the newer SACD/DVD-A players in my price range? If so, which ones?

Thanks.

I-SIG

Get an NEC model CDR-602 off eBay. I got mine for like $36 bucks shipped. It is clearer in the mids, more detailed in the highs and has almost as much bass as the Toshiba 3960. If you do look for one, be sure that it has the digital output and stereo outputs as I remember that NEC made the same model with and without.

Here's some of the little buggers!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5111927693 (I bid on this one. If you are interested, I'll sell it to you at my cost. I just thought I would grab a back-up for cheap (hopefully). Or if you want to outbid me, feel free. Go over $20.)

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=33871&item=5112307824&rd=1 (This is an earlier model w/o a digital output.)

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=33871&item=5112393958&rd=1

&

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=33871&item=5112616838&rd=1
(Again, an earlier model but these do have the digital output.)

Wes

madmax

The un-modded 3960 sounds worlds better than the un-modded 3950. You might want to try one of those for $70.
madmax

Early B.

Thanks, Mad, didn't know there was much of a difference. I guess I bought the wrong Toshiba. I've had it too long to return it.

I prefer to upgrade to a decent, used CD player rather than a new, cheap DVD player. Hadn't found the right model yet, though. I love the Cambridge Audio CD players, but on the used market, they cost more than I'm willing to spend right now.

madmax

My favorite standby deck is a Luxman D-105u. It is over a decade old but they just don't make them like this any more. It is one of the first REALLY high end CD players ever made. It sold for $1500 back in the day and that was a LOT of cash back then! As for the time period let me put it this way, you know how the standard placing of the buttons are on every CD player ever made, well this one they placed them totally different because there was no standard yet. Get this, it has optical and RF outputs as well as a tube (2 x 12ax7) output. This was cutting edge at the time and they made it all work flawlessly. It even plays recorded CD's and such which were not even known about at the time. The case is full of great design to keep resonance low and the CD drive inside the unit weighs more than most new CD players. The sound is awesome too. The mids are alive and the treble sweet. If it has a downfall it would be the bass. It is very nice and tight but is not as high of a level as the high end stuff today. I've never rolled the tubes but I'm sure a pair of Bugle Boy tubes would take care of the bass.

Anyway, I'm just saying that some of the older stuff has just as much value today as it did back then. Even CD players!

madmax

xfontanax

I had my eye on this older Denon CD player. They made good CD players in the early 90s.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=3830642398&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT