ideas on a decent budget - midpriced redbook cdp

michael_w

For about 6 months now I've been fully aware that my source is the weak point in my system and now it's gotten to the point where my pos sources have just broken down on me and I need to get something to replace them. My main goal here is to pick up something for under $500 canadian that will sound the best with my 2 ch system. I listen to music 95% of the time so 2 ch sound is the main and only priority. I can deal with buying a cheapo dvd player later just to have ht.

I am not really in a hurry to go out and buy something so this is just brainstorming / research for when I plan to go and drop lots of cash on a source. I have two cdps in mind at the moment. The Cambridge Audio Azur 540C and the NAD C3521bee which I think both go for around $4-500 on the web but I have to call some dealers to find out exact prices. I want to buy new from an authorized dealer since I have had bad luck with sources as they tend to break by themselves more often than anything else.

Just by looking at the specs it seems that the 540c has a better dac and looks better but all I care about is sound. Any ideas? I can't find a dealer that carries both NAD and CA so doing an A / B test is going to be hard but I will eventually get out there and demo some gear. Would the nad fit with my other gear better since I already have a nad in the mix for amp / preamp?





This is what I'm running to maybe help for suggestions:

2 Ch:

LSI 7s
DIY Ascendant Audio Atlas 15 powered by a CSS Sub250RF putting 360 watts into 4 ohms
Toshiba SD3800 (that doesn't play dvds anymore and fritzs out on many of my cds now)
Kimber Heros from dvdp to integrated
NAD C352

HT:

Panasonic SAHE-75
Electrohome pos that kind of died on me about 2 weeks ago so now ht is out of commision
Polk Monitor 7Bs (fronts)
Polk CSI30
Athena AS-B1 (rears)

F1nut

IMO, pick up a used Jolida JD 100A and don't look back. Just swap out the stock Chinese tubes if they are still in it.

michael_w

At around $1000 USD brand new it is slightly over my $500 cdn budget but I will keep it in mind. Like I said I'm in no hurry for this so if it means waiting a while to try and justify to myself spending a grand on a cdp I will do that. At the moment I'm not really poor but I am jobless and would rather not spend huge amounts of money on audio since I am saving for post secondary which is fast approaching (grade 12 in september ) On the other hand I don't want to spend $500 on a cdp and want to upgrade within a year so I'll keep in mind any suggestions to buy what would be best for me. btw I am currently job hunting at local audio stores so maybe I'll score a job and employee discount somewhere decent

F1nut

Screw buying it new, the thing is built like a tank. Used on Audiogon is running about $500 to $600 USD.

michael_w

I will keep an eye out on the used market for one but preferable from canada since crossing the border is very very pricy for me. Damn taxes, duties, brokerage fees all that crap is expensive. I don't know if it only happens with low end mass market sources but every single source (dvd player / cd player) that either my dad or myself has owned has died after a year or two. I check out the listings on canuck audio mart almost every day (it's a canadian online classified audio only site) and occasionally check out the buy and sell.

Thanks for the info and recommendation.

F1nut

I hear ya, that brokerage crap really gets you. I bought a big buck piece from Canada, I know.

Seriously, the Jolida is a very nice piece.

dragon1952

Also you might consider the Music Hall CD-25/Shanling CD-S100/Onix XCD-88 which are almost identical and highly upgradeable, and are a bit better than the NAD even in their stock form (and not far off in price). You can get the Onix for around $320US and the Music Hall for around $470US and that's brand new and includes shipping. Upgrade the opamps at your leisure and you've got a really fine player.
BTW, I also have the Jolida but you would have to come up with very close to $600 shipped on a used one, maybe $550 if you're very lucky. New you can get one for around $785US shipped.

marker

Originally posted by F1nut
I hear ya, that brokerage crap really gets you. I bought a big buck piece from canada, I know.

Seriously, the Jolida is a very nice piece.

I'll second that. I have both that and a NAD C542, and IMO, the Jolida is better. However, when compared to the NAD S500, then it becomes a different story

michael_w

Look what I just found....

http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/11820-shanling_cds100_mki

$400 cdn then shipping.... think thats an alright price? If they go for $320-470 us I'm not so sure...

btw I don't plan on buying from the us unless it is a rediclously good deal. for example I bought a pair of speakers from washington for $200 usd. After everything they ended up costing me about $430-500 cdn. (still an awesome deal though)

dragon1952

Well you'll pay a little more for the Shanling and Music Hall, probably due to the name brand. I think list price on them is around $599. I was recently offered the Music Hall for $465 shipped from Underwood Hi-fi though. The Onix is being discounted from $399 to $299. I won't mention the place though as I had a bad experience with them. Nice CD player though and virtually the same inards as the other two.
If you could get that Shanling for $400CAN shipped it might not be a bad deal. Mention the scratch. But if you don't plan on at least upgrading the opamps and power cord and you can find a great deal on something like a NAD C541i or 521i that might be the way to go. They're all close enough in stock form.

michael_w

OK thanks I'll wait and see what else comes along. At the moment I'm not really into modding expensive stuff since my diy abilities are very limited. (just starting to get into diy)

shack

The Rotel RCD-02 is another to consider at $499 MSRP.

F1nut

Originally posted by marker
I'll second that. I have both that and a NAD C542, and IMO, the Jolida is better. However, when compared to the NAD S500, then it becomes a different story

What tubes are you using in the Jolida?

ezc

If you can find a used Tjoeb that may be another option. Add the upsampler & better tubes at a later date to keep the cost down.

unbridled_id

A VERY IMPORTANT
THING HAS COME TO OUR NOTICE ABOUT THE QUALITY OF JD100 AND JD100H OF
JOLIDA. PLEASE SEE AS BELOW FROM OUR COMPANY'S INTERNAL MEMO:
MANY COMPLAINTS ON JD100 AND JD100H AFTER 4 TO 5 MONTHS' USE BY FRANCE AND
OTHER EUROPEAN CUSTOMERS (E.G, SPAIN) ON TRACKING ERROR, MAIN BOARD PROBLEMS
AND EVEN BAD TRANSISTORS AND INCOMPETENT TRANSISTORS.
PLEASE FIND BELOW ONE OF OUR CLIENT'S REPORT:I have work all the we on the cd player with my oncle who
has hill skills in electronic. We have tested all the
components, we have changed the capacitors which were more
than ten percents under their values, and we have found a
bad transistor which made a short circuit and changed it.
Then we listened to the player and the boost is now on the
two channel but less than before. The boost is only on
certain frequencies such as the piano at the beginning of
John Lennon's Imagine. Now we think that the problem can
come from only two things : first it may be one of the
integrated circuits. Secondly it can be the tubes even if
at the beginning the boost was on the right channel
whatever the tube, but they have been maybe damaged by the
short circuit. We have in addition tried without the tubes
and in that case the sound is good (but not amplified).
Tomorrow I will order two svetlana 12AX7 (it was planned
before the breakdown) to try. If the boost remains I would
like to know if it is possible that you provide me with
the tube's circuit board and with the electric board.
Thanks for help and advice.
Best regards from France.

This version has hdcd, upgraded tubes and some other upgraded internals.

F1nut

HUH???

unbridled_id

I am interested in the jolida cdp and always read any feedback on the unit. I was on audioreview and the latest review for the jolida cdp was for the JD100H; which seems to be a newer version. What I posted was from a European dealer, and I just wanted to put it out there for consumption. Does this adequately answer your huh ?

RuSsMaN

What the F is that post about unbridled?

F1nut

The only version available here is the JD100A, so I wouldn't concern myself with that post from France.

TroyD

Oh, well, if it's from audioreview.......man, guess I better dump mine. :rolleyes:

Unbridled, do you own the CD player in question or is this just a random shot in the dark?

BDT

dragon1952

Originally posted by F1nut
The only version available here is the JD100A, so I wouldn't concern myself with that post from France.

Yeah.....the guy can't even speak English :rolleyes:

ND13

Originally posted by dragon1952
Yeah.....the guy can't even speak English :rolleyes:

I was going to say something about the Frenchy's broken english, but that's only an excuse for oral communication not written.

unbridled_id

I am not bashing the unit or anyone who owns the unit. My cdp is a nad c541i, and I have often heard having tubes in the chain is a positive thing so I concentrated on a tubed cdp, which is why I have been looking at the Jolida. I also read another member who bought a jolida cdp and had an issue with the unit; perhaps another’s issues with the unit would illuminate the situation. I was just adding some information, sometimes information isn't positive. Despite that I love the look and reviewed performace of the unit and really want to incorporate tubes into my system via the cdp..

RuSsMaN

On the tubes issue, I don't think that's why the Jolida sounds as good as it does. It sounds good because the transport / laser assembly are high quality, along with the opamps and dac. Overall, it's a well built player - the tube output is just icing on an already delicious cake - and if anything, lets the user 'tailor' the sound via tube rolls.

Cheers,
Russ

unbridled_id

I found out about the JD100H from an owner who posted a review on audioreview (5 star review by the way). After reading the review I googled the jolida jd100H, and found that piece of information I posted. Do I have to own the unit to post the opinion of another? Let's not act threatened about this, it is an opinion which to a degree has been validated by someone on this board. Do I have to duck now, you know I own polk speakers (rti-10's) so am I immune to rebuttals ?

unbridled_id

I have had my eye on the unit for awhile, though I do not want to get too deep into all the mod units. I have read (so many opinions out there) that many mods are acutally detrimental to the units overall performance. The parts inside the unit are from all reports to be of high quality, so perhaps the fellow who had the negative feedback delt with afew bad apples, perhaps he is stark raving mad..

F1nut

I don't recall anyone having a issue with a Jolida cdp on here, got a link?

As for the JD100H, the Jolida site doesn't list it, so it must be a Euro model only.

BTW, no op-amps in the Jolida.

unbridled_id

Ok f1, dragon 1592 posted this on June 13th "The Jolida I just bought seems to occassionally have a problem recognizing that there is a disc inserted. This seems to happen when I either leave it in standby or leave it powered on overnight with a CD in it. I'll hit play and the CD will spin forwards and backwards for a few seconds and then display 'No Disc". This happens even if I eject the CD and re-insert it. Powering the player off and on seems to clear the problem. Does anyone else's player do this? I was just adding some additional information to this". Though the unit seems to be a European model I would hazard a guess a majority of the internals are the same.

ND13

Originally posted by unbridled_id
Ok f1, dragon 1592 posted this on June 13th "The Jolida I just bought seems to occassionally have a problem recognizing that there is a disc inserted. This seems to happen when I either leave it in standby or leave it powered on overnight with a CD in it. I'll hit play and the CD will spin forwards and backwards for a few seconds and then display 'No Disc". This happens even if I eject the CD and re-insert it. Powering the player off and on seems to clear the problem. Does anyone else's player do this? I was just adding some additional information to this". Though the unit seems to be a European model I would hazard a guess a majority of the internals are the same.

http://clubpolk.polkaudio.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=29594&highlight=jolida

Here's the whole thread.

RuSsMaN

You're right, no op amps, even better.

unbridled_id

I was just throwing out some additonal information, another point of view, are you all democrats or what ? Seriously, I thought I read something somewhere else similar to what dragon said though I have to admit I cannot remember where... I do not believe the Jolida cdp's have a problem and would love to try one out some day. I value all of your opinins and views and know your experience is greater than mine. Rest easy folks, your jolida in most application will top my nad and I am slightly envious, maybe that is it, it's just irrational jealousy !!!