Cambridge Audio 740C

simphiwes

Does have any info / experience on this player, am considering upgrading my CD player and moving my current CD player (640C V2) to my bedroom set up

venomclan

I have not heard it yet, but the 840c is getting fantastic reviews: pro and users. It is similar to the 740c, but has balanced connections and better dacs. I would just spend the extra and get the 840c.
Venom

Emlyn

venomclan wrote: »

I have not heard it yet, but the 840c is getting fantastic reviews: pro and users. It is similar to the 740c, but has balanced connections and better dacs. I would just spend the extra and get the 840c.
Venom

I'd recommend this too. The 840c is remarkable, especially through the balanced outputs. It's that good, frankly I see little need for SACD. Definitely on par with the Musical Fidelity A5 cd player I have, but with different qualities. The MF, like a lot of CD players and separate DAC's designed in the last few years, tries to mimic analog sound qualities, while the 840C makes the best it can of what's great about digital audio. With the 840c, it's best to let in burn in for 40-100 or more hours before making an assessment of it. From new, the sound quality may come across as strident. After that, it still comes across as more forward than some CD playes I have, but highly detailed and smooth across the entire frequency range.

venomclan

Do you find a big difference through the balanced connections? I could not tell the difference when I switch IC's between my amp and my preamp. My new preamp has no balanced inputs, so if I get the 840c, it will have to be RCA. The old school guys I talk to do not like balanced connections because it adds something to the signal, they see it as a negative.

Emlyn

My preamps function much better when operated with balanced connections regardless of the source or amp connected, so the improvement is probably partly attributed to the preamp. From what I've read, the CD player's circuitry isn't fully balanced internally anyway, but the digital processing is handled separately for each channel. Not sure where the old school guys get the idea that XLR cables add something to the signal. The design of the cables is conducive to cancellation rather addition, which is a negative, but in a good way.

venomclan

Emlyn wrote: »

My preamps function much better when operated with balanced connections regardless of the source or amp connected, so the improvement is probably partly attributed to the preamp. From what I've read, the CD player's circuitry isn't fully balanced internally anyway, but the digital processing is handled separately for each channel. Not sure where the old school guys get the idea that XLR cables add something to the signal. The design of the cables is conducive to cancellation rather addition, which is a negative, but in a good way.

I have heard this from a lot of dealers of higher end equipment. They sell balanced and unbalanced, so I cannot see why they would be biased. I know the balanced route is better for ground loop isolation and long runs, hence pro use. My Krell amp and pre have balanced and my Butler amp does not. I could not tell a difference with short runs. I think that if you have a quiet a/c line or a line conditioner, it may make the differences negligible. I have a Cary Cinema 6 on the way that is not balanced. I guess I will never have all the gear I want with all balanced. I believe most if not all tube gear is unbalanced?

Sometimes I just want to go back to my plaid suitcase turntable I had when I was a kid and play some 45's

del44

When I was demo-ing my 840, I was switching back and forth with a Ayre cdp. forgot which model. While the Ayre was more $ , I prefered the sound of the Cambridge. I was thing about getting the MF A5 cdp, that way it would match my pre, but the 840 was too hard to pass up. Unfortunatly, the MF pre doesn't have balanced inputs. But I don't think I'm missing to much.:)

Chicomoralessxm

I agree put the extra dollars in and get the 840 if you can squeeze it i think that cdp the 740C aint to shabby either.

simphiwes

Seems like some pretty good advise, 840C it is then, i guess moving one up wont give too much of a difference, anyway i was settling on the 740C because my pre(Rotel RC1070) doesnt have any balance intercncts might have to up it to the RC1090 as soon as I can find a good second hand deal locally, i think for the long term this way i may not have any need to upgrade though Cambridge keeps coming up with these V1, V2, V3.........irritating at times but i guess it keeps their competitors on their toes.