I guess everyone's luck runs out sometime...

Zitro
Zitro Posts: 864
edited January 2010 in The Clubhouse
So, since I opened my mouth about having luck recently, it seems to have ended. For the second time in about a week, I tried firing up my Eric Clapton CD to enjoy the LSi7's and my CDP doesn't want to spin the disk, at all. Last time I opened it up and played around with the mechanism and it played again, for another week, and now it's doing it again...I suppose I could open it again, but maybe it's just time this thing is going to retire...after all, it is from 1999. It's probably not worth putting money into to fix given its age.

This is a bad timing for this to happen, but since CD's are my primary source, I do need something. Being on the tight budget that I am, I wanted to ask you guys: given my fairly modest system, will it be that detrimental going from a NAD CDP to a big-box player? I hate to do this, but I hear some entry level CD/DVD players have great CD playback; is there any merit to this, or does anyone have any positive experience with a budget CD or DVD player? I hate to see the NAD go and go downward on the food chain, but replacing it with another NAD-quality product is out of the question for now. Any thoughts? :(
- Jeremy

Amps: Jolida FX-10, NAD 3045, NAD C320BEE, Sansui G-9700
Speakers: Polk Monitor 7A's, KEF Reference 104aB
Sources: ProJect Debut Carbon, Sonos streaming FLAC
Post edited by Zitro on
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Comments

  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,383
    edited January 2010
    I am sorry for your loss.

    I would look to Denon, something with SACD capability. I am not well versed in Denon, so hopefully someone else will chime in on this
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited January 2010
    How about you stop drinking beer for a weekend and I'll sweeten the deal on my Cambridge Audio that I have in the FM?
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,164
    edited January 2010
    The big box players and so called cheap giant killers rarely live up to the hype. I'd say no, the big box players and cheapo players will not sound near as good.

    Good luck

    H9
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,164
    edited January 2010
    dorokusai wrote: »
    How about you stop drinking beer for a weekend and I'll sweeten the deal on my Cambridge Audio that I have in the FM?

    That's a nice player, go for it if you can
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,383
    edited January 2010
    It is SACD compatible as well. Decent unit for the price.^^^
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
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  • danger boy
    danger boy Posts: 15,722
    edited January 2010
    if you like the NAD, saved up some $$ and get a newer used one. they are everywhere online used.
    PolkFest 2012, who's going>?
    Vancouver, Canada Sept 30th, 2012 - Madonna concert :cheesygrin:
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited January 2010
    I'd put my little $120 CA against that NAD anyday. NAD has never made a strong CDP.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • Rivrrat
    Rivrrat Posts: 2,101
    edited January 2010
    If I were in the market I'd look seriously at that CA, but if money were an object the Yammie doesn't look bad either.
    My equipment sig felt inadequate and deleted itself.
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited January 2010
    You can't go wrong with Cambridge.
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • Zitro
    Zitro Posts: 864
    edited January 2010
    I like how that Cambridge looks, and the Cambridge Azur 640C CDP I heard a while back I did really like. It will undoubtedly be a better player than that Yammie and I would prefer it (maybe it would even be an upgrade over my NAD; I trust Mark's words), although it seems the Yammie is good (for the price), so it basically comes down to finances. We'll see. Thanks for your input guys :)
    - Jeremy

    Amps: Jolida FX-10, NAD 3045, NAD C320BEE, Sansui G-9700
    Speakers: Polk Monitor 7A's, KEF Reference 104aB
    Sources: ProJect Debut Carbon, Sonos streaming FLAC
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  • coolsax
    coolsax Posts: 1,824
    edited January 2010
    +1 on the yammy Keiko recommended I got it as well, its pretty cheap price wise and has burr brown dacs.
    Main 2ch -
    BlueSound Node->Ethereal optical cable->Peachtree Audio Nova 150->GoldenEar Triton 2+
    TT - Pro-ject Classic SB with Sumiko Bluepoint.

    TV 3.1 system -
    Denon 3500 -> Dynaudio Excite 32/22
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  • Zitro
    Zitro Posts: 864
    edited January 2010
    Maybe this is a sign from God that I should dump CD and get into vinyl ;)
    - Jeremy

    Amps: Jolida FX-10, NAD 3045, NAD C320BEE, Sansui G-9700
    Speakers: Polk Monitor 7A's, KEF Reference 104aB
    Sources: ProJect Debut Carbon, Sonos streaming FLAC
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  • cnh
    cnh Posts: 13,284
    edited January 2010
    I'd think about Doro's offer...it's got to sound better than most big box CDPs..and only 120--actually I've liked the Cambridge A. CDPs I've actually heard quite a bit. The Yammie is also offered at a great price...some nice reviews on this site.

    Sign from God....not quite yet!

    cnh
    Currently orbiting Bowie's Blackstar.!

    Polk Lsi-7s, Def Tech 8" sub, HK 3490, HK HD 990 (CDP/DAC), AKG Q701s
    [sig. changed on a monthly basis as I rotate in and out of my stash]
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  • nguyendot
    nguyendot Posts: 3,594
    edited January 2010
    Go to a bunch of thrift stores and find an original playstation with RCA outs for $5!
    Main Surround -
    Epson 8350 Projector/ Elite Screens 120" / Pioneer Elite SC-35 / Sunfire Signature / Focal Chorus 716s / Focal Chorus CC / Polk MC80 / Polk PSW150 sub

    Bedroom - Sharp Aquos 70" 650 / Pioneer SC-1222k / Polk RT-55 / Polk CS-250

    Den - Rotel RSP-1068 / Threshold CAS-2 / Boston VR-M60 / BDP-05FD
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  • Zitro
    Zitro Posts: 864
    edited January 2010
    cnh wrote: »
    I'd think about Doro's offer...it's got to sound better than most big box CDPs..and only 120--actually I've liked the Cambridge A. CDPs I've actually heard quite a bit. The Yammie is also offered at a great price...some nice reviews on this site.

    Sign from God....not quite yet!

    cnh

    haha I know, I was jk, one step at a time. I'm really thinking about the C.A. I will probably buy it tomorrow if it is still available..if not, I guess the Yammie can't be that bad; its got burr brown DAC's at the very least!
    nguyendot wrote: »
    Go to a bunch of thrift stores and find an original playstation with RCA outs for $5!

    You know, I've heard a lot of people use the PS1's as their CDP because apparently they have great sound output. Never actually heard it, but read a lot about it.
    - Jeremy

    Amps: Jolida FX-10, NAD 3045, NAD C320BEE, Sansui G-9700
    Speakers: Polk Monitor 7A's, KEF Reference 104aB
    Sources: ProJect Debut Carbon, Sonos streaming FLAC
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  • nguyendot
    nguyendot Posts: 3,594
    edited January 2010
    I'm about to find out. I found one for $5 the other day. Been scoping the goodwills for a while now when one finally showed up! Time to deoxit the RCA's and try it out.
    Main Surround -
    Epson 8350 Projector/ Elite Screens 120" / Pioneer Elite SC-35 / Sunfire Signature / Focal Chorus 716s / Focal Chorus CC / Polk MC80 / Polk PSW150 sub

    Bedroom - Sharp Aquos 70" 650 / Pioneer SC-1222k / Polk RT-55 / Polk CS-250

    Den - Rotel RSP-1068 / Threshold CAS-2 / Boston VR-M60 / BDP-05FD
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  • Zitro
    Zitro Posts: 864
    edited January 2010
    Keiko wrote: »
    I've been very pleased with mine. Redbook and SACDs sound really good on my ears and the DVD upconversion is excellent. You get a lot of player that's tough to beat for 80.00 bucks.

    I would be using it mostly for audio, so for both players video quality is irrelevant. I've read good reviews on both of these products. I do like the things I've heard about the Yammie's SACD quality and it would be nice to be able to play some (I've been curious about SACD and the NAD couldn't play them). I think either way I'm getting a good deal.
    - Jeremy

    Amps: Jolida FX-10, NAD 3045, NAD C320BEE, Sansui G-9700
    Speakers: Polk Monitor 7A's, KEF Reference 104aB
    Sources: ProJect Debut Carbon, Sonos streaming FLAC
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  • Conradicles
    Conradicles Posts: 6,079
    edited January 2010
    Zitro, search google and there is a step by step process on how to clean your laser in the NAD. I had a NAD with the same issues and after cleaning the laser it worked like a charm.
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  • Zitro
    Zitro Posts: 864
    edited January 2010
    Conradicles wrote: »
    Zitro, search google and there is a step by step process on how to clean your laser in the NAD. I had a NAD with the same issues and after cleaning the laser it worked like a charm.

    I cleaned the laser and it is playing again :D

    I don't know how long this will last though, as this is the 3rd time the player has stopped playing. Hopefully the cleaning is all it needed. Don't know why I didn't think of that before; I was so frustrated and upset about it not playing, I forgot the basics lol.

    Hopefully I won't need a new CDP now, and it holds until I have the money to get a cdp I REALLY want.

    Thanks guys (And Doro for the offer on the CA).
    - Jeremy

    Amps: Jolida FX-10, NAD 3045, NAD C320BEE, Sansui G-9700
    Speakers: Polk Monitor 7A's, KEF Reference 104aB
    Sources: ProJect Debut Carbon, Sonos streaming FLAC
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  • madmax
    madmax Posts: 12,434
    edited January 2010
    Zitro wrote: »
    Maybe this is a sign from God that I should dump CD and get into vinyl ;)

    ;););)
    Vinyl, the final frontier...

    Avantgarde horns, 300b tubes, thats the kinda crap I want... :D
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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 25,380
    edited January 2010
    "You know, I've heard a lot of people use the PS1's as their CDP because apparently they have great sound output. Never actually heard it, but read a lot about it."

    Some do some don't kind of like some people swear cat5 wire is the best you can get for speaker cable.
    My PS1 sounded just horrible but then again I use a Sony X33es for my 2ch listening and it just did not compare and even my first generation pioneer CD player sounded better than the PS1
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  • Zitro
    Zitro Posts: 864
    edited January 2010
    Damn, looks like I am buying a player after all. NAD won't read disks, even after the cleaning. I might just pick up that Yamaha. It must be better than what I'm using in the meantime: An old-**** Kenwood 5 disk changer with two 1 bit D/A converters lmao. Just have to figure out if I'd rather get a new CDP in the Yammie or keep looking for a vintage Sansui receiver to try out; can't do both.

    Lesson learned: stay away from used cd players that are almost a decade old at the time of purchase.
    - Jeremy

    Amps: Jolida FX-10, NAD 3045, NAD C320BEE, Sansui G-9700
    Speakers: Polk Monitor 7A's, KEF Reference 104aB
    Sources: ProJect Debut Carbon, Sonos streaming FLAC
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  • Conradicles
    Conradicles Posts: 6,079
    edited January 2010
    Zitro wrote: »
    Lesson learned: stay away from used cd players that are almost a decade old at the time of purchase.

    I wouldn't say all of that, but I feel you. Makes you kind of sick.:(
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  • Zitro
    Zitro Posts: 864
    edited January 2010
    Conradicles wrote: »
    I wouldn't say all of that, but I feel you. Makes you kind of sick.:(


    Yeak it does. I've been listening to CD's on the Kenwood, and it all sounds so much more compressed than with the NAD. What bugs me the most though is that this Kenwood is at least 3 years older than the NAD and it still works...you'd think the NAD would outlast the Kenwood, given one is a dedicated unit and one is a big-box mass produced machine.
    - Jeremy

    Amps: Jolida FX-10, NAD 3045, NAD C320BEE, Sansui G-9700
    Speakers: Polk Monitor 7A's, KEF Reference 104aB
    Sources: ProJect Debut Carbon, Sonos streaming FLAC
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  • WilliamM2
    WilliamM2 Posts: 4,773
    edited January 2010
    Zitro wrote: »
    What bugs me the most though is that this Kenwood is at least 3 years older than the NAD and it still works...you'd think the NAD would outlast the Kenwood, given one is a dedicated unit and one is a big-box mass produced machine.

    I'm not suprised. None of the NAD equipment I've owned even made it to the end of it's warranty still working. Some of it needed to be repaired twice before the warranty ran out.
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