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Advice needed re: new CD player purchase

Hello everyone. New member but long-time lurker here. My system: Bryston 4B-ST amp, Bryston BP25 preamp, and Meridian 508.24 CD player (all purchased in 1998 and all performing flawlessly), Kimber KCAG balanced interconnects, Audioquest speaker cable, and Esoteric power cords. I have Thiel CS2.4 loudspeakers.

I have about 4500 CDs (about 3% of which are hybrid SACDs). I love my system, but I want a new CD player. Am I right to think that advances in audio technology over the last 24 years have left my Meridian in the dust, sonically speaking? So I have been looking at various players. A few parameters: I will only buy new; I want XLR outputs; and I’d prefer to not spend over 5k.

I’m looking hard at the Bryston BCD-3, and the Technics SL-G700. Having owned Bryston products now for almost 24 years, I’m extremely impressed by their build quality and performance. However, the BCD-3 is not an SACD player. I’ve read a few solid reviews of the Technics, but I’m suspicious of their long-term reliability. There are no dealers where I live or within 200 miles. I looked at the Marantz line, and their only player with balanced outputs is the SA-10, which I’ve heard is awesome but I’m unwilling, at this point, to pay $7500 (although my mind is not closed on the matter).

Anyone here have either the Bryston or the Technics player? Will I notice a marked improvement with a new player (as compared to my 508.24)? Like most of you, this is my life. After work, I listen 2-3 hours per day, sometimes more on weekends. Thanks in advance for your advices.
jeroboam

Showing 5 responses by jjss49

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jjss49
6,612 posts
 
no doubt there are some truly great cd players out there, some from many years back, i still have several

regarding reliability, one specific word of caution is that lasers in these cd players are analogous to light bulbs... they can and do burn out, and often replacements are not available

so folks who wish to stroll the all time greats of cd players of the past should be aware of this

my apologies in advance if this has already been mentioned in an earlier post, and i missed it
jjss49's avatar
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jjss49
6,612 posts
 

not cheap, but a winner

 

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jjss49
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i agree with this thinking... factory support is important, and i have learned (the hard way) that this is especially important for cd players, after having been burnt by marantz not stocking backup lasers for even their very expensive high end sacd players for repair purposes... anyone want a very expensive doorstop?

i swear, it looks just like a $3,500 marantz sacd player 😂

 

 

@slbjbb

Just bought a used Audio Research player after years of high end computer audio. I think it sounds fantastic but have always been an Audio Research fan. My main consideration in buying a mint used product was......are they still around and do they stand behind their products. That’s just me. We all have our preferences.

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jjss49
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@jafant

this is my brick --

i also have the sony scd-1 vsei modded level 5, modwright sony 5400 es and marantz sa8005 with dan’s tube output stage and power supply

btw, same lack of availability of replacement lasers for the newer sa8005 -- marantz is shameless

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jjss49
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@jafant 

thanks for the follow up

i had emailed the vendor you passed along to confirm part availability, but have not yet heard back

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