Hi guys been building a new HI FI system and been waiting on the HI FI Rose 130, but want to light this system up! Lol Whats a really nice cd player that will not be the weak link? I am running mcintosh c2700, Power Q 707, Mcintosh 611s & B&W 801 N all with high end cables.
Own Jay's Audio CD3 Mk III. It is terrific. Stunning dynamics, soundstage, attack, timbre and separation of instruments/vocals. I’m sure other top flight products sound great also.
I do understand and respect those practicing product selection shaded by geopolitics. I simply put forth that at times the debate becomes slippery.
Don’t step into that Thyssen-Krupp elevator until you know the firm’s history. Porsche, Maybach and Mercedes definitely off your list. Mitsubishi products like Furutech wire, Hell no! Cuban cigars…. You get my drift.
It’s a very connected world making it challenging to cleanly strike targets. Enjoy the art. Cheers
I have a Silver OPPO 105D it's on eBay is been barely used and only of Streaming and it's great flexible machine Audio and Video with all kinds of inputs and outputs.
If you can find a California Audio Labs Icon II, especially with the Boss transformer upgrade BUY IT. I have had one for years, using it as a transport with a HIFI tuning fuse and a Puritan Audio AC cord. These units are bullet proof. Built like tanks with military grade circuit boards. Pure joy from the golden age of American high end audio. Like new condition units can be found for less than a grand. Nothing to think about and something different....
I own a Project RS2T transport. I had to return 2 of them as they did not work( quality control was terrible) (maybe still is) The third I purchased again from The Music Room. its been a charm so far. It has the stream unlimited CD Pro 8 mechanism, and the Blue Tiger cd-84 servo system. Very high end units have similar. ($$$$$$) It is the finest I've heard yet, by a WIDE margin. My current DAC is a Bricasti M1 SE. Anyone that owns one (RS2T) will back up my statement.
If your DAC is compatible then the following is great, even with the cheapest used OPPO as a transport (like $200). An additional bonus is that it also plays DSD (SACD). My Benchmark DAC3B and Schitt Yggi+ LIM DACs both work with it. I was thinking of the new Schitt URD (sp?) CD player but tried the D.BOB and found it exceeded expectations. I also wanted SACD. My prior player was a Sony SCD-1, which died after 20+ years.
I also have a C2700 preamp, and was considering either the new MCT-500 CD/SACD transport which, with the MCT (DIN) connection will allow you to get the true SACD layer to the DA2 module of the C2700. You could also try and find a used MCT-450 at a lower price. However, I'm not fond of the DA2 DAC and ended up ordering a Luxman D-07X CD/SACD player, though that might be above your budget.
I believe it. Corporations are out there to squeeze blood out of a stone. The stock market has become dillusional thinking that a companies quarters can exponentially increase every 3 months. It’s all about appeasing the shareholders. Fire 1,800 people from Spotify. That will level things out for a bit. Yes. This did transpire.
I should have saved the article. I just read that Sony is peeved at streaming services because “Independent music” clogs the algorithm, and people are not hearing the latest and greatest releases of insipid, compressed, recycled pop music that has been released lately.
One more reason I purchase physical.
Regarding movies. There can be three different iterations of one film. Let’s say you purchase Blade Runner directors cut from Apple TV as an example. If Apple gets a new version that’s remastered or alternate soundtrack. The copy you purchased digitally is gone and replaced by the new one. So … Yes. I agree DVDs are quite important as well. Lots of film that I enjoy is simply not available. It doesn’t make the cut to be on a corporate server. Instead they will release the fast and furious 20 — the lost burn outs.
Just read an article claiming that some streaming services are "contemplating" culling their catalogs, meaning they’ll drop anything that doesn’t get at least a minimum number of views per month ...
That seems unlikely, @moonwatcher. Where did you read that claim?
l respect your viewpoint even though I may disagree with it. We can all agree that physical media is extremely important and still very relevant. The potential disappearance of CDs will be a travesty for us music lovers as well as the artists who rely on it for revenue. Besides being a music lover, I am also a movie buff and the same holds true there.
Just read an article claiming that some streaming services are "contemplating" culling their catalogs, meaning they’ll drop anything that doesn’t get at least a minimum number of views per month - over time. Not all of them are planning this right now, but it might be handwriting on the wall of "things to come". So, while streaming is great and can be elevated to be equal (or even better) than playing a local CD transport into your DAC, at least if you BUY physical media, no one can take that away from you on a whim or based on some mid-level executive’s decision nor the artists or lawyers with their panties in a wad about some perceived issue.
I'd hate to see streaming devolve into "the top 40", but who knows the future?
I must be living in an alternate universe or something. Just because it’s the norm. It does not mean it’s justified or that’s how the cookie crumbles. I’ve worked hard. Saved money throughout the years and the only items in my system that might be from China - perhaps resistors, transistors or led lights
Phillips transports are manufactured in China. Around 1999 Philips started licensing fees for China to use its patents. My cd transport was manufactured in 1996. Still going strong.
It’s not the world we live in. It’s how you choose to live in this world. If and when the Meridian takes a nose dive. I’ll be purchasing an audio note transport. No shame in my game. The main factor is that people from the United Kingdom, and America hand built the components I own. I made that decision. My money went to companies that are not subsidiaries of Chinese corporations. I take that seriously.
You can purchase additional Phillips drives for the CDT2-MK3 for about $300 from the Jay’s Audio website. I plan on purchasing one for insurance. They provide instructions and it doesn’t appear to be too difficult to replace on your own. Some of the brands I currently own or have owned include Elac, Wharfdale, Klipsch, Audiolab, Marantz, Oppo and Rotel. Guess where all of these components were manufactured? This is the economic reality we live in. The only US made component I own is my McIntosh integrated.
Streaming might be more convenient, SQ might be very close or perhaps better. Though if you have a large collection of cds. A transport is the best way to go imo. I still purchase cds. I enjoy the physical interaction with my rig. Linear notes and artwork does not compare to what’s on a iPad.
Vrds is a good look. That is what Wadia, and Esoteric have used. I’ve tried the Ayre cx-7 upgraded variant. The transport was loud and SQ for the price was not justified. Purchased used.
Returned the Ayre. Purchased a used Meridian 500 cd transport for 500.00. There are two different variants. Look for the one that has both spdif, Aes/Ebu. It utilizes a better Phillips transport. The Meridian has a warm, though not too relaxed sound. All cds even poorly mastered sound a bit better with this transport compared to the other I have auditioned.
if you have serious funds I’d go Audio Note transport full throttle. Anything made in China will not be around in ten years. You want legacy companies when going the CD route imo.. Granted Meridian parts are a tad rare though there is an authorized repair shop in Georgia. Audio Note has already stated the company will be passed down the family line.
At capital audio fest I checked out the new Briscasti cd transport. Cd drawer was loud when swapping disc. A bit wobbly. Not worth the money imo.
Never auditioned Accuphase or Esoteric though I’m sure they will perform excellent as well. Luxman has been reported with problems unfortunately.
Legacy, and company longevity matters most with transports these days
Best luck!
Additionally… if jays audio transport no longer works. The replacement will cost 500.00 if you’re lucky.
I hope everyone in this thread knows the Chinese government owns a bit of every company. Look how they treat their civilians. It’s a horrible travesty. Your dollar has mighty influence
+1 for the Jay’s Audio CDT2-MK3 transport. I recently purchased mine to replace my Audiolab CDT6000 and it has taken my CD listening to a whole new level. In my system, CD playback is way better sonically than streaming. Then again I spent way more on the CDT2-MK3 than my Bluesound Node 2i. Both are connected to my Denafrips Pontus II. I have more than 2.5K CDs which makes the CDT2-MK3 a great investment IMO. I do enjoy streaming as a great way to discover new music with minimal cost. The problem with it is I don’t have ownership or control of the titles in my Amazon Music account. I have seen titles randomly disappear in my account and was forced to hunt some of these titles down on CD. I also have numerous titles on CD that Amazon doesn’t have in their library. Streaming is a great option to have, but I don’t consider it a replacement for physical media.
The most surprising CD sound I’ve ever heard (don’t laugh now) was from an ancient Pioneer Elite PD 65 Cd player. Very analog-like, with a very nice sounfstage, detailed with a touch of lower mid warmth. If you can find a used one in good condition, they’re cheap too.
+2 for the Schiit Urd. I’ve got it paired with a Bifrost 2/64, was quite an eye opener. Replaced my Oppo Bdp-95. I’m a diehard cd advocate as ‘inconvenient” as they might be.
I have a Teac 701 and a Jay's Audio CD3 Mk III. They both sound great. I'm not sure I could tell them apart in a blind test but they are both excellent pieces of gear.
The Jay's is built like a tank and it uses the latest drive mechaism that Phillips made. It upsamples by 4X which is a nice feature because your DAC's filters may sound better at the higher sampling rate. It has a downside if you own and collect HDCDs as I do. At standard sampling rate (44.1) it uses dither in the first bit which prevents the DAC from decoding the HDCD signal. The CD will play fine but you won't get the benefit of the HDCD encoding. It's an absolute pleasure to use and I smile every time I drop a CD into it.
The Teac 701 is also a very nice unit and half the price of the Jay's. It uses Teac's VRDS mechanism which is one of the best available. It plays HDCDs fine and it it also plays MQA CDs. It does this by doing the first unfold to 88 khz and then the MQA DAC does the rest. If you think you might get an MQA DAC (I don't know if the Mac has this feature) the ability to play MQA CDs is nice to have. I bought a bunch of MQA CDs to try it out and some of them sound much better than their standard counterparts. The best example is the remastered series from the Doobie Brothers. The difference is astounding. I'm sure that this was mostly due to the new mastering but the difference is revelatory. Other titles like Anita Baker, Rapture, sound very similar to their regular counterparts. I'm running a Berkeley Alpha Reference Series II MQA DAC.
The Shanling looks like a very good option. It uses a Phillips mechanism and it has a lot of nice features. One other option would be to get a SACD player and use it as a transport. Something like a Marantz KI Ruby or their newer SACD model would make an excellent transport and you get the ability to play SACDs. The built-in DAC may be better than the one in your McIntosh.
All of the above is predicated on the assumption that you like physical media. I have Qobuz, and it sounds great, but I find myself using it to audition new music before I buy the CD or vinyl record. I collect physical media, especially audiophile versions, and I get a certain satisfaction from spinning the physical music thingy in a nicely built machine.
The Audiolab 6000CDT is an excellent transport and really inexpensive. You don’t want to spend too much in my opinion cuz once you start streaming you going to be spinning CD’s less and less. Rip all your CD’s onto an external SSD and have your own library as convenient as a streamer.
Jay's Audio CDT-2 MkIII, it's a great transport and definitely ups the SQ game. I own an Audiolab CDT-6000 (which is a very good transport), but the Jay's blew it away. It's what I'd buy as of today, but I'd definitely test the Teac 701 as well.
If I2S is important (which it is for me as my Denafrips Pontus II sounds best with this input), then the Jay's Audio transport is the better option.....the Teac does not have an I2S output.
I have around 2500 CD’s and my CD transport died a of years ago. I bought an Audiolab 6000CDT and my first streamer, a Bluesound Node, N130. As time went by, I found that I was using the streamer more and more and CD’s less and less. About six weeks ago I got a different preamp and when I was plugging everything back in I didn’t plug the CDT back in.
Since you have DAC, and assuming that you are happy with it, I would get a dedicated transport. However, some Mac preamps have a proprietary input for Mac CD players. I once had a Pioneer Elite Universal Player that had an “ i link “ (basically a FireWire connection) to pair with a Pioneer AVR. It sounded amazing, far better than any other input into the AVR and much better than the Universal Player into the same AVR by HDMI.
I don’t know much about Mac proprietary inputs, but if your amp has one, I would at least attempt a trial with a Mac disc spinner that is similarly equipped
The TEAC 701 is an excellent transport. It can also be clocked so there is the potential to upgrade it. There isn't a massive difference in price between the transport and CD player versions so it would be worth auditioning the CD against the transport running into the Mac's DAC.
Esoteric K-05 CD/SACD player is phenomenal. The internal DAC is awesome as well. It has inputs to utilize the DAC separately with a streamer etc. They are hard to find used, but they’re out there.
streaming is great, but don’t get talked out of getting a nice CD Transport...they can be inexpensive, like the CXC, and lots of fun, with great sonics...and there are now also some real good CD/Streamer combos with good DAC’s built in...
Since you already have a DAC, I’d just get a streamer and skip the CD thing all together. You’ll get access to millions of albums for the price of a cd a month. Many of higher resolution than the CD. Get the best you can afford and you’ll be rewarded for life.
The Cambridge CXC is an excellent budget choice (I have one) if you plan to use the DAC in your preamp...the CXC V1 and V2 are sonically identical, just different color and styling...
You must have a verified phone number and physical address in order to post in the Audiogon Forums. Please return to Audiogon.com and complete this step. If you have any questions please contact Support.
