CD player choices

    Hi,  You are correct.  That is the only way to do it,compare head to head.  I normally do that but rounding up several items becomes cost prohibitive and then panic trying to get rid of the  losers so to speak and recover the investment. I am not a bank.  I have dealt with gear for 45 years and worked in the bizz back in the day and could not agree more.  Sometimes to avoid the rounding up of gear (which may not be an option my only option to be sure) one looks for opinions and hopes others have compared but one often seems things go off on tangents . Sometimes with agendas. One  of my favorite (NOT) you often see on various sites is this.


Get x brand.Why??Its great!!Did you compare it anything??No but its is great. I own it.

 Not helpful.


While I like Thiels and  think they are great not my deal.  I am not into the super  precise imaging things that a number of speaker strive for.  Does not sound like what  one hears when the instrument is right in front of me.   A good percentage of the  sound comes from everywhere in the real world.  Not a point which is an artifact of the 'stereo" thing. Many reviewers and articles have commented on this kind of thing. IT IS A PERSONAL PREFERENCE   I have had countless speakers in here and tend toward the di poles, bi poles or Omni Polar.   Just sound more real and like a live performance.   FYI  I have M 3 and OM5s and had M3si    I like the soft dome on the M3 better.

Have you hooked up two CD players to your Yamaha and compared them directly with each other using the same song? Play a song or section of a song through one player and then switch to the other making sure that the volume is the same. Don't do this just once, do it several times over the course of a week and note the differences you hear on each listening. An even better way is to get an extra copy of one of your favorite CDs so you can toggle back and forth while the song is playing.

I wouldn't make a judgement on CD player sound if you haven't done a comparison like this. I have 3 CD players, one transport, and two DACs ranging in price from $500 to $8000 and when I compare any two of them head to head I'm surprised how similar they sound to each other. I think you will be chasing a rainbow if you are trying to significantly change the sound of your system by getting a new CD player. One of my players is the Marantz SA8005 and it holds its own with just about anything. If you had an 8005 and didn't like it I'm concerned you will never be happy.

BTW, for many years I ran a pair of Mirage M3si speakers using a Krell KSA 300S amp. I still have them but a few years ago a friend sold me his Thiel CS6 speakers which are a significant improvement but those Mirage's served me well for a long time.

Hii,  Using the slow filter on the NAD opened it up .  Not wanting separate DACS (extra cables more variables never ends)  The ones above are the ones I am looking at. Nothing else.

I have an Oppo also, and you are right, it doesn’t sound great on its own. Heck, my Sony CDP 2700, from 1992, sounds better than the Oppo! But when hooked to an external DAC it’s a fine transport. I’d definitely suggest you look for an external DAC and keep the Oppo as a transport.

All the best.

JD

Budget?  Without knowing what it is, consider Bryston.  I own the DAC3, which has the same AKM chip, and I think it is what you are looking for

Pioneer elite dv-58avi. And. Pioneer elite dv-79avi.
best players I’ve ever heard. 
 Yamma cd-s300 pr newer s303 I think?

great players. 
New Yamaha cds303 is better than the 300, better dac.

I recently got the Marantz 30N SACD player/streamer. I really love it. 

Simaudio

if you can try the m5 in another setup , try that and see if you have the same results.

i would also look at getting a better cable to the cd player as something as easy as that could be the issue.

I have considered that also but other sources seem OK.  Have tried different cables. The Yamaha is a great amp but it is a definite possibility.   The overall question still remains on the players Thanks

I have a NAD M5 running through a Yamaha A S 2100. Speakers are Mirage M3 or OM5. Cannot decide between them. I was looking at other players for a little more vertical extension as the NAD is very good but not a lot of air.

could it be the Yamaha that is not giving you the " air " that you are wanting ?

dont you have a Rogue integrated also ?   if so, how does that NAD sound in that setup ?

for more " air".....what about trying a different cable from the Yamaha to the M5 ?