CD Player Recommendations…

Hi,

I’m also in the market for a CD player, haven’t owned that many of them over the years.  
Here’s my cd evolution for the most part:

AMC CD6 (1 bit player)
Proceed PCD2 (shoulda never sold)
Audio Alchemy DDS3
Oppo DV 970 (owned the longest)
Rotel RCD855 
Cambridge Azur 840C

Of the last 2, the Rotel was really smooth and enjoyable.  I felt the Azur was too clinical sounding in comparison but I was not using it with XLR’s which they recommended.  I later came to really enjoy the Azur.

The Azur stopped reading discs :( so I just sold it.  I loved the fact that I could hook up my Bluesound to it & use the upsampling DAC on the back of it.

I’m moving overseas to Israel next week & will be bringing a Linn Majik I (orig shoe box sized) and a Meridian 551 (to match my 504 tuner) with 2 pair of small Brit monitors (ProAc Super Tablettes & Monitor Audio R700 MD).  Anyone have any experience with Meridian CD players?  I wonder how they stack up?

There’s an Israeli retailer close by to where I’ll be living who wants $21-2300 for a Meridian 507, that’s worth like $750 everywhere else in the world.  Probably cheaper to buy something in Europe & have it shipped?

I also will be looking for a DAC for my Node 2i.  A friend of mine really likes this Maverick tube DAC even though it’s only 24/96.  I dug the Rotel which was only 16 bits too :) 

Look forward to hearing your thoughts

Orfeo - if I stay with Meridian for a CD player, it would be something in the 5 series to match my 551 integrated and 504 tuner.

dabel - Gene, I’m very seriously considering a Cambridge CXC right now

sbaik - Sean, interesting commentary on the Meridian gear, thank you. I have read that the 506.24 is better than the 507 as well. All of the Meridian 5 series stuff is expensive. In some respects, it seems like you are paying for the sleek look of this gear, in the same way you are paying for the sleek look of Bang & Olufsen gear, albeit way better.

My Meridian 551 is nice but not any better than my Linn Majik I. Seems for the money, with the Cambridge CXC & a good DAC, I could probably do as good if not way better than a Meridian 596 at significantly less cost and would just have 2 pieces of mismatched gear than the aesthetics of 3 matching Meridian pieces, unless I were to get a Meridian 5 series DAC with the CXC.

I must admit, I do like the simplicity of a one unit cd/dvd player though, and in that scenario, I would still need a DAC for my Node 2i.

In the end, the Azur 840C solved everything with its Dual internal DAC inputs on the rear… decisions, decisions :)

@dabel, the Genesis Digital Time Lens of a long time ago was a re-clocker, wasn’t it?  I sold one for a friend a few years ago.  I remember reading that it was a significant improvement having it inserted into the system.

I passed on the CXC today, I really wanted 1 less box to have an integrated CD player and what made me hesitate most on the CXC was I didn’t want it to end up with the same fate as my Azur 840C as I believe they are both of the same time period.

I’ve always heard good things about the Rega CD players.

Anyone with experience with the Linn CD players?  In addition to my Meridan 551 integrated, I also have a Linn Majik I (old shoe box sized)  being shipped overseas too.  Was reading up on the Linn Karin/Numeric that many have preferred over the later Ikemi units…

But from what I’m reading here, the Audiolab 6000 & DAC sounds like a very good bet, especially since I also have a Node 2i as well.

What’s a good recommended DAC in the $3-400 range?

thanks!