Looking for CD player recommendations that mate well with a Musical Fidelity A308 integrated and Revel F30 speakers. Cabling is Discovery Essential speaker cables and matching Essence interconnects. I’m thinking the player should be on the neutral to perhaps slightly recessed/relaxed mids to synergize with the A308 and F30’s more forward characteristics.
I recently purchased a Cambridge CXC-V2 transport. I hoped to wait for the fabled Schiit CD, but it seemed to constantly recede over the far horizon. I’ve read that the CXC-V2 uses the same drive as the 851C.
In any event, I’m quite happy with it. I'm using a Mytek Brooklyn DAC+ to complete the set-up. The CXC-V2 is also pretty inexpensive and customer service from Cambridge is supposedly quite good (a claim I hope I never need to test) and it's widely available.
AGON used listings today...
Denon SACD-3910 Fully Upgraded Balanced out Tube CD/SACD/DVD $875...... Parts Connection upgrades. These include single ended and balanced TUBE outputs. Plays SACD, CD and DVD region free discs. or
OPPO BDP-105 $1000....HDMI,
single ended and balanced outputs. Plays SACD, CD and DVD and BluRay
I would NOT get the Onkyo 7030, I've been quite disappointed in mine. Jams up, skips over music on clean CDs my CAL players handled with ease. I'm thinking Rotel or others mentioned under budget would be a better choice.
@jsbach1685 I have a similar amplifier, Musical Fidelity A300 paired with a forward sounding set of B&W 805 Matrix. I have used a Meridian 508 (20bit) unit in the past and it was very good -smooth and full bodied bass. But I didn't enjoy how finicky it was playing some CD-Rs. Eventually sold the 508.
I then came across a Meridian 596 DVD player, my plan was to use it as a transport with my Chord DAC. To my surprise, the Meridian 596 as a Red Book CD player was better sounding than my previous 508. I was even more surprised, when the 596 as a stand-alone sounded better than when hooked up to my Chord DAC. I now only use the DAC when streaming. The Meridian 596 is my dedicated stand- alone CD player.
Compared to my 508, the 596 is more detailed without sounding forward or fatiguing. 508 had more bloom and smoothness at the expense of detail. The 596 has both, smoothness and detail. Also the imaging is significantly better on the 596. More believable, precise imaging and also more expansive sound stage when the the recording calls for it. Classical piano (when recorded well) and orchestral music sound especially great.
Long story short. Meridian 596 is a killer, under the radar, stand alone CD player. Better than a 508 (at least in my system) and can more than hold it's own against modern DACs. Also will play anything you throw into it. The only downside, no balanced outs, only RCAs for analog.-Sean
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 :)
Why "save" the fidelity of a CD. Rip it once to a hard drive with error correction, then play it jitter free from then on. There is a lot of reflected laser light and idiosyncrasies in mechanical players, it never ends.
Put your money toward a good DA converter and then a superregulator to power it.
@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.
@jafant The Ayon I had (CD-1, twin chassis) is, in my opinion, better than the Primare - more meat on the bone. It’s difficult to compare the CXC to either as it’s connected to the W4S Anniversary which is a far superior DAC. Only issue with the CXC is it’s dedicated Redbook so will not play MOD etc...
I have an MHZS player which has been stored for years so may try that as a transport for comparison.
Nice! I am always interested in learning about CD/SACD players that I have not auditioned. I look forward to the next player comparison. The CD32 was (at that time) a ground-up redesign around a (then new) Sanyo drive/transport mechanism. MHZS has been out for quite a while now. I have never read a bad review.
I would have you also look at an "Audiolab 6000CDT" transport. Wonderful clean sounding unit that will challenge much more expensive players. The slot loading mechanism may turn some off though.
just a word of caution to contrast the several recommendations for marantz cdp’s
they do not stock lasers for discontinued units, and when the laser in your $3000 player fails, you try to get service/repair, you are told the part is nla... and you own a very nice looking brick
Meridian. Aaaaghh. Same cautionary tale as Marantz. Meridian does not support older cdps. Ask me for all the gory details including shipping back to Meridian USA in GA. for attempts to repair my gorgeous sounding 508.24.....had it for nearly 10 years and yup these go down. Nice black shiny doorstop: "Sorry sir your laser replacement is no longer available!" Sad to say my current love affair w/ Oppo BDP 95 SACD will no doubt reach the same fate. They're making phones now. So when that laser craps, I'll be getting the Audiolab 6000CDT and a Topping 90SE DAC...or the next R2R champ. Nope I don't stream.
I recently replaced my Rotel 1072, which was a great workhorse and excellent sounding player, with the newer 1572. Aside from a few picky things, this player took my already awesome sounding system to a new level.
Update: I just recently sold my MF A308 integrated and picked up a Proceed Amp 2 to better match the sonics of my Revels—I’ve read great things as both have Madrigal DNA. I’m planning on mating them with an Adcom GFP-750 preamp in passive mode. Another thought is the matching proceed PRE. Anyway, I’m currently using an Arcam irdac for streaming. I’m gonna wait to see how this sounds with the other gear before deciding what “synergy” I need to find a CD player.
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?
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