I just picked up the Teac VRDS 701t Transport. Great machine.
CD Player: Vintage or modern ones?
I’ve been given a collection of classical and jazz CD’s, last time I had or played one was like 20 years ago with a humble Denon I bought saving for few months.
Now that I have a pretty good system, wondering if worth to get a good CD Player or find some “old glory”, but I’m totally lost.
The one that appeals to me is the Audis Flight FL Three S in black (must be black to match rest of my Italian system, ideally from that beautiful country), or the Goldnote CD-10, even some TEAC. Regarding more older units, I’m totally lost.
Any suggestion? Rest of the system is made by Diesis Audio (Speakers, Ampnand cables).
Thanks in Advance.
39 responses Add your response
The only old CDP's worth considering AS TRANSPORTS are the TEACs, as in the VRDS mentioned above. TEAC had excellent transport mechanisms, even in their less fancy models (they still do, but it's now called "esoteric" and costs a fortune). Digital to analogue conversion has generally improved in the past 20 years... Keep in mind however that lasers have a finite life expectancy, so you might be better off purchasing something new |
Transports and DACs have improved a lot over the last couple decades. So, newer much better. But the technology has also advanced. Streaming will offer the same sound quality (carefully chosen, compatible like everything else in high end audio), but you get access to over 10 million albums and over half a million of high resolution (higher than CD quality) with a service like Qobuz… $14.99 / month… the price of a single CD. I have 4,000 albums and have not listened to them in years. To do this you need a DAC and streamer… separated are best. |
Some capacitors start degrading from the moment they roll off the assembly line. They have a built in lifespan, which might be a decade or two, but eventually they will all fail. So even if a CD player has never been used it could still be at end of life. There are a lot of players from the 90s and 2000s that still sound great but I'd be worried about them no matter how little use they have had. |
A vote for modern CD transports. Using Jay's cdt2-mk3 with Snake River boomslang AES cable to Gustard A26 dac with outstanding results. However it will set you back a few $. Gone the way of Marantz 6005 CD player, Cambridge CXC transport and PS Audio transport, and none of these satisfied my tastes. |
Given you are asking about "old glory" CD players, I am assuming this means you are open to used? If so I agree there are not many "old" players I would recommend, and they would generally need upgrades / modifications (e.g., the Sony CDP x777es) But if you are willing to consider "recent" units, there are many, many good options. I would also NEVER recommend buying a new CD player - such plyers decline in value so quickly you really should go used. With that said, your price range seems to be about $2500-4k based on the units you referenced. Just looking on the 'gon (with the limitation that it has to be black, which I will never understand either aesthetically or sonically), you can pick up a Mark Levinson No, 512, which was $15k not all that long ago, for $3k, and it would give you perfectly fine sound. Or on US audio mart, there is an MBL 1531 for under $3k - a very musical CD player. Maybe if you give more specifics on what you are looking for, you price range, sound preferences, etc, you can get more tailored advice.
|
I used to like thick and warm, lately I’m looking for a balanced, nice punch but airy, realistic and natural, musical one, letting the Diesis Ludos shine, already got a Class A hybrid Amp from them with good body and naturalness, also the R2R La Scala MKII (also with couple of small tubes). Tastes: Jazz, Bossanova, Soul, Funk, Flamenco, Folk, Classical and Reggae, and when in the mood classic 60/70’s rock. Thanks for recommendations, gonna have a look! PS: what is the benefit nowadays using CD’s instead of a nice DAC/Streamer combo? |
Both good/great is done right BUT the selection with streaming is astounding. Go to a show or shop and check it out. Lot's of good used stuff for starter streamers or higher end steamers always around. The "benefit" of CDs is that you don't need the internet and a cleaned up ethernet chain. Less parts are needed too. Sonically, with both done right, there's scant difference if any. High end flac files (steamed) are tops. My CD's are in a closet and CD player is too. Both are kept in case the internet blacks out for days. |
It depends on the quality of the CD player. The old Naim CDi that I inherited from my late Dad (RIP Dad 💔) is built like a tank and still sounds great over 30 years after it was manufactured. Of course the CDi would cost over $9000 today factoring in for inflation, but nice ones can be found from time to time for around a $1000US. As is the case with all vintage audio gear, finding parts can be an issue though. So caveat emptor. 👍 |
Unfortunately old lasers burn out sooner or later, and are often irreplaceable. I'd be looking for an inexpensive transport (even a universal player including SuperAudio CD playback) and spend the leftover loot on a good DAC, I do not know of a streaming service that outperforms multi-channel SACD ... |
You will have to find out, comparing the two options. Probably, your hifi dealer is able to provide the respective gear for a few days. As you own already a superb dac, you might want to go forward with a transport. As said, try to listen to your options in your 4 walls. Even with two or three different transports in different price ranges. That's what I would do. At the end of the day, nobody can give you a final and bullet proof answer to your last question. Only you can. |
I was in a similar situation when my Audio Aero CD-player broke down. With (too) many CDs I was recommended to go for a used Accuphase DP-67, around 2008 considered as one of the best CD-players around. Indeed, it sounded really great. But when I connected it to my Merason Frerot DAC it sounded so much better. Obviously, modern mid-priced DACs are much better than the ones in state-of-the-art CD-players of about 15 years ago. So if you want to buy an older CD-player, focus on the quality of the transport and add a modern DAC. My next observation was that all the CDs I had collected between 1990 and 2010 sounded mediocre compared to streaming them in high resolution on Quboz. So I sold the Accuphase, and had the Audio Aero repaired for the occasional time I want to listen to a CD that is not in Quboz. |
Old school, look at a top loader Sony SCD-777ES or Sony SCD-1 ES, front loader Pioneer Elite DV-09 Fully copper chassis inside, and Esoteric (any P-01, P-02, or P-03; K-01-K-03. These units are built like a brick and most of the new units can’t compete in the class with these unless you step up to the new Esoteric G series or DCS. Break out your piggy bank for the latter of the two mentioned. I’ve been fortunate to test and compare the units above. In some of the older units, I have replaced capacitors in 1 of the units and believe me, it was well worth it. Hope this helps for you and anyone else who is looking. |
+1 decathalon1991 I have an older Sony XA series and also an older Pioneer PD65 and both are stellar tank machines with great drive mechanisms. Parts can be found but be careful. As far as new machines go, Jays Audio makes a solid transport (which I also have) that can feed the top notch DAC of your choice. |
@2psyop yrs, I agree both are excellent units. I have the Pioneer Elite PD-65 before switching to the Pioneer Elite DV-09 and had the Jay’s Audio before going back to Esoteric separate (transport, DAC, and Clock). For streaming, I have the Reference Cary Audio DMS-800PV ( Dual Mono design) DAC/ streamer. I use Nordost QNET, and the separate power supply, the Nordost QRT QSource. I’ve tried a lot of top of the line streamers. This one does it for me. As incredible this unit is, CD’s (Redbook, DVD Audio, SACD with Multi or two channels) still outperforms streaming at its best. Now to be fair, streaming is still improving but I don’t let practicality govern my senses of better sound quality than CD’s. |
In my system I haven’t tried Taiko Audio SGM Extreme Network Music Server but I have spent extensive time with it in my friends system. I would say this is elite status for streaming but it is best performed storing and playing back your music. That may be next on my list but I’m trying to justify + $40K for this unit or any feature unit this company may produce in the near future. |
After some serious consideration, and listen what a good CD player can do with my speakers and amp, and also embracing how comfy had been streaming for my wife and me over the last two years, and more recently using our Voxativ Zeth Absolut system, I gave to my dealer a good bunch of stuff including the TT, to trade it for a metronome aqwo 2+ with tube module. I’m done with this, now I have a nice collection of Vinyls to sell and put the money into our savings for our new home. Thank You all, I’m seriously done with gear at least for the next decade. PS: Cannot still believe how close in emotion and warm is the Metronome to my old Kuzma Stabi R. |
@superelmar " thanks, got the Metronome AQWO 2. " The idea of a discovery to be made of a Vintage CD Player suggests there is a limitation on a Budget. The follow up support, directs to CDT, CDP's at approx' $3Kish as the maximum. The Metronome AQWO 2 is seemingly a $18K device ? Wow! that was substantial jump to make. This should really give the CD Collection the Tool to enable them to show themselves at their very best. Are the Jazz and Classical CD's a collection of super rare productions that only a few are blessed with owning , |
@superelmar Great to see you've got yourself a Métronome. I couldn't be happier with mine, a DSS1. A hardly use my Pink Triangle Export GTI anymore, which is a quite decent turntable. |
