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Considering getting a CD player (again). Used? New? Criteria?

After years without one, I'm considering getting a CD player. I'm not against streaming, but I have many CD's and would like the simplicity of just playing them from time to time. I probably want to cap my expenditure at $700, or so, because this won't be the only way I play music.

A few questions:
If you've purchased a new CD player, what did you buy? Why?
If you've purchased a used player, how old is too old? What factors helped you choose?

My concern with used is that the transport mechanism of older players will be getting tired, and this won't be knowable just because a unit "checks out" with the site (or individual) testifying to the player's working condition. There's got to be an average point for many machines to give up the ghost, mechanically (varying from machine to machine, of course).
hilde45

Showing 1 response by doitwithlife

doitwithlife's avatar
doitwithlife
98 posts
 
Wanted to follow this. I currently stream 100% using a directstream Dac. Internet is unreliable,  so no network,  no music.

Ive got a dac I love so only need the transport portion of a player. Been considering a used high quality transport, but always well beyond the price it seems I could get a hi rated new CD/DVD.

Was thinking what would be important is a reliable loading system. Being able to manual drop a disk rather than tray loading or slot load seems to make sense.

A good clock and steady motor. Not sure if jitter specs would be the measure of this. A buffering player seems to get around some if this by delaying handoff for a bit allowing timing and read errors to be corrected before handoff to a dac. I like that feature but that is still too expensive 


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