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Crazy to buy a 17 year old CD Player?

My ARC CD2 just died...I think the laser finally gave up the ghost.  Any how I've got thousands of red book CDs in my library and need a replacement player.  I'm thinking an ARC CD 3MKII or the Mark Levinson 390S.  Am I crazy to be thinking this?  Got a budget of around $2000.00.  My system, though dated, is made up of higher end stuff: ARC 25 pre amp, ARC VT 150 mono amps, VPI TNT IV, Wilson Witts, all running through Transparent Reference (Balanced).
cmcdaniel5
jl35
3,980 posts
 
Though some prefer the sound of older players, the risk is that old transports and lasers usually cannot be replaced 
gdnrbob
4,444 posts
 
I would buy a current CD transport, like a Rega Apollo, McCormack DAC-1. Both are good CD Players by themselves, but you can add an external DAC like an Ayre Codex or Schiit Gungnir or Yggy and get really high fidelity. I think your (excellent) components would benefit from it.
Bob
sunseekerespana
12 posts
 
An old but maybe good at the time DS DAC can be hammered nowadays. You are in for a treat! I would look for a used Audio Note 3.1 balanced. Great tubed R-2R DAC with no up sampling or filter, dead smooth and analogue sounding. Just real and IMO a classic.
lostbears's avatar
lostbears
538 posts
 

 The Audio Research CD players starting with the CD3 use variations of the Philips CDM Pro2 drive mechanism. This is the same  drive mechanism in CD jukeboxes so complete drives as well as parts are readily available. 

 So I wouldn't worry that much about buying a CD3 mk2. If you can push it you might consider a Ref CD7. The price of these has really dropped. And they are a truly amazing analog sounding CD player. 



don_c55
1,025 posts
 
CD/SACD did not get real good until the last 5 years IMO.
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