Ever Hear a Tube CD player?

Eastern Electric Minimax CD, 6922 Output and HDCD decoding.

Headphone jack from the tube out.

Wonderful

Been using my ARC Ref CD 9SE for about 5 days.  It is still breaking in.  Initial impressions are that it is very good, better than my old ARC Ref CD 8.  And yes, the CD side of the house is redbook only.  The CD 9 also has DAC functions, which I look forward to discovering.  

Cat doorman my Ah tjoeb CD player is very very good , so far so good.

I owned a tube ARC Ref CD-8 for about 9 years.  It sounded ok to me, but I never compared it to anything else.  I just stepped up to a new tube Ref CD-9SE, which should be delivered on Monday.  Kinda' curious how the redbook CD side of the CD-9SE compares to my old Ref CD-8. 

Of course, the CD-9SE has a DAC side that can be used for streaming.  I guess I will learn how to stream now.

One good thing about ARC tube CD players is that they help to keep one's listening room warm in the winter.  lol     

I have a California Audio Labs Alpha DAC that I used with computers.  It uses two 12AX7.  It's has a warm presentation.  I bought it to take the edge on of those early CD's.  I hooked it up not long ago and was surprised how well it performed, given it's age.  If I were looking at tubes for digital I'd be searching for a Tube Buffer device.

Another offering from Taiwan: The ARRIBA P-1008 and P-2008 with two 12AU7 tubes in each unit.

I auditioned the P-1008 three years ago. It's quite good. 

The spec page is mandarin with no option to translate into English. http://www.kcr.com.tw/archive/image/edcontent2/editor/Spec9_P1008_2008.jpg

http://www.kcr.com.tw/edcontent.php?lang=tw&tb=2&id=38

Still have an Ah! Njoe Tjoeb 4000 although it doesn't get much use these days. Did wonders with CDs back then. Still sounds pretty good.

Every time I listen to my system and I love it:
Opera Audio Consonance Reference 2.2 CD Player - upgraded: Auricaps, power supply, tube, etc.

Jolida, before it was Black Ice Audio, made a great sounding tube CD player. It took a pair of 12AX7's and rolling tubes really changed the sound to what you liked.

If I'm not mistaken, the Ah! Njoe Tjoeb mentioned above was designed by the people or person who does the Primaluna tube DAC and/or CD player. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

Yes, my Audio mirror Tubadour III tube DAC improved soundstage, resolution, and added 'air' to the presentation.  

I listen mainly to vinyl. However, for the past two months, I have made a concerted effort to enhance my digital listening experience. I added a tube DAC  to a vintage Wadia 16 CDP. The DAC is from Marvalve, a boutique maker from Taiwan.

See review here:  https://www.head-fi.org/threads/review-marvalve-model-two-dac-vs-benchmark-dac2-hcg.884440/.

For the first time in a long while, I have spent considerable time listening to CD's. For the first time, vinyl sounds different but not better than digital. The soundstage is as wide and deep, pianos are played with more weight, and no audible drift from the Marvalve DAC2.  It uses two 6922's in the gain stage with no feedback, very impressive!

My vinyl gear include a Verdier La Platine, Trans-Fi and ZYX Ultimate 100 combination.   

2nd-

the ARC Ref CD-9 player.

Happy Listening!

Line Magnetic has 2 tube based cd players -- 

https://www.line-magnetic.eu/en/products-line-magnetic-en/cd-players-line-magnetic-en/lm-24cd-cd-pla...

https://www.line-magnetic.eu/en/products-line-magnetic-en/cd-players-line-magnetic-en/lm-215cd-plati...

Once upon a time I had all tube systems, and in the early days of CD, tube dacs were a big help, but times change. For well over a decade my system has been 100% solid state


I had a Raysonic 168 which was excellent, BUT, moved up the 228, a 2 box which started glitching after maybe a year. I sent it back to the USD Quest4Sound right at the time that Raysonic was pulling the plug on the company, apparently leaving a lot of unpaid employees. Q4S and I got the runaround.


TMK, no one has manuals or parts to repair them, but they were magical

@aewarren yeah, the CD9 is a decent little space heater for sure. That big tube for the power source cranks. Why is yours Redbook only? Special model?

I have an oppo modwright 105 player (the one rgs92 is talking above) and am quite happy with it. TAS has review.

I have an Ah! Njoe Tjoeb, but the drawer of the transport started wearing out after 10+ years of heavy use. Gave up fighting with it years ago, but was never really satisfied with its replacement. I’ve recently been thinking about dusting it off to see how it compares to my current streaming setup which certainly seems better than I remember.  
(Because you know I just couldn’t bring myself to get rid of it. Anyone have any experience replacing a transport?)

I've owned a PrimaLuna ProLogue Classic for over 3 years and like it.  Tubes consist of 2 each of: 12au7, 12ax7 and 5AR4. Sounds quite nice - very warm - although I did have a problem with the player not reading discs when it was new.  Fixed under warranty and no problems since.

Modwright used to do a tube-mod of the Oppo Disc Players. Sometimes you can find them used.There were 2 tubes sticking up on the top of the player and a new separate power supply box. I had one but sold it .
http://modwright.com/modifications/oppo-bdp83-and-bdp83se-mod.php

I also have a ARC Ref CD-9. I'm very happy with it although it's redbook only. Still, the SQ is very satisfying when I'm reading in my listening room. It also runs pretty hot and has to be on a top shelf as it top loads.

I'm on my second Audio Aero Capitol... outstanding CDP, DAC and preamp in one unit.

REGA ISIS VALVE cdp / dac

https://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/rega2/1.html

Sensational!

I’ve owned an EAR Acute CDP (2 6dj8) and currently use an Aesthetix Romulus Eclipse (2 6dj8 & 2 12ax7).

Both players IMO are excellent. Plus remotes and volume controls.

PS: Switch off between the Aesthetix and Bricasti M3 + transport.

I love the Denon APL , Tube CD player, but I prefer My Modwright Sony 9000es sacd player retired long time ago.

I ran across a used Exemplar audio Denon 2900 tube CD player for $400 or $500 10 or so years ago it was so cheap I snatched it up knowing it retailed for over $4000. When it arrived I was shocked how enjoyable it was to listen to. It came with Mullards, Amprex SQ's, Brinmar's and others I can't remember. It really didn't matter which tubes were used they all sounded good but I ended up leaving SQ's in full time. For a good while my lp12 collected dust. The lazer went out and I bought one of eBay and it is still up and running. I did end up buying a used Exemplar Oppo 105 tube player in case denon died and run each in different rooms. The trick is the tubes must be matched or you can hear balance problems if tubes are way off. 

I had a Luxman, which sounded ... ok, I guess.  It cost 2-3x what any other CD players I've had  and eventually devoted transport problems.   It's only real virtues were two:  (1)  it looked REALLY cool, (2) it finally got me to buy tube amps, which (for my system and my ears and my music) finally did the trick.   

If you can find any used Raysonic CD Player jump on it. I have yet to hear a tube CD Player under $5K that is as wonderful as my Raysonic CD128. 

I have seen some amazing reviews of some Tube CD players and a few not so good.  I am considering bringing in Canor Audio's CD players which have a tube output stage.  

I've had a couple of tubed cd players and they sounded great.  It's just that some people are too neurotic for tubes because they constantly obsess over whether the tubes are deteriorating or always thinking about rolling in new tubes.  Same with vinyl.  I've seen audiophiles so focused on cartridge alignment and VTA, VTF, antiskate, record cleaning, etc that they can't just enjoy playing a record.  So decide what type of person you are before venturing into tubes.  

I purchased a Carver CD player in 1990 having a tube output stage. I believe it retailed for $800 at that time. I purchased a dealer demo. Thought it to be quite good sounding at it's price point, and for digital at that time. 

I now use a transport with a tube DAC.

Audio Research Ref 9 is a tubed cd transport, sounds excellent. takes the “edge” off the “digital”.

I used to have a Tube Technology Fusion 64 tubed CD player it was totally fantastic I love it. It died one day and replaced it with a tubed Dac now I stream.

I have used Modwright players for the last several years.  Yes Dan's sound excellent.  Separate tube power supply and tube output stage.

Audio Note
https://positive-feedback.com/audio-discourse/audio-note-cd-2-1x-ii-level-two-red-book-cd-playe/

Because: tubes better. Even better still, use the tube CD player output to cut a record, and play that. Or dub it to analog tape. Basically the more the analog the better the digital.

It's just a normal CD player with a tube buffer on the output.