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Is my dealer lying to me?

This past weekend I went to listen to some speakers. I've been planning to buy CD player also, but that was not this weekend's purpose.

At first we were using a YMB player, McCormick amp, and Soliloquy 5.3 speakers. The speakers is what I was auditioning.

The CD player he is trying to sell me is the Cambridge Audio D500ES, I beleive. Price:400

Big difference I know between the YMB ($2500)and the Cambridge ($400). But it wasn't $2100 in difference in sound I can tell you that. What concerns me is the difference between his comments and the perceived opinions of people on this board. In other threads, there are quite a bit of "ditch the Cambridge" comments.

The dealers comments were "best player under $2000"... "chris sold his $2500 Theta and picked this one up because it's that good, and pocketed the money"... etc.

I'm not asking if this is the best player under $2000. But how does it compare to Arcam and Rega models at $500-700?

Obvisouly, he recommends the Soliloquy 5.3 also. I liked them but wasn't as impressed as much as I thought I would be. The guy has a small shop and seems honest, but it seems this cambridge is not very well respected in this forum.

I've gotten rid of alot of my gear. What I have left to use is a Yamaha RXV-995 receiver. An amp will come, hopefully sooner than later, but I need speakers and a CD player now unless I want to continue to use my DVD player for CDs.

Any comments?
gunbunny

Showing 3 responses by seandtaylor99

seandtaylor99
1,262 posts
 
I think I agree with Sdcampbell ... I have not been able to hear much difference between my Marantz CD67SE and an expensive Meridian player I borrowed, and certainly not a $2k difference. In my experience the interconnect makes more difference than the CD player. I have a modest system of Densen B-100 amp and Spica Angelus, similar in price to the Soliloquys. Therefore your dealer could well be truthful .... I too have long suspected that high-end CD players do not justify their price tags, but I have never heard a dealer say so. On the other hand putting more money into the amp and speakers (and room treatment and cable) makes a profound difference (again my experience).
Patmatt is also correct that you should go with your ears.

Sorry I can't help with comparisons with the Arcam and Rega ... and at that price point I would also consider the Creek CD43 (not because I've heard it, but because lots of people seem to like it). I also wouldn't rule out Marantz ... I've been very happy with the sound and build of mine, and it only cost me $250 at a sale ... leaving plenty of cash for the rest of the system, and for a later DAC (if it makes an audible difference)
seandtaylor99
1,262 posts
 
Whoa ... everyone calm down ! Sdcampbell is correct ... and Natalie may also be correct. In a system costing $5kUSD or less I think it would be hard to justify a $2k CD player as the remainder of the system probably could not resolve the differences. That is my situation (Densen amp, Spica Angelus speakers).

In a $20KUSD+ system I have no experience ... I suppose that it's possible that a $2k CD player might sound justifiably better than a $500 player ... I don't have any experience at this level.

That said I think it's important to note that Gunbunny doesn't appear to be assembling a megabuck system, and so, in that context a $500 Cambridge CD player (or any good $500 player) is probably a very sensible suggestion.

At this level it has been my experience that all components should be of approximately equal cost, and that money can most easily be saved on a judiciously chosen CD/DVD player, rather than a cheaper amp, or speakers.

Gunbunny ... please correct me if I have underestimated your budget/enthusiasm :-)
seandtaylor99
1,262 posts
 
Hi Natalie ... please explain why one part of the signal chain is more important than another. After all the signal must pass through all components(source-cable-amp-cable-speakers-room) in order to reach the listener and is degraded at each stage. The optimum system (at a given price point) matches the capabilities of all parts of the signal chain. Disproportionately favouring one part of the chain means you'll compromise another.
Having an outstanding source and so-so amp + speakers means you have wasted money on the outstanding source and compromised the cable/speakers/room treatment. That is unless you plan to later update the amp and speakers to the same level as the source.
It would be a similar waste of money to have a very expensive amp and or speakers with a so-so source.
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