Is there a truly musical multiple CD player?

I keep telling him that if he wants real music he will have to go with a single CD player but what he wants is a multiple CD player. Does a beast like this exist? And if so, what is the best one?

I think your advice is a form of audio "snobbery" and puts down your friend who probably likes music and relaxing a lot more than feeding a CD tray (like an assembly line factory worker).

I think your friend can still get "real music" from a megachanger. If he feeds the optical out to a "re-clocker" and DCA or simply a DAC that has excellent jitter reduction capability then there should be no reason why your friend cannot enjoy a large music collection. Alternatively - propose that he burn everything to a hard drive and use a high quality DAC - but to tell him he cannot have "real music" is hyperbole, IMHO.

Besides, the weakest link will still be his speakers even with a Best Buy megachanger...

I re-read my post and I hope it was not too strongly worded - no offense was intended but I think that we audiophiles get carried away sometimes in thinking that "anything normal such as a tone control" will necessarily sound terrible and is not real music...this is hyperbole of course. Many systems with tone controls can and do produce excellent sound or "real music" - sometimes we need only temper our zealous enthusiasm with a healthy dose of 'reality'.

Musclebt,

I'd suggest to mention to your friend that California Labs is no longer in business and that this is quite an old player. Just thinking about "repairs" and the age of the mechanical tray system and that a used one may have been abused/jammed on occasion. A DAC with a tube output could be coupled to a music server or larger changer and might be more along the lines of the realistic sound you are looking for. Opinions are just opinions though and the CL-10 will give good SS sound for sure.