Need recommendation for a CD player

I tried a Parasound Halo D3 SACD/CD player. Nice piece but I was not impressed with the sound. Returned it.

A good used Sony SCD-XA5400ES is hard to beat and right at your price target. Honest, fast, clean, and dynamic sound, especially outstanding at the frequency extremes. Replacement optical drives are $50 just in case. Improves significantly with $20 worth of Dynamat under the lid and adhesive weights on the transport a la ModWright.

Absolutely right dorkwad. I just got a full-blown MW 5400ES on Friday and the sound is ridiculous. Was using a stock 5400ES for about a month prior and was very impressed with it, but this MW player, well, now I finally know what real "palpability" is.

Two for sale on Agon right now.

Best to you dw,
Dave

No contest if the sound quality is your primary criteria, ericruff. Since MW uses the same base power supply type, similar tube circuitry, and vibration-reduction modifications an all of their players, any properly-functioning MW player will soundly trounce any under $5k OEM stock digital player out there musically, and hold its own with most any of them regardless of price.

The Marantz has more flexibility (important if you need a good DAC for playing Hi-Rez or other downloaded media) and is new, thus should be less prone to need repair (Sony’s have occasional issues with the optical drive which can be bought new for $50). If those criteria are your priority, then go with the Marantz for now and have it ModWrighted when funds are available.

If you are all about musical reproduction quality, have a large SACD or CD collection, are not completely risk-adverse, and plan to use your player solely for playing discs, the MW 999ES is clearly the better choice IMO.

Best to you ericruff,
Dave

Yeah really.

$2500 (I think) for the full Truth mod but on sale for 20% off through 11/28, so $2k through Monday:
http://www.modwright.com/blog/post.php?s=2016-11-21-cyber-monday-sale

Which one? The 5910 or the T105?

Good feedback rcaben. Thanks.

Best to you,
Dave

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/cd-sacd-players-modwright-sony-dvp-ns999es-cd-sacd-dvd-player-sign...

http://www.audiogon.com/listings/cd-sacd-players-modwright-truth-oppo-bdp-95-tube-cd-player-9866-2016-11-17-digital-80020-broomfield-co

"so, the real question is whether there is a CD player for less than $2k that sounds better than the 105D?"

Insert the word "new" in front of "CD player" and the answer may well be "no" or "not in any audibly significant way".

It seems that the 105D is right at the sweet spot of that price range re: price/performance/versatility and must have a really good digital section as Dan Wright stated that, "Oppo’s stock clock “is excellent and unique,” and its DAC (employing two ESS Sabre ES9018 chips) “is exceptional.” He added that because they could not improve upon the clock or the DAC, Modwright left them alone."

http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/modwright-oppo-bdp-105-with-truth-modifications/

Exemplar also chose the 105 as the model to modify for their latest and only current digital offering.

Dan chose the Marantz SA-8005 for his latest Truth mod, possibly due to Oppo discontinuing the 105/105D. Seems that the 105D and the SA-8005 are the current kings of the latest <$2k players until the new models are introduced...

Dave

Only your ears will tell. Either way, next challenge is to get the jitter out of the interface, which is already addressed with a good all-in-one player.

Best to you ericruff,
Dave