Outdated CD player

are there players marginally better? yes...but if it's still playing as well as ever, there is no need to ditch it. it is comparable in quality to several other mac front ends which i've owned, and has a very 'natural' sound.

your mac is good but newer players will be significantly better. Look at Naim, Arcam, Rega, used in your price range.

keep the player and buy a newer dac. thats were most of the improvements have been.

The view has been advanced recently on the HIFICRITIC forum that , by and large, CD technology has slid back since the early 90s. The best is undoubtably better but the average player is probably worse and even very expensive current players are not necessarily better. My own experience, having a good DAC from the early 90s and one from 2003 tends to support this, different but no clear winner. Their tests of current budget and mid market [$2000-3000] players has been largely disappointing. They attribute it to the adaptation of technology that is cheaper and measures better but sounds worse. This may be the reason for the success of tube DACs with worse measured performance but better sound. I would hold on to yours as I am not sure that you would get a better sound in your budget range. In any case I would try to make a direct comparison and see what you hear, if you know what I mean. Check out their web site for a spirited discussion pro and con.

I agree with keeping the player as a transport and buying a new dac, Bel Canto, MHDT, TADAC, Benchmark, move up in price for the Bryston or new Cary Audio that is coming out.

Huge improvement. In fact move your digital music to a server and run it through the DAC. Unless they are SACD, I find that just as good or better in most cases.

I you want to experiment with something newer or different, do the DAC route as others have suggested. That is where most of the difference will come from.

I went the new-DAC/old-transport route for a while, but the Raysonic CD128 is so much better sounding there's no comparison. Even plays the CD layer of hybrid SACDs better* than my old $3K Sony XA777ES (now sold) sounded on the SACD layer. These are going for $1100/1200 used and I don't think you'll do better for anything near the price. Caveat -- it really needs an active preamp, doesn't show its best through a passive linestage.

Good luck, Dave

"Better" = more open, dynamic, tuneful, involving, etc.

I've never heard your CDP and it may indeed be a fantastic player, but it's been almost 20 years since you bought it and I think you owe it to yourself to at least audition a couple newer players in your system. If it still sounds OK after that then at least you know you're not missing anything. Best of luck.

Just curious, with a unit made in 1990 likely it wouldn't have any digital outputs. How would one connect an older CD to a new BelCanto Dac3, for example?

Lgoler, if there are no digital outputs, then you are out of luck.

It does have a "digital output" connection. Not sure what type it is or if will connect to current DAC's. It's about 3/4" round in diameter and there is only one.

You really have not provided enough info for someone to provide real good advice for your specific situation. Please descibe your system in more detail in order to elicit more appropriately considered advice.

Most of my system was bought between 1988-1992. It consist of; Klipschorn corner speakers, McIntosh MCD 7007, Audio Research SP14 preamp, Juicy Music pCAT 25 watt mono blocks (acquired recently), Nakamichi Dragon, VPI Aries TT with WJM9 Sig. arm and SDS (just replaced my old Dual CS5000 which I would have tried, by it wouldn't power up), Perreaux TU1 tuner, Velodyne UDL15 sub. For the rear, which doesn't get used much, an Audio Research Classic 60 (I use to use this with the Klipschorns- way too much power!) with the Red Rose Rosebud II (acquired recently). I listen to mostly classic rock, blues, and, just starting to listen to some jazz. My listening room is 21'x24' with a vaulted ceiling, 12' at the top, and partially open to my kitchen (1/2 of a wall or so).
This "digital output" connection I have on the back of my CD player is described in my manual as "digital output steam is available from this port for use in systems that can accept digital data directly".
What do you guy's think about the Bryston DAC. I know this is over my original budget, but I am willing to go the extra mile if this is a good choice. I was thinking if it doesn't work out, I could sell the Mac and get a transport.