Replacement of Cary CD player

I’m using my Sparkler Audio s503 as a player and transport with fantastic results. You can buy the s593 as a transport for a little less money but the extra for the Dac is well worth it. 
https://www.vkmusic.ca/Sparkler%20Audio%20S507.htm

http://www.sparkler-audio.com/portfolio/products_en.html

Hmmm, not good if you were charged for this.

Cheers George 

I've been using the Cary CD308T since 2003 or 2004 but it developed a problem - interrupted playback. I brought it to a tech this year as I thought that the problem was caused by the old and weak laserhead.The tech said 'no' and replaced the stock caps underneath the plate with Nichicon caps, which did not help. Then, as he said, he found the problem - there was some faulty Philips PCB regulating a drive motor...Such PCB is unobtanium but he managed to find one, after which it works, with some limitations. He brought be a new optical laser lense free (he ordered it from China) but said it was not the problem with the  optical laser lense.
To make a long story short, I ordered a new Canor 1.10 CD player/DAC which cost me EUR 3.000 (including a 30% dealer's discount). 
It is an excellent device but the Cary sounds more delicate and sweet - such music as Yello ands Clannad sounds better with Cary!   

rohlim

excellent advice as above regarding keeping the Cary 308T.
Purchase a few back up CDM12 laser assemblies  and enjoy the Music!

Happy Listening!

Simaudio 260D without the DAC 

I seen many friends/acquaintances that sell up on their huge CD collection to go to servers or streaming.

^^^ 
This is the latest <<craze>> Not a  bandwagon I will ever jump on. My 20th C classical cd collection is complete, my  Cayin cd17 Mark 1,  just finished modding ///sounds ,,superr high fidelity>> just added a  Shanling 3000 and is being upgraded /new M caps + Sparksoslab descrete op amps, ..not sure which will beat out which in <,The Great tube cdp shootout>> 
My bet is on the Shanling once mods are completed in 3 weeks. 
anyway, my suggestion is geta  Cayin CD17 Mark2, which has a incredible INDESTRUCTIBLE trans(12 yrs use /zero issues) + tube DAC. Bal/unbalnced employs 6922 in both circuits. 
You will not regret it. 

PS Audio DMP.  Also plays SACD.  It's a transport, so you can keep your DAC.  You'll need to get a used one, as I believe PS Audio only sells a SACD only transport now.  

rohlim OP
Thanks georgehifi,
in your response you talked about different Cary player, my player is 308, tube version. This has only coax and toslink digital out.

Still makes for a great transport, even with RCA spdif, and that great Philips CDM-12 laser.
Put it on a large floor tile, with a half inflated kids bike/scooter innertube under it, and it will serve you well (even pull the tubes) because they aren’t used.

Cheers George

Thanks georgehifi,
in your response you talked about different Cary player, my player is 308, tube version. This has only coax and toslink digital out.
This 308 plays much better with external DAC so my thinking is why to keep old CD player (I can still get decent money for it when sold) when I can get better transport (newer technology) to use with my DAC.
So only question would be which transport would be able to sound better than old tube Cary? I might end up keeping Cary as transport and play with different DACs.
I do not care about hi-res, streamers or servers. Good old CDs are for me, and rips.

I seen many friends/acquaintances that sell up on their huge CD collection to go to servers or streaming.
And they get on this never ending merry go round chopping and changing these servers/streamers and the way they connect up in a quest to get back to how their CD ’s used to sound when they spun them and to get back to their musical roots, they are almost suicidal to watch.

Most in the end are not satisfied, and now just play music as background noise and given up on audio and having "hifi nights with friends" and actually sitting in the sweet spot and reveling in their 3 dimensional sound stage like they used to when the were audiophiles with a massive cd collections and a real love of music and the equipment that played it.

Cheers George

In this day and age why would you want to sin a disc?

We have been recomendando for years to go with a server and just rip your discs why?

Ripped cds soumd better
You can access tidaland quebré so you can access the world of streaming music
You can access high res files  tjrough usb

You can make playlists
You can efgortlessly move from artist to artista

No.more scratched discs or missing discs
When youadd it up there are 0 advantages with an óptical disc
Good servers sucede as arebdet or innoous

We are importing the best sounding servers from belgium 432 Evo from belgium

We hav a ton of experience  with servers

So please pm.us for more info

Dave and troy
Audio.intelect Nj
Us importer 432 Evo music server

Replacement of Cary CD player

Why?
Keep the Cary, super build quality, great remote, it uses the very good and still available cheap Philips CDM12 laser, and it also has RCA, Toslink and AES/EBU digital output the better output to go to dacs.
https://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2380057.m570.l1313&_nkw=CDM12&_sac...
You can even use it’s own R2R Multibit 2 x PCM1704 (best made) + HDCD dac as a stand alone dac, with also RCA, mini usb digital inputs.
https://positive-feedback.com/Issue47/images/P1014609.jpg
You’d be hard pressed bettering this for a digital transport.

Cheers George