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Suggestions for New CD Player

I'm looking for a new CD player, modestly priced under $1,500, that will  work well with a 2-channel system featuring B&W 804S floorstanders, a McIntosh MC402 power amp, and a Magnum Dynalab MD208 receiver used as a preamp.

My wife and I mostly listen to classical music, and have an extensive CD collection, particularly heavy in orchestral (e.g., Mahler, Beethoven) and opera (Wagner, Verdi) and piano/violin.  (My wife is a Julliard-trained musician.)   Pre-pandemic, we were frequent concert-goers, preferring about rows 8-15.  We also rock out on occasion. We appreciate fine equipment, but we're music-lovers rather than true audiophiles.

We previously had a Consonance Droplet CD player (tubed, nice sound quality, when it worked, which wasn't often enough) and a Lexicon RT-20 (a little harsh, and wouldn't play many discs).  I won't buy a used player.  In my experience, CD mechanisms are the most fragile of all components.

I realize I'm asking a lot at this price point, but life itself is compromise.  Don't really care about wireless capability or digital files.  SACD is nice, but redbook capability is what really matters to us.  Considering Cambridge Audio 851, Rega Apollo, but open to suggestions.

Your thoughts?






gg107

Showing 3 responses by georgehifi

georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
Given that you wish for a new CD player, you will have some difficulty finding one with the TDA 1541 chips in them. They have been out of production for a long time - 25 years?
I prefer the R2R  PCM1702 and PCM1704 over the TDA1541 they are still around in CD players. But what would be really nice to see, is a manufacturer make a CD player using discrete R2R dac inside, this has yet to be done. (I think)

Cheers George 
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
That was because you liked sound of your Consonance Droplet CD player (which is R2R multibit), and so you should look for the same d/a conversion system, which is what I tried to explain above, read it slowly, and you will get it. And put a - after the nos.

Sorry use the (CTRL F) not S
Here is a sample search (there are 51 to look at)  image for you on a PCM1704-k my favouite https://ibb.co/hghWvBQ

Cheers George
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 


fuzztone I’m looking for a new CD player, modestly priced under $1,500
We previously had a Consonance Droplet CD player (tubed, nice sound quality, when it worked


The CONSONANCE Droplet CDP’s had R2R Multibit Ladder dacs, you like that sound because it makes music, and it’s correct that you do, as it’s R2R dac, and converts Redbook CD’s 16/44, 24/96 or DXD bit perfect, better than DS (delta sigma) can as they can only give a facsimile of it.

Look here, http://vasiltech.narod.ru/CD-Player-DAC-Transport.htm#C
and use the search (CTRL S) to find all CDP’s, and DAC’s that use these D/A converters (in my preference order)
PCM1704K
PCM1704
PCM1702K
PCM 1702
TDA1541S2
TDA1541S1
TDA or 1541.

Cheers George
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