I ordered the Denon DCD-1600NE, as recommended by three members above. Thanks to all who offered their suggestions. This is a valuable forum.
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Further report -- the Denon will accept an aftermarket power cord, after all. I was simply incorrect, and must withdraw my previous criticism of the Denon on this count. |
Thank you to each one of you for your thoughtful suggestions. Especially helpful now that the pandemic has made in-person auditioning unattractive. At this point, I've narrowed it to 3 contenders:
1. The Yamaha S1000. I am concerned about reliability.
2. The Denon DCD-1600NE. No reservations based on what I've learned, but I suspect the Yamaha may be more pleasing -- probably based on the fact that Yamaha is a musical instrument manufacturer.
3. The Cambridge Azur 851c. A part of the attraction is the built-in DAC, with the promise that it could be run directly into my McIntosh MC402 power amp, freeing the Magnum Dynalab receiver for my secondary system.
I can feel my audiophile impulses awakening after a decade-long sleep. |
I've had the Denon DCD 1600NE for a week now, and unfortunately, at this stage I can't give it an enthusiastic endorsement.
1. When I received it, I called Denon US customer support with a question. I left a call-back number through Denon's automated system. I never received a call-back.
2. In my experience after-market power cords can make a real, audible difference with CD players. But the Denon has a two-prong receptacle for a power cord, meaning I can't use either of my three-prong receptacle power cords with this unit. If I had realized this before purchase, I probably wouldn't have bought this unit. Caveat emptor!
3. The CD tray mechanism's operation is relatively slow, and doesn't inspire confidence.
4. The visual display is small and not easy to read from more than a few feet away. The unit's appearance in general is more consumer-grade than audiophile-grade. (I know this going in, however.)
5. Sound quality: I understand that components have a break-in period, and it's still quite early. I am also awaiting arrival of a new set of Audioquest interconnects, which can improve sound quality. At the moment, I'm using the Denon-supplied interconnects. So my opinion could change. But with that stipulation, at present, color me unimpressed.
I can only fairly speak of my own experience with the audio components I already own (see my original post). I've also moved, and the new room is less system-friendly (finished concrete floors, glass).
Evaluated in this context, the Denon is far less pleasing than the (more expensive) Consonance Droplet, or a Lector CDP I had for a while. Both these tubed players produced richer, more full-bodied sound. Instruments were more clearly situated in a 3-D-like space.
A closer and fairer comparison is to the non-tubed Lexicon RT-20 player. The Lexicon surpasses the Denon on slam -- speed and impact -- by quite a bit, and is preferable for rock (maybe 10-20% of my audio diet). But for classical solo instruments -- particularly the piano -- the Denon wins on tone quality. It sounds much more like an actual piano.
For orchestral music/opera, I'm reserving judgment until I receive the new interconnects and the break-in period has progressed.
You might say I'm asking a lot at this price point. I won't disagree. But I think if I had to make this purchase over again, I'd try the Yamaha, or the Cambridge.
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In response to your suggestion, twoleftears, I’m considering returning the Denon. But I’m also considering (a) living with it for a while, because patience is a virtue I often find worth exercising, and/or (b) moving it, sooner or later, to the second system in my office, a more likely route, and getting another new CD player for the main system. The CD player in the second system -- an older Sony SCD CE-595 -- has stopped recognizing the SACD layer of discs, a sign that its remaining useful life may not be a long one, and a replacement may be due. And the inexpensive receiver it’s mated with -- a Sony STR-DE185 -- has now developed an intermittent problem of cutting out on one channel. So my audio dollars may be directed there, as well.
Additionally, I find that after more than a dozen years of quiescence, my audio-gear lust has awakened again. I wonder if recent developments in speaker technology would justify the purchase of, say a new pair of Revel or Focal floorstanders to go with my McIntosh MC402 power amp? Or would I really prefer a tubed preamp? |
I just today received and connected new Audioquest Golden Gate RCA interconnects, resulting in an immediate improvement over the Denon-supplied interconnects -- not dramatic, but audibly more depth and a "blacker" background with more instrumental definition. |
I've now been listening to the Denon DCD 1600NE for just under three weeks. While there may be further break-in improvements, I think I've now got a firm sense of this player.
I'm still not wildly enthusiastic. The Denon is admittedly a big step up from my aged Sony SCD-CE 595, but that player is over 15 years old, and not as costly as the Denon to begin with. With an aftermarket power cord and interconnects, the Denon is a decent player, with respectable tone quality and dimensionality.
But as compared to other players with which I'm familiar -- the Consonance Droplet and Lector CDP -- the Denon is not really competitive in sound quality. These tubed players were just far richer, and more three-dimensional. To be fair, these were and are much more expensive pieces of equipment. I likely overestimated the improvement in sound quality that I could expect in the intervening 15 or so years since I'd last purchased a disc player.
I remain disappointed by the slow loading of the disc tray, and the inordinately long time the Denon takes to respond to commands. The fast forward function on the remote is particularly slow. But these are relatively minor points.
The Denon does do noticeably better with SACDs than it does with redbook. With the best-recorded and best-produced SACDs I have, it sounds quite good. But the vast majority of my collection is redbook CD.
I've decided to keep it, because I think at this price point ($1,199, delivered) I'm unlikely to find another new CD player that is significantly better all-around. But I think the Denon is destined to move to my secondary, office system, sooner or later. |
A further report on the Denon DCD 1600NE:
Jafant, you are correct. After six more weeks of break-in, the Denon has improved. Not dramatically, but audibly. Particularly, the top end sound less "digital" and more natural. While I'm still not in love with the Denon, I like it more than I did. My wife, an experienced classical musician and former recording artist, feels the same.
The biggest improvement to this system, however, has been the addition of a pair of Sonus Faber Olympica III speakers. After auditioning Focal Kanta No. 2, SF Olympica Nova II, and Wilsons (forgot the model), the Olympica IIIs were the clear winners, with an organic, non-fatiguing sound that serves the human voice, solo instruments, and full orchestra equally well, and invites long listening sessions.
I'm now awaiting the delivery of new speaker cables, and I expect to take further steps to upgrade as time progresses.
Audiogon has been a valuable resource in this process. Thank you for your contributions.
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The new cables are Audioquest Rocket 44 bi-wire -- an upgrade from the Home Depot solid copper bi-wiring I'd been using. As hoped, they made an immediate difference.
At this point, the law of diminishing returns may have come into play in a big way. But that may not stop me from attempting further improvements! |
