The best CD Player for the money

The best CD Player for the money is easily the Linn Classik for $1550.00 retail price. This may seem like it would make a dent in most people's pockets, but consider this: The Classik spits out excellent sound, and most importantly, it is a Linn system in one! It is not just a CD Player, it is a integrated amp and tuner in one! If you wanted to get an entire Linn system, you would have to pay several thousand dollars(at least). And the cheapest(only CD)CD Player is the Genki, for $1900.00 retail price. $350.00 more than the Classik!
And without an integrated amp or tuner! The Classik is truly excellent and a great value for the price. I hope some people agree with me. But if you want to get the absolute cheapest high-end player that spits out great sound, I'd say the NAD C521BEE for $299.00.(I own one of these, it is awesome)

So, Jazze22, what'll it be? You've had five years to decide. Whatcha gonna buy? No more silent treatment, OK? Spill your secret!

if we're talking about the money out, and the sound you get for it...the two hunderd dollar tivolli

Resolution Audio Opus 21

EastSound CD-E5 Unbelievable for the money!!

I'm in with TexasDave and the Denon 1650AR. Glad to know my great deal is even greater than I thought. I might get a universal for the sacd/dvdaudio, but the Denon is a beast..

Would you guys consider Sony X5000 over Rega Apollo?

Thanks

I've changed my mind in the last few months and think that the Ayre C-5xe is the best deal around for the money. It blows the Meridian G08 away for CD source (it has HDCD decoding which the Meridian does not have), and as a bonus it plays stereo DVD-A, SACD, DVD-V, etc, etc...

Music Hall Maverick SACD/Enhanced CD/CD. Lists at $1500. Mine sounds damn good. Comes with good remote. Fab listening value for the $. I did not see anyone list this unit above. Any special reason if one only wants to invest $1000-$1500 on player?

Like I said before, an upgraded cdp is by far the best money spent in audio equipment.(Except for the Nuforce 9.02 amps maybe). They are absolutely awesome for the money. For about a 4k investment you might find yourself doing back flips in your listening room.

I haven't read all the posts here so maybe this has been addressed, but does anyone feel that the CEC TL-51XR Integrated CD player is best budget player for your buck? I know CEC makes good transports. I havn't heard this player yet, so I'm just wondering.

i dont know that its the best for the money, but i just went from the cambridge audio 640c to a b stock cairn fogv2 with upsampling option and am very happy with the results.they seem to go for about 750. used. i strongly suggest considering one.

I'm also in the process of looking to buy a new CD
player that is easy on the budget. I'm looking at a Shanling CD-S100 MKII and a ShengYa CD-10 Tube CD/HDCD at nysound.com. Does anyone know anything about either of these Chinese players? I think the Shanling is the same as the Music Hall. Also has anyone purchased anything from NYsound before?
Any feedback would be appreciated.

Rick Zerambo

Forget buying anything Chinese!!!!!

buy a 'used' player no matter what.

Oppo with a TRL mod!

Richardzerambo - I picked up a very lightly used Shanling S100 MkII and like it alot. It is an improvement over the earlier Shanling S100 and Music Hall (which Shanling makes).

Now this thread is going on 6 yrs old! I was out of audio for a while and now I can't afford hi-end stuff, but my sense is that CD players never really got good, I mean it's strange that you can't just buy any cheapo CD player from one of the big companies and have it sound OK as you could with a tape player, for example. I guess digital sound is just too difficult for the mass market; no one has found the magic bullet to make it sound great for pennies, although not to say that someone won't some day crack it. Also I never understand why music at, say, Borders book store always sounds quite good and they say they use just 'mass market' CD players. I don't believe that.

I recommend Consonance CD-120 Linear .
I've compared to : Rotel RCD-1070 , Cambridge , NAD , CAL Tempest , Rega Planet 2000 , Shanling , Cayin and so many other cd players with cost more.

I agree with several of these folks. I have had both a Consonance cd120 and now a Marantz 17 modified by David Schulte and it competes with the very best. Don't spend a lot on the player and instead send your money to David.

Marantz SA-1 & for vintage lovers Denon DCD-3520.

APL 3910 .

I can easily see how the Consonance beats out most all you mention EXCEPT the Cayin model 17. It may /may not beat out the Cayin 15.
But as you say the Cayin 17 retails for $1800/USA, $1K HK. I think the Consonance is less. Now is it tube? If its not tube, it will not surpass the 15, and especailly not the 17.
ss units are not in the same leauge as tube players. Thats a fact.

>>ss units are not in the same leauge as tube players. Thats a fact.<<

Really? Esoteric, EMM, and Wadia will handily spank any Cayin and/or Consonance players. Tubes don't guarantee high performance. That is a fact.

You forgot the latest DCS gear too! ;)

I agree, I have yet to find a tubes source unit that has the bass, dynamics and HF extension to my personal likings.

I think alot of old school thinking is still in play with some audiophiles about tubes. The latest digital gear is much better than ever before due to latest chips and digital servo and transport technologies. Have a good day!

Try this "AMR" product. Haven't heard it but it looks serious...

Price range is the question...

Under 300.00-Rotel 970

Under 400.00-Rega Planet

Under 600.00-Meridian 506/20

Under 1k-Rega Apollo

Under 1.5k- Rega Apollo.

the Aloia 11.01 is pretty good for an all around player...i use mine for its transport and run it through a scott nixon tube dac....total= $2900

The best cd player I have bought for the money,
And don't laugh until you heard one in your system, is a Sony D-EJ109 portable cd player its silver. I had bought this to use when I worked out,then I started taking it to use when I was going to purchase used gear, say off craigs list or thrift stores ect.. It sound super, every bit as good as the NAD 542 player I had. It was only $55 bucks!, not as good as the Arcam 192 I own, BUT its no let down either, and that says a lot. I wish it came in a box type set.
Happy listening!
Cheers! Mcgarick

Look into the Dynavox by Dynaststion(distributed by Avatar Acoustics).Its the player I use.It can go toe to toe with the DCS gear.

For the money? My cayin 17.
why? TRUE BALANCE DESIGN WITH DUAL DACS, A QUAD OF 6922 's for pure musicality, DUAL SEPARATE POWER SUPPLY's.
Weighing in at a hefty 35 lbs. Built like a tank, sounds like an angle singing with my new opamps. All for $1K shipped from HK, opamps tweaks, replaced 6 for $225, and made a HUGE difference. Will compare to DAC or player in the 3-5K range.
And another thing, it only has the number 15 in its title, Not SXLRVTEi, and not a 9000, 560, 300, 480, and other such nonsense.

>>it only has the number 15 in its title, Not SXLRVTEi, and not a 9000, 560, 300, 480, and other such nonsense<<

That's an important consideration when selecting a cd player.

I haven't read any of the responses, but I would compare the new Rega to the APL Hi-Fi Denon 3910(my version). Although they are at different price points, I find the 3910(APL) to be superior to my $10,000 analog(circa 1992). Digital is so unusual that it took this player for digital to be music for me. I'de also like to add that volume is extremely important when it comes to digital, in my opinion. Prices are around $1000 and $2500.

Onkyo DX-7555 CD player!!! $599, you can compare it to $5000 CD players!!

I sure see alot of MEGA Dollar units listed. Get real people. The MUSE model 10 is a NO BRAINER or used Model 5 transport with Model 192 DAC.

As an analog lover, I still have to say that the APl Denon 3910(my version-meaning the one compared to analog and modified with analog in mind) is one that analog lovers should check out. I would only compare it to the $1000 Rega Appolo. If you could live with the Rega, pocket the savings. Let me just say that I've not auditioned any cd players to come to this conclusion(although I've heard the Meitner Signature and Alex's best). What I've done is compare it to a state-of-the-art Linn Sondek turntable(circa 1992), Ekos, nude Archive, Lingo, and Mana Sound Table.

there is no best cd player for the money because there is no best cd player. this maxim applies to all components.

the designation "best", encompasses many variables. the variables and the priority attached to each is a subjective judgement.

without absolute standards/criteria, there is no best anything.

it would be better to use the words "preferred" or "favorite".

i think people looking for guidance should be very careful about following pronouncements as to the "best" anything.

The "best" I have heard to date is my upgraded Denon 2900. I have not heard a stock player yet that sounds better. So to me it is "best" so far. I have even had the Ultimate modded Marantz SA11 im my system and I did not have to turn the Denon on for comparisons.

I personally would like to hear a comparison between my APL Denon 3910(circa summer 2006-Burr Brown AKC's, mosfet outputs-price was $2,500) and the Rega $1,000 cd player. That would be a most significant comparison. Of course, those without access to $2,500, or more, should look at the Rega, and see if they could live with it. For those with more money, they might want to look at it. The APL might require more work to get, but might I suggest that, even if you are an analog lover, you might consider this player. Does anyone know of a player between these price points that could be considered. I think not!

When i finish the last mod on my Cayin 17 , which is to change the caps to Mundorf's midline caps, this unit might blow away the Denon. I think so.
Price with mods and new tubes = $2K. BINGO. Lesd tahn your 2500 denon

Well fellows: Here we go again! The player to beat now is the TRL Marantz 8001. Not sure if this tid bit will make the thread. If so, here we go!
Happy Holidays!

Bartokfan, I've been advised that it depends on which Mundorf caps you use. Also, it has been said that there is no one way to define overall musicality. Look, I'm a pretty simple guy. I've got two volumes-one for analog, and one for digital. Even though my $10,000 analog(circa 1992, and in need of a tune-up) is slightly more relaxing than my digital, the lack of detail, and bass response in my analog has my volume set for my APL(It takes me about a week to dial in volume.). Now, I have less than 100 cd's, and over 2,500 albums, so you'de think I would prefer to set volume for analog. Yet, I don't. Do you live in Northern California? TVAD's suggestion of comparing the two, sounds good to me. I've got to admit that the APL exceeds my abilities to understand. I more or less go with what music makes me listen to. That's why I wanted to compare it with the Rega. I'm not sure that I could live with the Rega. I am sure that I can live with Alex's Denon 3910. It is that good! I have to mention that Alex is also involved with analog. He just has an incredible ear, or something. He listens. He just doesn't put in things that are supposed to be better, and assumes they are. I can't say that his Denon compares with Meitner, but I can say it competes. I assume the Cayin has tubes?

At present have a Musical Fidelity X-Ray CD Player original version on the test bench. At stellar performer for a 6 years in service,over kill Sony CDM as opposed to the sometimes problematic Philips CDMs. Excellent build quality and one of the most ridgid chassis I have seen. Released at $1296.00 and still command about half that in the pre-owned market. Strong resale value as opposed to others that only bring about a third of retail value.

Excellent sonic signature, 24 bit 8 times oversampling unit. One of the most revealing CD players to pass through here. If interested look for an indepth review on Audiogon before end of year.

Would be very hard pressed to do better than this machine at its current pre-owned market place value. Although very hard to come by. Visually it is a love it or leave it proposition as it is not conventional in standard EIA format.

Dbld, how about my APL Denon 3910 in this comparison? I am that confident. In fact, Ori(Oritek Audio-X-2 interconnects, and Zhalou modded DAC) wants to hear it. I am not necessarily confident in comparison to other cd players, although in a way I am. I am confident in comparison to analog(circa 1992 Linn, Ekos, Archiv, Mana Sound Table, Lingo). Does that tell you something?

Mmakshak - I mention those players above because they are all less that 1 hour from me...well John is a little less than one hour from me, and the others are about 15 minutes. I don't know that there is an APL nearby, but that would be very welcome.

Actually getting this to happen might be a pipe-dream though...

Regarding vinyl...I am just not into that kind of maintenance and don't have the storage space. Starting a completely new collection of music media from scratch doesn’t appeal to me either.

I guess I am just lazy-

Dbld, Alex moved to Dixon(near Sacramento). I'm sorry, but I don't think what you've proposed is competive with my APL Denon 3910 with Volex power cord(17604?). Just don't ask me why, as I don't understand. I do have my APL on a Bright-Star prototype 3 isolation platform, and use an Oritek X-2 interconnect. I'de be extremely suprised if the players you recommend are in the same ballpark.

It sure would benefit these discussions if manufacturers & modders stuck to one identity.

It's nice to see a modder here with more confidence than Alex. Let the games begin!