I AM IN THE PROCESS OF BUYING A CD PLAYER AND I DONT KNOW WHICH WAY TO GO.WITH SO MANY TO CHOOSE FROM I WANT TO PURCHASE SOMETHING GOOD BUT I DONT WANT TO SPEND 10,000 EITHER.
Easy. The used Toshiba SD9200 DVD/CD player --"with" admittedly 'excessive' AC conditioning and no less than an MIT Magnum AC2 power cord; until then you've never really heard it--and it can be had for under $300 used! Incredible on CD & especially HDCD. DVD-A is nearly like a record.
Just curious, has anyone heard Alex's(APL Hi-Fi) new DAC?
The APL forum/website is now saying (in a post from Brent that is more than a month old) that it'll be mid to late summer. Seems like it has lost some production momentum; don't know why. It's a very interesting design, at a decent audiophile price-point. Ted
Looking for your opinions on my next CD Player.( and possibly last CDP) In my price range I've narrowed my two choices down to the new Cambridge Audio 840C and the Musical Fidelity 3.5. I don't have any opportunities to compare them side by side, so it makes the choice even more difficult.
I also plan to sell my Pioneer Elite receiver and get the matching integrated amp that goes with whatever CDP I get.
Most musical for the buck goes to the EAD2000, buy it used for around $800! This player has worked well with anything I have hooked it up to...it is not my reference player, but one I would buy again without hesitation...and there is a great aftermarket service network in place to keep it working forever.
Hello Mtkh1567! Unfortunately I haven't heard Emmlabs and/or Metronome. As you know its impossible to hear everything and there comes a time when you have to make a decision. I've heard many cd players over the years from cheap to ultra expensive and can honestly say YBA has been the one that really presents music in an emotional manner to me. Emmlabs and/or Metronome looks very interesting and I would love to hear what they can do. It would be neat to a/b the new YBA Passion 1000 Dual power supply player against Emmlabs and/or Metronome in my system! Hope to hear from you again!
The best cd players IMO are hands down YBA. I own a YBA CD1 alpha blue laser and have heard some other models as well (CD3 and CD2). As a vinyl fanatic I wanted a player that would give me the emotion of the music in a way that a good analogue setup could. For me YBA was the only answer.
If memory serves me correct, I believe the Cary line of CD Players have tube units that also decode HDCD. Quite expensive when new, but usually can be purchased for about half on the resale market.
Just wondered whether anyone thought about how so many cd's actually have hdcd encoding on them even though only one company has a copyright to it. Don't ask me which one I don't know. I have too many cd's that aren't SACD that I am not about to go that route. So which tubed cd player has the capability to do the HDCD and regular cds (many of which aren't labeled as HDCD) well and doesn't cost the price of a car?
The Meridian G-08, a player that can be had for about 2400 - 2500 bucks is a phenomenal player. The best? I haven't heard enough players to be able to even remotely venture that it is. But when I put this in my system (modified AVA Fet-Valve amplifer, 250 w/ch), modified Airtight ATC-3 preamp, Audio Physic Avanti/Century speakers, and LAT International cables and silver/copper speaker wire, the soundstage, air, goose bump factor were off the charts. Stunning.
Essential tweaks in my system are enacom line filters and Dakioms.
I have to mention that the highs in my APL 3910 have no grain whatsoever. I would say that they are close to state of the art. I do want to mention here that Oritek Audio's Zhaolu mod(under $400 for the whole enchilada) is a DAC that compares favorably to analog. He also has a cheap transport that he can recommend that works very well with his Zhaolu. The Zhaolu is very popular on Headfi. So, if all you have is $500 of less, I'de recommend it. Ferrari, just because your cd player comes from the land of Ferrari, that doesn't influence your thinking, does it?(Just kidding!). I have found(It's probably common knowledge.) that the interconnect between the transport and DAC sounds the same as that interconnect sounds when used elsewhere.
I'm not sure about sacd so my guess is red book. I just want quality sound to complement my equipment. I would like to keep it simple so I would prefer a player. Thank you for the info so far...
One of the better combos that has come through here has been the Muse Model 5 Transport, and Muse Model 2 plus DAC and at current used prices this could be within the budget.Plus Muse is in business so service is not an issue. In single chassis players at or near budget is Arcam 73 and 82,Rega Planet, Jupiter, Apollo,Musical Fidelity X-Ray,Creek CD 50 MKII Audio Analogue Paganini, Classe .5 and 1.0 and Theta Miles. There are others, but these I have heard and can recommend.
I would like to purchase the best cd player for no more than a thousand bucks. My system is Belles 21a pre with Belles hot rod amp... A first generation top of the line Sony dvd player and Von Schweikert VR 1 speakers with and old NHT sub. I am in the middle of upgrading my whole system and a cd player is my next move...
Check out the Reference Audio Mods Web site. RAM reports the stock Oppo to be favorably compaired to the stock Marantz SA-11S1 that retails for $3,499.US. Not too chee'zy Aye ?
Crem1, Jazz22 started the thread back in 2000, since then he has been divorced twice and was shot by his second wife for trying to trade her in for a better cdp. The first wife I think ended up with the better system. At least that is the way I heard it. However, the OPPO's are getting some recognition.
Jazze22: TAS 1/07 under 2006 Product(s) of the Year Awards lists the Budget Component of the Year for '06 as the Oppo DV-970HD (149.US).
TAS magazine also features an article by Chris Martens , p.26 regarding the Oppo. Based on the glowing review I purchased the DV-970HD which supports DVD-audio/Video,SACD,HDCD and CD and provides HDMIoutputs w/ 720p/1080i upconversion directly from www.Oppo.com .
I then compaired the Oppo to a fully out-rigged EAD combo that initially retailed for approx.$5K(US). The Oppo in-terms of sonic layering ,soundstage & presence thrashed the EAD no small feat in my book.
If you have not already made up you mind buy the 970 and pocket the savings.
I heard the APL on two systems, one being mine. Synergy is the thing. For a particular SET system, it breathed dynamics and presence into the system. In my own highly resolving system, it sounded like a basket of bones. As for the Toshiba, don't get me started.
711Smilin, I fail to understand how a Denon 3910 could be playing in the super high-end market and be significantly better than Emmlabs , even "modified". Denon themselves have a high-end player (the DSD-SA1 retails for about $10,000) that is certaily very good but not up to the latest Emmlabs SE gear. I don't think this player is marketed in the USA yet. Couldn't APL modify the Emmlabs CDSA SE player...would love the hear how much further they could push that! Regards Henry
Steve, The answer to your question is yes! I only had the original mod and not the battery version. Stay out of the snow in Chicago today! All the best. Bob
Toshiba 3990 DVD Player, it costs all of $40.00 at Best Buy. I replaced a $1000 player with this just to have something to listen to and found it better. It has horrible quality control issues and you may need to go through a couple of them to get a good one but it is far better than many CD players out there like the Rotel 1072 and many others that are far more expensive than the $1000 player it replaces. Bob
711Smilin, I own the latest EMM Labs CDSA single box player, bought it brand new about 6 weeks ago. It pales to our Signature Edition 3930Ci's, just like your APL 3910 did. We've been loaning out the EMM Labs to customers around the country to hear for themselves. The truth will eventually come to light when their opinions make their way online. It is sad to see such dishonest vindictiveness in you.
I recently listened to the latest one box EMMlabs CDSA SE layer, at $9995 MRSP it blew away my Accuphase DP-77 clearly (in a Dartzeel/Harbeth/Jena labs system). If the Esoteric I want does not top the EMMlabs box I may go for this one too.
Don't forget the Audio Analogue Paganini CD Player. Have one here on the test bench now. All I can say is WoW. Spectacular is a word that doesn't even come close to describing this unit from the land of Ferrari and built like it as well. More to come on this player as the testing continues.
Does anyone else feel that Msb should be a contender? When I hear the word best I cant help but hear msb!! Although i did not read many other responces about msb. Particularly the platinum cd station! What do you think
Boy, were getting some great stuff here! I know this off the subject, but I 'de like to answer Audiofeil(or at least take a look at this subject). I think that long-term satisfaction takes precedent over comparisons. Actually, the question is, "Do you get-off on the music?". Everything else is interesting, but just that! I have to defer to Alex about his 3910(solid-state), but boy what a player that is! Ferrari, you might consider Alex's 3910(compared to analog, and designed with analog in mind) as an alternative to analog. I have a circa-1992 Linn(Ekos, nude Archiv, Lingo, Mana Sound table), and you might change your thinking. I know that I did. Now, not everything in digital will sound better. In fact, in almost all cases, I prefer the analog(pre-1983) to the cd made from that. I also want to point out that recent redbook is much better than earlier stuff. That leaves a huge gap(between 1982 until about 1995) in music, though.
If memory serves me correct the F 1 legends system is FM Acoustics amp and preamp, with the rest of the system Goldmund. My last update on this was 2003. Seeing as FM Acoustics never gives anything away, he probably paid for that. More than likely he probably got the Goldmund gear gratis. No matter,still has to be a wonderful system though.
As for me personally I can find little significant sonic difference between a $2,000.00 CDP and a $4,000.00 CDP and have heard both price ranges in separates and single unit players. Personally I won't spend more than $2K on any digital system, for me becomes a point of diminshing returns on investment at above $2K. Not trying to convince anyone, just my point of view. Of course when one gets into the stratosphere of ultra high end like the Wadia setup I heard, then it becomes something all else. In the final analysis each one of us has a perception of what sounds the best to any one individual. What reproduces the music that appeals to me, may certainly not be someone elses cup of tea. And thats how it should be.
Digital has been with us for some 25 years now and I bought one of the first players to hit the market in 1983. Digital has come a long way since then and has miles to travel before it finally puts analog to rest. The gap is narrowing each year and some of the technolgy is trickling downstream at this point to mid high end units.
While at CBS I was able to see the genesis of Digital long before it arrived at the consumer level. First prototype I remember was in 1964.For a variety of reasons to lengthy to go into now it took 18 years to deliver the first digital medium to the market place.
I applaud all who continue to strive for excellence in this realm, to serve the music we all enjoy. For in the final analysis I firmly believe this hobby is much more about the music, than the gear. You see if music was not the key then the dreaded I-Pod and MP 3 would not have the market on music delivery.
I find this point in time in high end audio fascinating as no time before. And feel that a true genuine break through in the digital medium is very near indeed. I don't think it will come from a major manufacturer, but from a cottage industry, where the mavens keep pushing the envelope of design to loftier heights. While I am 63 now and have been in this hobby/business since 1957 and have seen first hand the growth of this industry, I keep looking forward to what the gifted designers will bring forth.
After all Nelson Pass when he started Threshold, did so, literally on his kitchen table and that is where break throughs continue to come from. The kitchen table. Not in a corporate environment, where visionaries are held in disdain.
Ferrari, although I am sure that the Wadia combo is excellent, according to someone who is the F1 legend Michael Schumachers neighbor in Switzerland, his recently acquired $22,000 universal digital player sounds as good as and sometimes better than his $65,000 vinyl setup. Coincidentally, same result was reported from another fine gentleman who A-B-ed the same digital player against his $32,000 vinyl setup.
Just FYI! And no, the above is not a joke!
BTW, the universal digital player in question is a single box player which...
sounds lightweight small, lacking bass drive, micro and macro dynamics, thin and strident
Of course, this same universal player features things as explained by Mrhiendaudio...
there is no need to rebuild the circuit design with hotglued breadboards and wiring all over the place
In other words you should just get...
any number of DVD-ROM RAM Buffered transport equipped players (Denon/Marantz/Esoteric)run into heavily upgraded DAC even older dacs by Theta, Linn, Monarchy and Krell completely crush any 1 box player we have heard
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