@wharfy Christmas 🎄 came all through the year. Very grateful. 👍
Upgrading cd player
I thinking about upgrading my Rega Isis CDP. I’m thinking about the Audio Research Ref 9se or the McIntosh MCD1200. Can anyone give me any thoughts / options on this ? Also I heard that Audio Research stopped production on the Ref 9se due to not being able to get the lasers anymore / that Phillips stopped making them ? I would also rather stick to a one box unit than separates. Ty. Also if anyone else can recommend anything also I would appreciate it. My budget is up at about 12k
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@jafant TY. For your knowledge in these great arc cdp. Really looking forward and excited to getting it on Tues. I will definitely do the comparison bet the ref 9 and the isis. |
tattooedtrackman
CD7 v. CD9 is a matter of taste. The CD9 is more versatile for those Audiophiles looking to stream from DAC section as well as spinning their fave CDs. The CD7 does not call attention to the DAC section, simply plays silver discs. I did audition all of these ARC players in an all-ARC system.
I am looking forward in reading more about the ARC v. Rega ISIS!
Happy Listening! |
@wharfy Sure that makes sense. The only way for me to reply to that is what I heard between my Rega Saturn R and then My Rega Isis. The Rega Isis does more of it also. Now I can’t wait to compare the ARC CD9 when it arrives on Tuesday to my Rega ISIS. I will also be selling that and listing it soon. |
@tattooedtrackman -I have the REF CD6SE. The CD9 was out of my price point. I heard the CD9, liked it A LOT. What the CD6 does, the CD9 does more of, if that makes sense. |
@jafant TY. That was a great answer. So in ur opinion what is the one that u liked the best to have and why. I’m asking you this because u got to hear all 3 of them and I never heard one of them in person or in my system. I chose and bought the cd9. And also was thinking that newest model would really fit and sound great in my system. I’m really sure that I made the right decision. Thanks for all your great input about them. 👍 |
@jafant Would u say that the best that u heard from those is the CD9 ? And why ? Because of the tubes ? |
@jafant Thanks I did read and review most of them on utube. But u didn’t mention the cd8. I was watching a good review of it also. Anyway I’m really looking forward and excited for the arrival of my cd9 on Tues. |
@jafant TY bro. I’m really looking forward to it arriving Tues. May it have a safe cross county journey from Ca to NJ. 👍 |
@wharfy TY. I love the Ref6se. Do u also own the Ref9cd ? |
@ghdprentice TY I really believe I made the right decision and I’m very confident that I will absolutely love the sound. Will be a very nice addition with my ARC Ref 750s and Ref 6SE. |
Congratulations. I look forward to hearing what you think. I love my Ref CD9SE… while with streaming I only use the CD player component rarely. It is great to be able to compare streaming and a CD so seamlessly as with this unit. I really think it is a perfect device with which to compare streamers. I did, and now the REFCD9SE is the perfect DAC for me. Hopefully you as well. |
@mbmi U are going to really love the MQ112. Please let me know how u like it. |
@tattooedtrackman .....About 2 years ago I bought a Schiit LOKI Mini for $149.....I loved it, bought a 2nd. one for a bedroom system....fantastic piece for the money...I use it on a $20K system...I DON'T EQ my SYSTEM....I EQ my RECORDINGS......then recently ordered the Loki Max $1500.....It didn't seem to sound like it was doing much........The Mini seemed to do a better job of EQ ing the music.....It even sounded "cleaner". I highly recommend that unit. Can't wait till I pick up my MQ 112 this week. Good Luck and happy listening to You! |
Have you thought about about going with a transport and dac at all? I bought a used Jays Audio MKll recently (top loader) and it is way better than I expected.Deep soundstage and the way it separates all of the instruments and vocalists in a natural way is really impressive.It was purchased reluctantly to replace the Cambridge that was beginning to have some issues but turned out being a major upgrade. |
+1 piftech. I have owned an Onkyo C 7030 for six years (very light useage) using it as a dedicated transport, and it works well. I paid about $173 including an extended warranty. I also have my late Dad’s 1992 Naim CDi which I also use sparingly. The CDi is a noticeably better sounding player but at about 90 times the price, factoring in for inflation, it should be. 👍 |
Onkyo C-7030. I swear by them. I collect them-if I see a used one for $150 or less, I buy it. currently, i own 4 i think. 1st time I ever heard a ‘soundstage’ was during the 1st song I played on a C-7030. Jim Keltner’s drums, on Handle With Care, sounded like tyey were set up over my bathroom door. I’ve undertaken the A/B challenge against other brands & my 7030’s hold their own s . |
You really should check out the Luxman 07x SACD CDP if possible. Retail is 10K. Detailed yet very musical. They also have RB CDP's for less money. I have the D06U which is the previous model. I much preferred over the Esoteric K01 and the dcs Puchini with clock which are far more expensive. Good luck. |
@tattooedtrackman Hmmm, upgrading a CD player???? If your budget is $12k I'm certain you already have a high end DAC. Why not get a unit that will allow you to RIP your CD,"s to a drive and just stream it. There are several units on the cheap , Eversolo DMP. All the way up to PS Audio Petfect Wave offerings |
@mbmi I love the MQ112. It’s an awesome unit. I’m very glad I didn’t purchase the Schitt Loki max. I was going to until I heard about the MQ112 right before I was gonna buy the Max. Then found a Mac dealer very close to me and went in to hear it and LOVED IT. Also the Mac really fits in better with all my ARC high end gear. The Max seems to be more of low to mid fi unit IMO. What didn’t u like about the Loki max. ? I’d like to know. |
In case you didn't know, you can click on an user name, say warfy for instance, then select details from the drop down menu, then click on marketplace feedback, and the persons city and state is shown if on their profile. This of course is only good if they have put their correct city and state and haven't moved since. Happy holidays to you and all. |
@wharfy Are u in NJ also ? |
@tattooedtrackman -"When I need to demo ARC equipment my dealer is Audio Connection John Rutan. And I don’t know how many times he let me bring home equipment to demo." John is the BEST. He goes out of his way to provide stellar customer service and quality products. As an owner of ARC REF equipment, I believe the synergy between the REF CD 9SE and your other ARC components will be hard to beat. Especially if you get an extra laser kit. |
@cfa88 Yes I do know that already. But that really is not important to me. I don’t even own 1 SACD 😂. So that alone would not make me buy it. It’s more which will sound better in my system. I’m leaning more towards the CD9SE cause I have the Ref 6SE and Ref 750s. |
@soix Yes exactly. He also told me that the Mac MCD12000 is too expensive to leave the shop. 😂. Last week I purchased the Mac MQ112 equalizer from them for 3k. I literally live 15 min away from this Mac dealer also. Cmon. He is really being ridiculous. |
@nonoise Exactly. Please read what I responded to Cleeds |
@cleeds Exactly. I actually live about 15 min from this Mac dealer in NJ. And last week I also bought the Mac MQ112 from him. The Mac dealer also said the MCD12000 is too expensive for it to leave the shop. 🤷♂️When I need to demo ARC equipment my dealer is Audio Connection John Rutan. And I don’t know how many times he let me bring home equipment to demo. I asked my ARC dealer if I can Demo the Ref9 or 9Se cdp and he told me yes. So I will be picking it up soon to demo in my system. |
I am getting ready to purchase a second Philips drive for my Jay's Audio CDT3 Mk3. As soon as it arrives the first drive unit will be replaced by the new unit just to make sure that the new unit it is in fine fettle. Then, if and when the second unit dies in the hopefully far-off future I will still have the first unit that I also know to be good. |
@tattooedtrackman Sorry, but I can't say as I've never listened to it and haven't read anything about it. All I can say is, for that amount of money, take your time and by all means, audition it in your system. All the best, |
So, the dealer has a chance at a $12k sale and he won’t let you take his demo unit home for a couple days??? Run away!!! U gotta be kidding me. I wouldn’t give that guy a sale on principle alone. And I agree that listening to it thru all their Mac gear would be basically useless as that system will no doubt bear no resemblance to yours whatsoever and would be impossible to “listen through” to assess what the CDP really sounds like, and of course it’s not in your room either soooo…writing’s on the wall I’d think. Personally, if my system had a lot of ARC gear in it and I loved the sound I wouldn’t let a Mac piece near my system as they’re pretty much polar opposites sound wise. But that’s me. Plus, there are obviously some other great CDP options out there (although dwindling as DACs/streaming rapidly take over the world) and several have already been mentioned above. If I was you I’d absolutely get the ARC DAC9 as you clearly like the ARC house sound and it’d obviously synergize with your system/tastes and pair it with a Jay’s Audio transport — I know you’re looking for a one-box solution but I just couldn’t help myself. Sorry. FWIW, and best of luck in your quest.
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+1 on the Esoteric K-03XD. For those that don’t know, Esoteric is the bleeding edge best subsidiary of TEAC. I think it’s a passion project of one of the Toyota heirs, as I can’t see how it possibly makes money. The K-03 has a really nice, metal, transport, multiple DACs, a great clock (and the option for an external clock), all fully balanced or digital inputs and outputs, and went to extreme lengths to isolate the electronically-noisy bits. It’s also in an aluminum block that weighs about a ton. Looks very sharp. I like the DAC set up so much, I run a USB from by Lumin U-1 streamer to it. Other than the Esoteric K-01XD (which gets to stupid money for improvements I’m no sure the human ear could hear), I’m not sure anything can compete.
Regardless, of choice, do please get something with a TEAC transport. So many "high end" players are nothing but re-packaged Sony Playstations and all plastic bits inside. (There are a few that use some excellent third-party components, but they are hard to find. I’d rather go get a 1990s CD player with a digital out and hook it to a modern DAC) |
Can’t believe they won’t let the OP do an audition. My former dealer would charge the card a week beforehe released the unit for an audition, just in case someone was going to cancel their card after talking the unit for a weekend . He then charged $150 for the weekend audition, which counted towards the purchase if you bought. If you returned you were out the $150. At the time I thought this was absurdly draconian,but if you are like the OP here planning to spend 12K then an extra one fifty for peace of mind is worth it |
@mahler123 Thanks for the response. I also was thinking the same as u said. About if I can’t demo the Mac at my home in my system then forget it. It’s a 12k. CDP and the least they can do is have me demo it with my rig. It’s definitely gonna sound different with their Mac equipment hooked up to it. And my whole system is ARC so I know the sound. I read a lot of great reviews on both the 9 and 9 se. I do really liked the looks of the Mac with the meters and green display lit up showing the tubes. 😂. But it’s a lot more than looks. Plus I do love the top loading players. |
It’s been a long time since an Audio Research component was in my system. I had a preamp from the early 2000s that I was the third owner. I enjoyed it but sold it when I was going through a divorce and saw it listed for a thousand more than I had paid for it, so at least back then they were holding their value. I have to say the one Mac CD/SACD player that I heard sometime before the pandemic didn’t do much for me when I had it in my system for weekend. I prefered the Oppo 105 that I was thinking of replacing, although the Mac had a bigger soundstage and looked nice, the Oppo sounded more realistic to me. The Mac was big and hazy and I thought really poor value for money. Things change in digital, so my comments may or may not be relevant, except that both labels are known for cultivating a house sound. If you can’t audition in your own system, I’d get the ARC, and forgo the pretty glass and meters on the Mac |