2. digital
  3. 167453-1647

Vinyl guy seeking recommendation for a top level cd player

I know cds are dead.  Best time to buy a cd player, the way it looks.  I want an all in one box.  I don't stream so a separate DAC is not required.  Most of my cd collection have been ripped to a PC as Flac files and then down loaded to a Sony HAP-Z1ES.  Currently about 3000 Redbook and perhaps 100 SACDs.  The way cds are being dumped I figure on becoming a buyer again so these numbers will go up.  I have looked at Marantz SA10, Esoteric K1 (lightly used), and Luxman D-10X, so far.  It would be good if the sound could approach vinyl.  The Z1 does up to a point.  Listening this morning to the same recordings, the Z1 compares to a high end MM cartridge, but not to a SoundSmith Experion.  Maybe I am asking too much, but in any event a new cd player is being sought.  Thanks in advance for any advice.
Bill
billstevenson

Showing 2 responses by jjss49

jjss49's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
jjss49
6,612 posts
 
modwright’s modded sony or marantz or oppo units with tube output stage are very hard to beat for sound quality, but you have to deal with multiple boxes, umbilicals, tubes etc etc

levinson’s top players were excellent, there is one just fixed up on the other used gear site

the vacuum state modded top tier sony’s are also really wonderful solid state units

i still have a modwright and a vsei sony scd-1...

among current players, the hegel mohican has had excellent reviews, i have not heard it, but hegel only makes stuff that sounds great


jjss49's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
jjss49
6,612 posts
 
op

don’t think you will do much wrong with the 15k brand new luxman cdp - no doubt a quality piece, certainly easy on the eyes and to the touch, and built to last

the what hifi review calls out the sound as being perhaps a little sharp... that is consistent with what i have heard out their recent upper line solid state amps - very refined but nonetheless a lively treble, erring on the side of transparency and speed, rather than warmth and saturation

hope the sound of the unit synergizes with the rest of your system -- please do come back let us know how it works out
More to discover