2. digital
  3. 166871-140647

My Last CD player

I like my vinyl but digital has its own set of benefits. When my last CD player fell of its perch, I move to streaming audio.  Overall, I have been happy with this decision.  I did notice that lately, a number of posters have been claiming that CD is “better” than streaming.  I figured that most of these were flat earthers. I recently had the opportunity to listen to a “new generation” CD player on a friends system.  I am not sure I would say it was better but it was different and in a very good way.  As I have an extensive CD collection, this set me off to evaluate a new CD player for my system .... at my age presumably the last I will own.  I have identified a few different used players that seem to check the short list boxes: Audio Research cd 7 SE, Ayon cd10 Signature II Ultimate, Ayon cd35 Signature I and Luxman 

D-06u.  I am auditioning the Ayon cd10 at home .... smooth, natural, musical, holographic image, but light on dynamics and soundstage. Anyone have experience with these players?  Any other suggestions?

chilli42
trebor33
38 posts
 
Luxman D-03X. Plays standard redbook CD’s a treat with amazing detail retrieval, soundstage and dynamics. A touch of warmth, but not too much. It’s also the quietest player in operation I’ve owned. As good as the discontinued D-06U and not too pricey.
audio-union's avatar
audio-union
179 posts
 
I use a CEC TL5 transport and DA5 DAC in my personal system. CEC makes on of the best belt drive transports on the market at a price point. I like the musicality of the CEC products the best. CEC transports only read RED Book and they do that extremely well. 
krimsonhead's avatar
krimsonhead
25 posts
 
Well....there is an article on this forum touting the new Project. CD box rsr ...( $ 6000) as being better than the Jay' s Audio CD ...( which is the one Steve Guttenburg uses)......personally, I have an onyko 7030....which I bought off of Craigslist for $100.00.....and it is good enough for me....( my system weighs in at about $1500.00)
ghdprentice
6,477 posts
 
To me it was worth getting a streamer that was equivalent to or better than my CD player. Then the amount of music available is nearly infinite at almost no cost. If you can find a CD with different files... you can always rip it. But I have found that there is increasingly more HiRez stuff available on Qubuz and Tidal. Also, when you have access to nearly infinite music you do more exploring and less listening to the same stuff. A CD player is a mechanical spinner, streamer, and DAC... or maybe no DAC. 
You don’t need to go as far as I have, with an Aurender W20SE streamer and Audio Research CD9SE (which I use as a DAC... no difference in Red Book CD versus streamed). Btw, I also have a Berkeley Alpha 3 DAC in my system at the moment and I prefer the ARC CD9SE as a DAC ever so slightly better than the Berkeley). 
jafant
18,946 posts
 
chilli42

You have a very fine short-list of CD player choices. In this day and time, I would consult each company or their authorized repair center(s) for availibility for critical parts. Specifically, drive/optical blocks for future replacement. 
For me, this aspect of ownership is crucial.

Happy Listening!
More to discover