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CD Player Recommendations 5-8k range please help

Okay guys, looking for recommendations for CD players or trans/dac in the 5-8k range, new or used. My system: 380s Levinson preamp, 336 Levinson amp, B&W Diamond 801 speakers, Audioquest cables. I own and have been using the Levinson 390s cd player (very good all around, maybe lacking in detail?), and recently tried Ayre CX-7e (impressed, good detail and bottom end, but soundstage not as good?). Why am I upgrading? Made the mistake of buying a VPI Scoutmaster, Shelter 501 mk2 cart, and Sutherland PHD phono preamp. Mistake? Not really, the sound with good vinyl kills the cd players I have, but I do not have time for all that is required with analog. I sold the analog system, and am searching for that great sound from a cd player. Help! Any suggestions for me? Thank you in advance!
corvette_tuner
kurt_tank
1,189 posts
 
I am not going to say it is the very best digital available, (although it is the best I have heard, IMHO), but the Audio Aero Capitole II sounds very much like vinyl, and if your tastes run in that direction, (and it sounds like it does), you might want to give it a listen. Personally, I like my sonics to very much sound like analog, so I love it. (Well, really I covet it, since I can't afford it!) Used, they go for around $4-5K, depending on options.

(And I agree with you that great analog sounds better than great digital, and while the Capitole II is great digital, still it does not beat great analog. My friend has the Capitole II, and a VPI HR-X TT, and the VPI sounds better, but at least the Capitole II is in the ballpark.)

My two cents worth.
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jgiacalo
446 posts
 
Have you tried experimenting with power cords and interconnects on your current CD player? They can make a significant difference. You can experiment by contacting The Cable Company and rent their recommendations for a 10-day trial and you might just find the sound you are looking for.

I did this for my CD player and preamp-to-amp interconnects and ended up with JPS Labs cords/cables that made such an improvement that it shamed my turntable. I'm now in the market for cables for my TT to reinstate it's superiority over my CDP.

It's a thought.
sbnx
19 posts
 
CD players are like speakers. It depends on what kind of sound you want. For 8K used that will buy some serious players. for way less, there is the Simaudio player. I have heard this with B&W speakers and was really impressed. In fact, that system had the best soundstage I ever heard. Or there is the Wadia players. I used to own the Wadia 16i and liked its sound. It was very liquid and smooth sounding.

Just some thoughts.
tarsando
578 posts
 
Im thinking if I had 8K to spend on a cd player (or even on a whole system), Id be going to the local and not so local dealers and getting loaners to test out in my system.
audphile1's avatar
audphile1
4,321 posts
 
Vette_Tuner, nice rig! All you may need is a different set of cables and the sound will open up. Are you running balanced cables? I don't know what AQ wires you are using, but if you want more detail with great soundstage and natural timbre, try Acoustic Zen Silver Ref MkII from your Levinson cdp to your preamp and from there to amp try Acoustic Zen Matrix Ref MkII. If I were you, I'd do that before changin that good cdp to something else. Just another option to consider, short of changing the player.
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