2. digital
  3. 158949-138596

Cary Audio CD 306 SACD player (non Pro version)

I purchased a used Cary CD 306 SACD player about 2 months ago. This is the one that was released right before the CD 306 SACD Pro version. My unit was manufactured in 2006. 
I have been enjoying the sonic quality and musicality of this machine and everything have been going smoothly with few minor quirks every once in a while but nothing major and does not affect playbacks or performance. 

Anyways, I've been playing CD & SACD discs with no issues except for this newly acquired Pink Floyd Wish You Were Here SACD that I recently purchased. My Cary simply wouldn't read this particular SACD disc. It said "no disc" on the front panel display. I took it out of a disc tray and put in other SACD disc and the Cary was able to read and play it just fine. All other SACD & CD discs were played just fine except for this particular Wish You Were Here SACD disc. I found it pretty odd.

Anyone having the same issue or problem with this Pink Floyd Wish You Were Here SACD with either the Cary CD 306 SACD player or any other CD/SACD players? Or does anyone know what seems to be the issue? 
Thanks in advance. 


dilatante
dilatante OP
76 posts
 

@bigkidz 

Which CD 306 did you get? The 306 SACD professional version or the original 306 SACD non professional? 

bigkidz
3,325 posts
 

@dilatante the non pro model. Different dacs in it

dilatante OP
76 posts
 

@bigkidz 

The CD 306 SACD (professional version) and the regular CD 306 SACD (non professional version) both have same DACs and DAC configurations and implementation and same analog output stages. However, the HDCD filter or decoding chips are different for these two models and the DSD filter or decoding upsamplings for SACD playbacks have been upgraded in the professional version. But the main difference between these two models (professional & non professional versions) are the power supplies and power supply capacitors banks (capacitance). The professional version (latter version) has upgraded power supplies and numbers of capacitors and capacitance banks compared to the non professional version. 

bigkidz
3,325 posts
 

@dilatsnte correct. I have never had the pro model but it would have to sound a whole lot better the the non pro unit as the non pro unit was nothing special to our ears. Not sure what the price differential is either. Once we got one in yo upgrade that's when I found one for myself 

dilatante OP
76 posts
 

@bigkidz

Which non pro unit were you referring to? Because Cary had made several different CD 306 models prior to the CD 306 SACD player (both non pro and pro). The earlier models prior to the CD 306 SACD non pro were just called the CD 306 that can only play Redbook CD and not SACD and these were completely different design internally compared to the CD 306 SACD (both non pro and pro models). And these earlier models that cannot play SACD were inferior design and did not sound as good as the ones that can play SACD. They are completely different machines.

 

So, I don’t know which one you have? Does yours play SACD? The 306 SACD one has SACD logo on the front faceplate. And aesthetically they look different as well.

More to discover