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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 

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.

bigkidz
3,325 posts
 

@dilatante - The two we modified were Cary 306 SACD players. I have never had the pro version or any other version you mention.  Cannot imagine that the difference would be that significant to what we did to the non pro version.  In stock form that unit was ho hmm, nothing special.  Once we upgraded the parts in the power supply section, it was WOW.  A huge difference on Redbook only.  SACD no real improvement.  I purchased the second unit for my personal usage in a second system.  Keep in mind that we manufacturer R2R DHT DACs.  I am not a big fan of SS gear but this was exceptional once we upgraded the unit.  If memory serves me correctly, 100 parts went into the unit.

Happy Listening.

dilatante OP
76 posts
 

@bigkidz 

The only and major upgrades with the CD 306 SACD pro unit over the the CD 306 SACD non pro unit were in the power supply and power supply capacitors as well as the DSD upsampling filters and HDCD decoding chips. Everything else remains the same. Both pro and non pro 306 SACD players have identical analog output stage, disc transport mechanism and exact same DACs and DAC configuration and implementation, etc. same grounding implementations, etc. Oh….and the pro version has ventilation slots on the top cover whereas the non pro 306 SACD version dos not. Mine is the non pro version of CD 306 SACD and doesn’t have ventilation slots on the top cover and runs somewhat hot after couple hours of use because the analog output stage of both the non pro (like the one I have) and pro units run in class A. 

And the price difference between the CD 306 SACD non pro and the CD 306 SACD pro version was between $1k to $2k. 
 

And you mentioned that the sonic improvement after you modified and upgraded the parts in the power supply section was only when playing Redbook CD, and SACD no real improvements. How so? My understanding is if you upgrade the power supply it should have improved sonic qualities when playing everything (both Redbook CD & SACD) as well as when used as a standalone DAC since both these units (both pro and non pro) have digital audio inputs on the back : AES EBU, coax digital spdif (RCA single ended) and optical digital, therefore can be used as a standalone DAC. But it can only receive PCM digital audio signals through its digital audio inputs, it doesn’t support DSD when used as a standalone DAC. But both non pro and pro versions of the 306 SACD players have 4 DACs dedicated for PCM playbacks and another separate 4 DACs dedicated for DSD for SACD playbacks only when playing SACD disc but not when fed DSD signal through its digital audio inputs on the back. They don’t accept DSD signal through their digital audio inputs when used as a standalone DAC. 

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