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Advice needed re: new CD player purchase

Hello everyone. New member but long-time lurker here. My system: Bryston 4B-ST amp, Bryston BP25 preamp, and Meridian 508.24 CD player (all purchased in 1998 and all performing flawlessly), Kimber KCAG balanced interconnects, Audioquest speaker cable, and Esoteric power cords. I have Thiel CS2.4 loudspeakers.

I have about 4500 CDs (about 3% of which are hybrid SACDs). I love my system, but I want a new CD player. Am I right to think that advances in audio technology over the last 24 years have left my Meridian in the dust, sonically speaking? So I have been looking at various players. A few parameters: I will only buy new; I want XLR outputs; and I’d prefer to not spend over 5k.

I’m looking hard at the Bryston BCD-3, and the Technics SL-G700. Having owned Bryston products now for almost 24 years, I’m extremely impressed by their build quality and performance. However, the BCD-3 is not an SACD player. I’ve read a few solid reviews of the Technics, but I’m suspicious of their long-term reliability. There are no dealers where I live or within 200 miles. I looked at the Marantz line, and their only player with balanced outputs is the SA-10, which I’ve heard is awesome but I’m unwilling, at this point, to pay $7500 (although my mind is not closed on the matter).

Anyone here have either the Bryston or the Technics player? Will I notice a marked improvement with a new player (as compared to my 508.24)? Like most of you, this is my life. After work, I listen 2-3 hours per day, sometimes more on weekends. Thanks in advance for your advices.
jeroboam

Showing 2 responses by fred60

fred60
119 posts
 
Do what I'm going to do.  Buy the Esoteric K-05XD or the K-07XD when they come out in the next month or two.  Look at the reviews of the K-03XD (retails for $15K, way above my budget) which came out over a year ago.  Going to audition the 05 and the 07, the 07 could be in the $6-7K range, not sure yet.

I have been debating getting the PS Audio Perfectwave SACD transport-- which can now be had for $4K-- and then buying a DAC, but decided to go with the 2-in-1 Esoteric, the Esoteric obviously has a DAC and it is outstanding.  The CD mechanism in the Esoteric is arguably one of the best in the world.  And the XD is apparently a big step up from the previous XS editions.  Their new "Master Discrete" DAC.  The PS Audio uses a mechanism from D&M (Denon & Marantz), so pretty standard.  They didn't want a repeat of their previous player-- they sourced the mechanism from Oppo, and Oppo stopped making them.

I don't have a separate DAC, and have been looking to upgrade my CD spinner (Oppo 105D) and also want the ability to play SACD's.

Go to Music Direct and look at the review of the K-03XD from a customer.

I started a thread here "For SACD fans only" where you can see the responses to my similar question/dilemma.

fred60
119 posts
 
@jeroboam: you said you wanted SACD!
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