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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!
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Showing 3 responses by krell_man

krell_man
827 posts
 
A used Accustic Arts CD-1 Drive with the used Accustic Arts DAC-1 MK 3 using a balanced digital cable like the Virtual Dynamics Revelation.
krell_man
827 posts
 
I think Audphile1 has an excellent thought. the ML is a good CD player. Before you do anything else, especially if you have money, is take the ML to it's limits.

1. where is your CD player? a big upgrade to try is to get three AudioPoints and spike that baby and see if it opens up the sound. damping often closes down the sound. if the AudoPoints help, a Sistrum stand will sound even better. www.AudioPoints.com

2. replace the fuse with a $29.00 German HiFI Tuning fuse from The Cable Company. call 1-800-fat-wyre and ask for John Pharo. www.fatwyre.com

3. replace the power cord. I've found the $1000.00 power cord from Basis (the turntable people) works the best in my set up for power cords under $1000.00. Galen Carol has an audition cord that you can try, or again the Cable Company has a library and John Pharo is really knowledgeable. www.gcaudio.com or www.fatwyre.com

4. replace the interconnects. again The Cable Company, their library and John Pharo. also, Steve Herbelin has a very nice set of interconnects that John Pharo personally recommended to him because the company is too new for The Cable Company to carry yet, but he uses them and after I auditioned them, I bought two pairs. they're silver and gold, like the Crystal Cables and Siltechs, but only $585.00 a pair.

I'd call John Pharo at The Cable Company and just talk to him, their audition library is huge, so you can try cable after cable until you think you're swimming in spaghetti.

Remember that these upgrades don't just affect your CD player, but what you learn will upgrade your whole system.

Chuck
krell_man
827 posts
 
Arthur,

The link to Steve Herbelin's site and those specific interconnects is http://herbiesaudiolab.home.att.net/ic.htm.

The actual company is Awesound Audio, around Philadelphia. John told me that he knows Bill Ankenbrant, founder. Bill's been in the cable making business for years and has finally started up his own company. He makes other cables besides what Herbie sells. www.awesound.com.

The silver and gold cables are extremely fast and full, and supposedly the gold tames the silver and it's smooth.

My system is so neutral that I finally tried a pair of Nordost SPM Reference's. They were the fastest cables I've had in my system, but unnaturally thin in the bass, that's when I called John Pharo at The Cable Company. These silver and gold Awesound 'SuperSonic Synergy' were every bit as fast as the SPM's, but more full to the point that I never felt something was missing. Everything's there and natural sounding.

Chuck
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