Law of Diminishing Returns - CD/SACD Players

The point of diminishing returns is about $19.95. That would get you the cheapest portable or close-out throw away CD/DVP player from a big box store.

Past that, it is a matter of value, which is subjective. Some folks would possibly consider a good mid-tier player, like the Rotel 1072 or Rega Apollo to be about 50% or maybe 75% of the sound of the top-tier. Some folks might find it to be 95%. Some folks could possibly even prefer the less expensive player.

It is going to depend on your preferences, quality of recording you own, and the ability of your system to be tranparent enough to hear the difference in various different players.

It is also going to depend on the depth of your wallet! Personally, I do think that spending significant extra dollars on a player that I feel is superior is money well spent. Currently I own three players, an inexpensive Sony CD/DVD/SACD player, a Quad 99 CDP-2 and a Resolution Audio Opus 21. Each is a great value, but I have the resources to own the more expensive Opus 21 and I think it is a good value. Subjectively, I think it gives me about 95% of the sound quality of a cost-no-object player. Although I could afford a more expensive player, the Opus 21's price is the spot where I'm comfortable with the return on my sound expenditure. Also, I'm frugal and refuse to spend big bucks on an adequate pre-amp. I run the Opus 21 (or the Quad) direct to my power amps. This makes them an even better value to me.

Enjoy,

TIC

MrT,

Well, the Opus 21 cost me 3X the price I paid for the Quad 99 DCP-2. Thank goodness it sounds better!

I've now owned 2 Resolution Audio Opus 21s and 2 Quad 99 CDPs (one version 1 and one version 2). I keep getting concerned about the relative value of the players, so I end up selling, rebuying, yada, yada. In cronological order I owned Opus 21, Quad 99 CDP, Opus 21, Quad 99 CDP-2. I bought all used here on AudiogoN.

Anyway, I bought my first Quad 99 CDP as an experiment to audition it against the Opus 21. It was not a match for the Opus 21, but I found it to be good enough to satisfy me for a while. I sold the Opus 21. A while later I saw a great deal on an Opus 21 and knowing it was the better player, I bought it. Recently I saw a pretty good deal on a Quad 99 CDP-2, so I thought, what the heck. I bought it to see if it could go toe-to-toe with the Opus 21. Well, it is pretty good, but it does not stand up to the Opus 21.

I prefer the top end of the Opus 21. It is more analog sounding to my ears. Across the board the Opus 21 is a bit more articulate than the Quad. My new speakers are very revealing, so the extra money spend on the Opus 21 is worth it to me.

BTW, I haven't heard it yet, but a buddy just bought the Consonance CD120 Linear, which is the non-oversampling version of this CD player. He is a retire music professor, composer and analog junkie. He really likes it. I think it was about $800.

Enjoy,

TIC

Bartokfan,

Just because you said it again (and for the last time) doesn't make it right. It's simply your opinion and your preference. Personally speaking, the best systems I have ever heard had at least the same amount of money (if not more) invested into the front end as in the amplification and speakers.

My two closest audio buddies and I all 3 have spent significantly more on our front end components than on our amplification and speakers. BTW, one of these buddies sold his Jadis to buy a less expensive amp that he preferred.

As always (IMHO) "there's more than one way to skin a cat", "YMMV", "two wrongs don't make a right, but they may compliment each other", etc......

"man, you system makes that horrible digital glare sound really clean and loud!"

GIGO forever!!!!



Enjoy,

TIC

Audiofeil,

Humm, I'm not sure what you are saying, but I am admittedly a bit sloooww.

Was my post entertaining?

Enjoy,

TIC