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More CD Player selection woes

I'm looking to replace the "weak link" in my system: A Denon DCD-1560 CD player. While its held its own over the years (being a 20-bit player and all), it is time for it to go.
I find my Well-Tempered Classic TT, EAR Phono Amp, and Grado cartridge to be my preferred setup, but I do want a CD player to come close to that sound. Of course, budget is all constraining so I need help deciding between a NEW Cambridge 840C; or one of those Chinese tube player; Cayin CDT 17A or Shanling etc.; or a USED/DEMO McIntosh MCD 201; or Meridian 208 (if I can find one).
Has anyone had experience with the Chinese models? How do they hold up?
Any help will be appreciated.
thanks
ebuzz

Showing 6 responses by dopogue

dopogue
1,773 posts
 
Raysonic CD-128. Check the l-o-n-g review on 6moons. Built like a battleship and sounds absolutely wonderful. Two audiobuddies bought them after hearing (or hearing about) mine. I've had the Raysonic for 18 months with zero problems and sold a Sony XA777ES ($3,000 msrp) because the Raysonic sounded better on the CD layer of hybrid SACDs than the Sony did on the SACD layer. They show up fairly frequently here for ~ $1200 used. Good luck, Dave
dopogue
1,773 posts
 
For what it's worth, the Raysonics have paralleled XLR and RCA outputs. I much preferred vinyl too until getting the Raysonic; now CD and vinyl get virtually equal time.
dopogue
1,773 posts
 
Utter nonsense, Ebuzz. Reminds me of the dealer in the Southwest who
supposedly sold Raysonics, bad-mouthed the player to me before I bought
mine, and didn't even have one to begin with, according to the distributor I
called. You might check the dealer's bona fides (the one you quote) with Quest
for Sound, the U.S.distributor.

I've heard that the Ayon is not an actual "European product" but is built in the
same Chinese facility as the Raysonic -- it certainly looks that way. 'Course
it's twice the price. "Harsh and solid-state sounding?" Another
laugh. Dave
dopogue
1,773 posts
 
Vinylrowe, you may be interested in this. I heard good things about the Russian 6N1P-EV tubes and although they're not drop-in replacements for the 6922/6DJ8 types used in the Raysonic, they are very similar. I queried Raysonic and they gave me the go-ahead to substitute. I like them better in my 128 than the best 6922s I had been using using (JAN Philips). Many Eastern European Ebay sellers seem to have them -- mine came from a Ukrainian seller @$17.00 for all four, including shipping to Potomac, MD, and they got here in 10 days! Two friends have also bought them and love them. Dave
dopogue
1,773 posts
 
You're welcome, Michael (didn't recognize the moniker). Dave
dopogue
1,773 posts
 
According to a thread here and discussion on AA (sorry I don't know how to link them), all Cary audio players are currently made in China. The Audiogon post said the 306 was made in China and "finished" in the U.S., whatever that means. I can't vouch for the truth of this.
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