Veritable Tower of Babel like CDP or Transport


Have you ever had CD players or transports that have trouble reading a specific or some CDs, while the same CD will be read by a different model, without any problems? I am running out of rack space and so far, I got a brand new code free DVD player used along a Bel Canto DAC-1 and when I received a new CD yesterday, it began to freeze, in certain instances....I loaded the same CD in a 3 CD charger of a minisystem and it read it flawlessly. Is there a CD player that will be able to read almost anything, I do not mean SACD or DVDA, but anything that was recorded either in a CD press plant or burned in someone's machine, without freezing up or mistracking. I am looking for a veritable Towel of Babel CDP or transport, that will satisfy my audio urges until the next format comes around.
bemopti123
I have to say that my Sony SCD-1 plays any CD or CD-R I've ever tried (and of course Stereo SACD). Never a single reject. My old Meridian 500 was a bit more finicky though.

The SCD-1 also makes for as fine a transport for redbook as I want as well- I'm feeding it's CD-out signal to an Electrocompaniet DAC with wonderful results.

Good luck in your search.
Along with the CD-RW problem encountered by some players, there are some players, like NAIM, that will not play certain newer copyright protected CD's. These CD's are technically NOT a conventional Redbook standard CD but are sold as such. Only a few players have problems with them, while others play them just fine. Naim actually has issued a revised chip for many of their players that is a plug-in replacement and will allow playing of the copyright protected formatted CD's in question. It cost about $75 for the chip replacement in the case of Naim. I'm not sure what other manufacturers may be doing about this. Another thing we can all thank the audio recording industry for in their continuing fight to protect the intellectual rights of their artists (HAHAHA), not to mention the companies precious MONEY!

Marco
I have indeed had that problem, and far too frequently. However, my old Audio Alchemy DDS-Pro transport, while it won't read CD-RW's, has never failed to read a CD or CD-R that caused problems on my various other players.