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What high-end cdp for low-end quality CD's ?

I need advice, in some foreseeable future I’m going to upgrade my cdp. My budget is going to be about $4000 top $5000. I was thinking about used Wadia 861, Accuphase 75V. But I had heard that they are true performers only on high quality audiophile grade CD’s. I heard that the more expensive SS cdp playback the worst it will sound with awful quality CD’s.
Unfortunately most of my CD’s is mean quality from BMG, SONY etc. buying CD’s from only audiophile companies or import them from Hon Kong, Taiwan, Japan (they are the best to me) is not a valid solution. I have heard rumor that some tube CD’s like Audio Areo, Lector (maybe Audiomeca ??-it is solid state though) can be more forgiving to mean CD’s, so you can actually listen to them. It is really hard for me to listen to them on my budget Arcam cdp, I cannot imagine it sounding worse with high-end player. So I’m looking for forgiving high-resolution, very dynamic, live, analog sounding cdp. So what would you recommend, I’m listening to soft rock, pop, classic.
Rest of equipment is Clayton monoblocks, Thiel 3.6 speakers by the end of summer I will have Supratek pre (I hope at least).
sorlowski

Showing 1 response by bombaywalla

bombaywalla's avatar
bombaywalla
1,958 posts
 
Well, I own a Wadia 861. I've had it for 1 month now so my experience is not extensive. A lot of my CDs are also from the BMG & Columia House CD clubs. Most of the CDs are post 1990. I also have music on better quality disks. I usually go for the music rather than the CD label. It is a bonanza for me if I can get my music on a good CD label.
I do have some older CDs like Heart "Dreamboat Annie", Andreas Vollenweider "Down to the Moon" to name only 2 that are 1986 & 1982 resp. The Heart CD sounds very good thru the Wadia & the Vollenweider CD is also good sounding but it doesn't hold a candle to.......................the vinyl copy that I have of the same album!!
When I hear the Down to the Moon album I'm immediately reminded of the sound of the vinyl equivalent & I am disappointed with the CD. However, my disappointment is CD vs. vinyl (the age old peeve!) & not CD player-to-CD player.
FWIW, I think that your CD collection will sound just fine thru the Wadia.
I agree with Lugnut that any hi-end CD player will not make your badly recorded CDs tolerable.
A tubed output stage will have a diff sound from a ss machine. However, tubed gear can also be designed to be neutral in which case don't look for forgiveness there either!
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