Suggestions for New CD Player


I'm looking for a new CD player, modestly priced under $1,500, that will  work well with a 2-channel system featuring B&W 804S floorstanders, a McIntosh MC402 power amp, and a Magnum Dynalab MD208 receiver used as a preamp.

My wife and I mostly listen to classical music, and have an extensive CD collection, particularly heavy in orchestral (e.g., Mahler, Beethoven) and opera (Wagner, Verdi) and piano/violin.  (My wife is a Julliard-trained musician.)   Pre-pandemic, we were frequent concert-goers, preferring about rows 8-15.  We also rock out on occasion. We appreciate fine equipment, but we're music-lovers rather than true audiophiles.

We previously had a Consonance Droplet CD player (tubed, nice sound quality, when it worked, which wasn't often enough) and a Lexicon RT-20 (a little harsh, and wouldn't play many discs).  I won't buy a used player.  In my experience, CD mechanisms are the most fragile of all components.

I realize I'm asking a lot at this price point, but life itself is compromise.  Don't really care about wireless capability or digital files.  SACD is nice, but redbook capability is what really matters to us.  Considering Cambridge Audio 851, Rega Apollo, but open to suggestions.

Your thoughts?






gg107
Denon DCD-1600NE fits the bill.  More than competitive with the  Marantz ND8006.
I'll second the suggestion for the Emotiva ERC-4 and with an external DAC connected via the AES output even much better still. 


fuzztone
I’m looking for a new CD player, modestly priced under $1,500
We previously had a Consonance Droplet CD player (tubed, nice sound quality, when it worked


The CONSONANCE Droplet CDP’s had R2R Multibit Ladder dacs, you like that sound because it makes music, and it’s correct that you do, as it’s R2R dac, and converts Redbook CD’s 16/44, 24/96 or DXD bit perfect, better than DS (delta sigma) can as they can only give a facsimile of it.

Look here, http://vasiltech.narod.ru/CD-Player-DAC-Transport.htm#C
and use the search (CTRL S) to find all CDP’s, and DAC’s that use these D/A converters (in my preference order)
PCM1704K
PCM1704
PCM1702K
PCM 1702
TDA1541S2
TDA1541S1
TDA or 1541.

Cheers George