Love to hear what you think of it...
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?
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?
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- 67 posts total
tonykay It seems that the Blue Ray Panasonic DP
UB
9000 resemble to the Oppo ? It has also XLR connexions. The Yamaha BDA 1060 seems to be great for less $, it has also XLR connexions, SACD too. I dont know if if they compare too the Oppo ? But seems to be good. |
I've had the Denon DCD 1600NE for a week now, and unfortunately, at this stage I can't give it an enthusiastic endorsement. 1. When I received it, I called Denon US customer support with a question. I left a call-back number through Denon's automated system. I never received a call-back. 2. In my experience after-market power cords can make a real, audible difference with CD players. But the Denon has a two-prong receptacle for a power cord, meaning I can't use either of my three-prong receptacle power cords with this unit. If I had realized this before purchase, I probably wouldn't have bought this unit. Caveat emptor! 3. The CD tray mechanism's operation is relatively slow, and doesn't inspire confidence. 4. The visual display is small and not easy to read from more than a few feet away. The unit's appearance in general is more consumer-grade than audiophile-grade. (I know this going in, however.) 5. Sound quality: I understand that components have a break-in period, and it's still quite early. I am also awaiting arrival of a new set of Audioquest interconnects, which can improve sound quality. At the moment, I'm using the Denon-supplied interconnects. So my opinion could change. But with that stipulation, at present, color me unimpressed. I can only fairly speak of my own experience with the audio components I already own (see my original post). I've also moved, and the new room is less system-friendly (finished concrete floors, glass). Evaluated in this context, the Denon is far less pleasing than the (more expensive) Consonance Droplet, or a Lector CDP I had for a while. Both these tubed players produced richer, more full-bodied sound. Instruments were more clearly situated in a 3-D-like space. A closer and fairer comparison is to the non-tubed Lexicon RT-20 player. The Lexicon surpasses the Denon on slam -- speed and impact -- by quite a bit, and is preferable for rock (maybe 10-20% of my audio diet). But for classical solo instruments -- particularly the piano -- the Denon wins on tone quality. It sounds much more like an actual piano. For orchestral music/opera, I'm reserving judgment until I receive the new interconnects and the break-in period has progressed. You might say I'm asking a lot at this price point. I won't disagree. But I think if I had to make this purchase over again, I'd try the Yamaha, or the Cambridge. |
- 67 posts total