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Better CD Sound: The Search

Went Big into Vinyl last 2 years, then re-discovered my many CD’s, mixing it up plenty now.

I continue to try and find a CD Player with better sound than my existing cheapo Sony Changer that surprisingly keeps on keeping on.

I am hoping recent upgrades to the system will more readily reveal differences:

99.9999 copper speaker wires and interconnects, locking rca connectors, mx110z tube tuner/preamp overhaul by Audio Classics; cayin a88t bias by VAS; 16 ohm L-Pads replacing 8 ohm pots; and finally a I bought a sound meter to balance/refine the speaker’s L-Pads (it ain’t easy) for the best sound ever.
.....................................

CD Quest So Far:

I want dual processors, go used to keep cost down, even consider older vintage.

1. my Onkyo Grand Integra (DX-7500 I think), fixed the damn drawer opening problem several times.

2. This cheapo Sony Changer given to me, eh, use if for parties, why not.
surprisingly sounded as good as the Onkyo to me and friends, gave the annoying Onkyo away.

3. tried used Oppo 83 Video Player for it’s audio

Laser was weak, ’no disc’, found it is a common problem with heavily used lasers. Back it went

4. lightly used Oppo 105. Everything worked, but didn’t sound better than the Sony. Oppo is big, single, expensive, not sellers fault, so I sold it myself rather than return it, lost $205. on that attempt.

5. ’new original stock’ KLH (made by?). played a few discs, then the discs started mis-tracking on discs I know are ok.

found small black bits clinging to the surface in the area of the problems (cds play from the inside out, just guess how far out). Turned out, the belt(s) were dried out, thus when put into motion after years of storage (where?), they shed bits of rubber. Back it went, full refund including return shipping. never compared it to the Sony’s sound

6. Resolved: if vintage, make sure belts are available, get a low price, open it up when it arrives, watch it move ... use, replace belts, return as last choice.

7. Just Bought Two, in transit, One Single; One 6 Disc Changer. (both with oem remotes and power cords, most for sale are missing).

a. Denon DVD-2910 Single Player (big dent on the top. $52. del’d, eBay) (crutchfield keeps old info on their site)
https://www.crutchfield.com/S-6TIPMQKBMUZ/p_033DV2910B/Denon-DVD-2910-Black.html

b. Onkyo Integra CDC-3.4 six disc changer (open box/demo) ($51. delivered) (bserplus.com)
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_164CDC34/Integra-CDC-3-4.html

c. a bag of belts. because I will be keeping something, and I have other old stuff with belts
https://www.ebay.com/itm/334135204014

d. spare rare OEM remote for Integra 3.4, eBay

Keeping My Ears Crossed!

elliottbnewcombjr
clearthinker's avatar
clearthinker
1,582 posts
 
Thanks erj1953.

If this PS player is well implemented I would guess it's going to sound really good.
When it is delivered, I'd love to hear how you find it.
Pleeeezzze do post!

And thanks for the nudge @azwill.   I wonder what the price is over here in Blighty.  It's usually £ for $ on US equipment.

It's just a pity that SACD has never really caught on.  There are less and less new releases.  The catalogue has been way too small,
But I had to buy a player when Dylan's 60s 70s and early 80s output was re-released on SACD after Sony bought the Columbia back catalogue. A must buy.
I find many of those discs are as good as my pristine original edition LPs.  Or better.  And waaayyy better than the badly transferred CDs.  The Sony Gold Blonde on Blonde CD nobly excepted.  Hard to get now.l



beeswax
56 posts
 
I don’t know what happens to the Bryston BCD-3 now that its chip manufacturer has burned down, but I can vouch that the player is superlative and at a slip under four grand a worthy value. I LOVE it. What no one on here has mentioned is a little piece of magic that will turn all those cheap CD players mentioned into a lovely performer, and that’s the addition of the LC Audio ZAPfilter MKII (https://www.lcaudio.com/index.php?page=6) and the LC Clock XO3 (https://www.lcaudio.com/index.php?page=3). In the grand scheme of things, these products are not expensive, but I defy anyone to say the results using them were not shockingly good.
elliottbnewcombjr OP
7,825 posts
 
Some may have missed the fact that I had bought two used players, one a Single, other a Changer

a. Denon DVD-2910 Single Player (big dent on the top. $52. del’d, eBay) (crutchfield keeps old info on their site)
https://www.crutchfield.com/S-6TIPMQKBMUZ/p_033DV2910B/Denon-DVD-2910-Black.html

b. Onkyo Integra CDC-3.4 six disc changer (open box/demo) ($51. delivered) (bserplus.com)
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_164CDC34/Integra-CDC-3-4.html

that’s a total of $103. incl tax and delivery and both come with OEM remotes.

Denon arrived last evening, plugged it in, it recognized a SACD and CD on it's own. I will be listening this afternoon or tomorrow. Top dent out of sight, otherwise new looking.
jrwaudio
365 posts
 
I love my Oppo BD 105 Blu-ray player!
I have both my subs connected to it and use the Oppo's built in DSP to control them
I have a portable hard drive connected to it to access 100's of songs  Oh and l use it to watch moves on my 5.1 system, play CD's & SACD  I have it connected (spdif) to my external DAC (Exogal Comet Plus) for better sound quality 
kacomess
223 posts
 
I agree that an external DAC + transport is a good, cost-effective option. I'm using a Cambridge Audio CXC-V2 with a Mytek and it sounds quite good. The Cambridge Audio CXC seems very well built and (reportedly) has good customer service/warranty.

As another poster wrote, it might be best to avoid used players. Repairs are costly and parts are limited to sometimes non-existent (unlike turntables, for example).
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