difficulty finding CD player match for Magneplanar

Isn't it frustrating when people don't listen to your needs? You have enough problems finding a replacement player, and you're gonna have the same problems shopping for "just the right" amp. One thing at a time. As I said earlier, I understand what you're saying about wanting your music to sound full, balanced and authoritative. You can get that without high spl's. You've already experienced it with your current player, so why is it so hard to get the same thing with a different player? I wish I had an answer.

You can get the biggest amp in the world, and still suffer from thin, bright and non-involving sound. Find the player first, and get settled in. You may have to experiment with some different cables to further enhance the sound character you're looking for. Once you're comfortable. with the sound of your system, AGAIN, then you can look into upgrading your amp.

Like I said before, I recently upgraded my amp to something that was supposed to be bigger and better, but ended up disappointed in the overall sound. Yeah, I can play it much louder, but at the expense of losing my well balanced, musical and non fatiguing sound.

I still love my Jolida, and if it broke today, I'd buy another one. Finding the right tubes is critical (and fun). I've tried a few different tubes, and some of them really killed the sound, but I'm pretty much settled in with a particular tube, now. I've been struggling with my system for a few years, but I can finally sit down and enjoy music. I can now listen to some Linkin Park, then jump to some Erich kunzel, and either is enjoyable. The Jolida may not work for you, but I wish I had bought one years ago, instead of a few months ago. I would have saved a lot of headaches.

Ok, so the question is then how to find a player that sounds like the old Cal Audio, other than trial and error?

TEchnically, impedance matching between source and pre-amp is the only thing I know of that matters, so if those specs look good, that is a first step, but stil not a guarantee. Individual CD players will still sound different from there, this just helps assure that the CD is a good match electronically to your pre-amp.

From there, it is mostly hearsay and trial and error, what you decide to try based on others comments, reviews, recommendations, etc. If you get lucky, you'll find something that sounds like what you had before.

I think the point is regarding the amp is that if you are in a good position to start with regarding the amp optimally driving the speakers, based primarily on amp power, current and efficiency at 8 and 4 ohms, then you will have a better chance of finding a player that sounds good rather than having to find a player that is not handicapped in your system and perhaps can make up for the shortcomings due to amplification.

The other fast track to the happy path would be to find another Cal Audio Icon MkII player used to replace what you had, but the challenge there might be to find one that is in good operating condition and stays that way. I had to fix mine twice at considerable cost before I finally decided to ditch it, so I would be cautious going this way as well if it were me.

Another thought I had is that perhaps if your current CD player finally died that perhaps it was not oeprating up to spec as well beforehand and that was part of the problem? That's just pure speculation on my part however though.

Good luck!

Timoteo,

You asked: "No one else in this thread has experienced a change for the worse in the sound of their system when they replaced their CD player with a newer and supposedly better player?"

I replaced an Onkyo DX1800 with a Sony CDP-CX450 and noticed much less powerful bass, and less midrange detail. Although the Onkyo is a cheapie from my College days the Onkyo just sounds better on my MGIIIA's. I did learn that the Onkyo used a Phillips DA converter and in the future I will find out what converter is used before I buy another CDp. Best of luck with your equipment auditions! BTW, both CDp models mentioned above are long discontinued.

Timoko - "Okay, guys, thanks for the advice about amps, but for now it is a moot point. The CD player is dying; it has to be the first item to be replaced. I can put in a 500w/ch. amp but if my CD player goes out, I can't listen to music."

No, but you can order a $37 Samsung DVD player from Amazon and research how to spend your money on an amp and get much more sound improvement for your money.

This thread is pretty old now, but if anyone is reading this now I have learned more about powering Maggies lately.

The folks on this thread who said that my amp was underpowered for the Maggies are absolutely correct. I hooked up a pair of PSB Alpha speakers which are 89db efficiency rating (twice as efficient as the Maggies). I put on a CD and very slowly turned up the volume until the clipping lights on the amp started to flicker, at about 11 o'clock on the volume knob. (I would have done this test with the Maggies, but they are at Magnepan being repaired).

From this I would guess that if I set the volume knob at 9 o'clock or so driving the Maggies, I am probably at or near the threshold of clipping. I wouldn't have thought it possible, but there it is.

I am going to find a much beefier amp now.

As for the CD player, I "fixed" it by adding DAC for now.