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CD player how much to invest

I sometimes wonder should I invest more in digital playback in the future. My current CD transport is a CEC TL51x with a Wadia 12 DAC.
From shows and visits to friends I have learned that there are better CD players out there then my combo, but at what price. The AMR CD-777, is a little better but at €4000 twice the cost. The AMR CD-77 and Nagra CDP are even better still but they cost 10 times or more then my combo.

But is it worth the investment even if I had the money. I believe that with say €2000 you can buy a good CD player That is maybe 90% of a €10.000 CD player.

However I do think that speakers and turntables have a higher return on investment sonic wise. A friend of mine will bring his Jadi Symphonia with Electraglide powercord + Harmonic Tech Magic Link I interlink. To compare. I somehow doubt it will be much better, it may be different but better I don't know.

I am wrong to think that? Are more expesive CD player really a lot better then mid priced and if so how come?

Sorry for my rant, but when I was thinking about upgrading my set and maybe buy an other CD player would it be worth the money? Will I hear a difference etc.
mordante
mordante OP
511 posts
 
Thank you for all the replies. Out of curiousity, what does affect the sound more, the DAC or transport? I thought about replacing the DAC for a Audio Note 2.1 or something like that.
devilboy
1,172 posts
 
Store your music on a hard drive and get a DAC.
mordante OP
511 posts
 
I have been looking at a USB DAC. A DAC that USB and coax and maybe spdif optical etc.

The best contenders so far are Audio Note and Pink Faun, maybe BMC as well. But what else do I need. A harddisk device I guess, something like a NAS then we need an interface and a DAC. My main problem is the interface. Should that be a laptap or something else. But I want something with decent size screen so I can browse my CD collection.
mrtennis
3,295 posts
 
lets look at the question based upon economics.

a sale is made when buyer and seller agree on a price.

there is a basic principle that i learned in first college eco. course:

the value in use=the value in exchange.

only you can answer your own question.

listen to and compare digital hardware. at what price points, does the value in exchange exceed the value in use ? this is a subjective question which depends upon your ears and your wallet.

as an example, i won't buy a merceds or audi because i think they are overpriced. it is not a question of whether i can afford something. i refuse to pay more than i believe something is worth. if the seller won't meet my price.

the principle its implicit in most transactions, although there are some wealthy people who will buy something if they can afford it, regardless of price and value.

in conclusion, you will spend as much money, given a budget constraint until the price exceeds its intrinsic value, as determined by you.

no one can assign a dollar amount for you.

i use this principle whenever possible. obviously, it doesn't always work in the supermarket. it can be applied to eating out at a restaurant or going to a movie. this principle works well when applied to expensive products.
foster_9
1,638 posts
 
Look for a used Cary 303/300. Should be able to find one for less than $2,000 USD
09-24-10: Jburidan

I have all Cary electronics (SLP 05 preamp and A306 amplfier) I ran them balanced into the Cary 303/300 player. I no longer own it. I like Cary products and wanted to love it, but the 303/300 was sonically very disappointing in my setup.
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