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Any advice on CD player upgrade?

I am looking to upgrade my CD player. My system is as follows: Bryston 3b-St Power Amp, Bryston BP20 Preamp, B&W Nautilus 805 Speakers, Arcam Alpha 7 CD Player. Cables are Kimber KCAG Balaned Interconnect (preamp-poweramp), Kimber PJB (CD to Pre), and Stealth PC Premier speaker cables. I think the CD Player is clearly the weak component, but would also consider getting a second 3b-st for bi-amping. I'm looking at the following contenders (used if I can :-)): Linn Ikemi, BAT, Sonic Frontiers SFCD, Meridian 508-24, Naim CDX, Wadia 830 or 850. Let me know if any of you have recommendations here. Thanks!! John.
128x128outlier
dustych
53 posts
 
I realize this was not in your list of choices, but you might want to look at the Rega Planet. I borrowed one once (one of the old ones, mind you), and now I must have it. If you've already ruled this out for other reasons, I apologize...
acuujim
207 posts
 
Sell the pre amp. Buy a Resolution Audio CD 55 and run it direct into the power amp. You will experience a new level. Check out the reviews and the other threads on Audiogon concerning Resolution Audio. $3k retail less the preamp for a digital front end that is better than the Accuphase DP 75 or the Wadia 860. You owe it to your self to check em out
ejlif's avatar
ejlif
1,366 posts
 
I think that you are on the right track with the Meridian 508.24. It is very musical and gets all diffrent kinds of music right. Wadia is also a good bet, a little more expensive than Meridian, but you can run it direct to the amp and sell your preamp if you don't have any other sources than CD. I have owned Rega Planet, Meridian 508.24, Wadia 860x, and Resolution Audio CD50. In my opinion the Meridian is the most well rounded player of the bunch. I stuck with the 860 (as I wanted to go without a preamp) which I though bettered the Resolution Audio player. I saw one (Meridian 508.24) for sale today on Audiogon for a good deal. Good luck.
pops
2,272 posts
 
It's hard to beat Meridian, the 508.24 is excellent, so is the 566 DAC which I have coupled with the 200 transport (same as the 508 just 2 boxes instead of 1). I still have the discontinued 263 bitstream DAC and it is outstanding also. I will say this both DAC's IMO sound better with a Meridian transport which would now be the 500 as the 200 has been discontinued. Good luck in your choice.
sedond
1,387 posts
 
save your money for a better preamp (or speakers, or *whatever*). dollar for dollar, you will get better sound substantially upgrading your preamp w/your same cd player, than the other way around. the law of diminishing returns is more applicable to cd hardware than to any other equipment, imho. also, lots folks report getting better sound w/res-audio cd players run thru good preamps, instead of being run straight into their amps, so why bother w/a unit that devotes so much of its cost to its volume control circuitry? one person's opinion... doug
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