Separate CD player & recorder? Buying help, please.

I think my Yamaha CD-X2 died last night. Twenty years old. R.I.P.

Rather than repair it for a third time I was thinking of putting that $ towards a new player. And I've been in the market for a recorder, too.

My primary focus is an excellent player. My secondary focus is recording vinyl, which I will only do every now and then. Can one unit fit the bill? Or should I go separates?

I've seen the recommendations on the board for the HHB CDR-830, and the Sony CDR-W33, good reviews as recorders. How are they as players?

When I was buying stereo (1982) Denon was purportedly the best CD player. Is this still the case today?

Dahlquist DQM-9 compact monitors
Yamaha A760 II integrated amp
xxYamaha CD-X2xx
Mission 775 turntable
Signet TK-10ML cartridge
Nakamichi LX-3

 

Hi Dan,

Me thinks ya should score a separate player & recorder. The two recorders ya mentioned are very nice recorders but bright on the play side. As far as players, it really depends how much ya wanna spend and whether ya want SACD capacity. I have a Rega Planet 2000 that runs about $950 and is a nice redbook player for the $. For more $, ya can do better. Maybe ya wanna mention your budget to get more response from the board.

Happy Trails,
Jeffrey

 

Jeffrey,

Thanks for the input. I was thinking about $650, I'm looking hard at the Denon DN-C550R at Oade.

SACD, hmm, I hadn't even thought of that.

 

Dan,

I've been thinking about buying a CD recorder for a while, and hadn't thought about the Denon DN-C550R. What is it about this unit that appeals to you? Had you considered any others?

To all: any thoughts on the Marantz and HHB recorders?

 

sgb, I was considering the Denon from reputation only. Twenty years ago when I bought my Yamaha system, Denon was the next step up, the piece I couldn't afford. Heard great things about it, always wanted one since.

Ironically, I demoed a Yamaha against a Denon this past week in Sound Advice. The Yamaha sounded better. The Denon is still more expensive.

My best advice is to listen to as many players as you can, in stores, at friend's. I know that's difficult, and for some of these pieces, like HBB, it may not be possible. But go out and listen anyway!

 

Baton Rouge isn't exactly a hotbed of audiophilia, Dan; not counting the mass merchandisers, there are only two dealers in town - both of which have turned their backs on audio and feature products for the home theeyatur crowd. ("SACD, what's that?")

I've pretty much decided that I should go for the Marantz CDR631 for a couple of important reasons:

1. It's cheaper. It goes for under $500 on the internet.

2. It doesn't require the more costly music CDR blanks.

3. You can bypass copy protection.

4. It has both blanced and unbalanced inputs, which means that I can run my SA-14 directly to its balanced inputs (bypassing preamp circuitry, which doesn't have balanced connectors).

 

Dan,

I personally would go with the Marantz like sgb. Denon, nowadays is like JVC, and Yamaha, used to be good many years ago but now just mediocre at best.

I've heard good things from the Marantz, including the fact on some models you can use regular computer discs as opposed to the more expensive cd-r's.

Sony's ES series is also really nice but not as inexpensive as the Marantz.

Hope this helps ya.