Tell me about your cd player.

I have been using my Denon DCD3000 almost daily since 1996. I had to get a new laser and drive motor in it about 4 years ago. It was a pretty high end player for Denon back in the day.

Even now, I just bought a brand new Yamaha Aventage RXA1040 receiver with super whizz bang DACs in it, but the Denon still sounds miles better when connected to the Yamaha using its analog outs rather than either of its digital connections. Just goes to show how good the DAC in it must be!

 

sony 5 disc changer powered by sony str-k790 2 ch receiver. 2 altek lansing model 83 speakers.

 

Moved from vinyl around 1987 with a Nakamichi OMS 1A or 2A (been a long time). Definitely sounded better than others in the store (I won't go into the "warm" sound). Drifted in and out of cheap DVD players, Sony 5 disc changer (returned as sounded bad) then back into vinyl. Really need to find a decent player again as the cheap Philips I have now hooked up to a Bifrost Modi DAC still isn't getting me back into CD (not a CD criticism over vinyl, I just need a good CD player again to tempt me back).

 

I'm way out of date. I have a Yamaha DV-C6770 from about 2004 that plays CDs, DVD-Videos, DVD-Audios and SACDs. I also play CDs on my Blu-ray player.

However, the entire AV setup has been in storage for a few months as we're remodeling our house after 32 years of benign neglect.

 

I have currently have two in-use CD players:

• A Sony D-NE300 CD Walkman.
• A Philips EXP2550 Portable CD Player

Both players sound fairly well, are easy to use, and are powered by two AA batteries (a rarity nowadays). Plus. in addition to standard CDs and recordable CDs, they both play MP3 CDs (the Sony player also plays ATRAC3 files and the Philips also plays WMA files). Despite having a few digital audio players (DAP), I like having these two as a backup, and for times when using a DAP is not practical (such as when traveling when it would not be practical to charge it).

In addition, I have a few sealed portable CD players that use AA batteries. A few years ago I noticed that the number of available portable CDs players had significantly declined, so I bought a few additional ones before they became unavailable.

 

Sony XB940 SACD player which I got in 2003. Wouldn't mind either a Naim or a Meridian high end CD player though.

 

Currently, a NAD CD player (don't now the model from the top of my head). Has a nice Wolfson DAC inside. Rarely use a CD player anymore as my music is streamed from a NAS.

Before the NAD, I had a Yamaha (forgot the model) 5 disc platter CD. Not a bad unit, very robust - still have it in perfect working order sitting in a cupboard.

Before that, and my first CD player, was a Pioneer PDM6 6 stacker player from their Elite series back in 1986. For its day it was a well designed unit capable of quality sound with 16 bit digital oversampling filters. It even had optic out - back in 1986. It was my first CD player and sounded so much better than my LP12 at the time (I have upgraded the cartridge and cart since then). My brother who had an expensive B&O system used to often borrow the CD player to play on his stereo - as I was travelling a lot I didn't mind.

 

My first was a Marantz CD-46, a decent entry level unit, as part of my first separates system. I was 14, I think.



I had the Marantz, a NAD-310 amp, an Aiwa tapedeck (can't remember the details), and the Mission 760iSE speakers I still use today. The Marantz was pretty good - the peak search feature in particular was excellent for making decently balanced tapes for listening to on my Walkman. I remember some friends' tapes just sounding hideous, constantly in the red.

The Marantz died in the early naughties (having outlived the NAD, which was replaced with a Cambridge Audio A1), and I had a wilderness period where I pretty much only played CDs via my computer (albiet through my proper amp and speakers). Then in 2008, tired of messing about with separates every time I moved house (fairly nomadic at this point), I bought a Denon D-M37DAB micro system, after reading great reviews.



I absolutely love it. This thing has come with me from the UK to NZ and back again, and paired with the Mission 760iSE speakers it sounds fantastic, at least as good as my old separate set. Seems reliable too - had to take it apart and adjust the tray belt after its second trip around the world, but other than that it hasn't missed a beat. If it died, I'd replace it with the almost-identical modern equivalent in a heartbeat. I currently have it wired into an Ikea Billy/Gnedby shelving unit with holes drilled in the rear for a 100% visible-wire-free setup.

 

My Ayre

 

My girlfriend has that Denon. We found it to sound better with some treble added, but she is using the Denon speakers.

 

Yeah, all the reviews said the bundled speakers (rear ported, correct?) were too bassy unless you gave them lots of clearance from the wall, which kind of defeats the point in bookshelf speakers. I bought mine unit only from Richer Sounds. It sounds great with my (front ported) Missions, though I had to dig through the menus to find a setting (enabled by default) which does some sort of tweaking of the output to make it suit the bundled speakers.

 

Arcam Alpha 9 over here...

 

About 6 months ago I picked up a Sony CDP C79Es in beautiful condition from a local Hi Fi shop. I put it in my basement system.




...Not my photo but mine is in just as nice of condition.

 

I have a XA5400-ES. It's a very nice machine. The redbook performance is very good, and the ability to play SACD is nice, and sounds quite remarkable for the investment. Yet, at its best it doesn't even hold a candle to my analogue set-up. (disclaimer) I realize they are not even close to being in the same league price wise, yet I have just never seen or heard the justification for dropping huge dollars into a digital playback scenario as I have for a vinyl kit. From time to time I do enjoy the convenience, though I'm just not as compelled to sit in front of it for hours at a time listening... There is something uninvolving (at best) going on there in the digit reproduction realm.

 

My 'CD Player' says Dell on the front.

 

Yes, rear ported.

She has them at least a foot from the rear wall, IIRC. I know that I moved them as far as they can get from the rear wall.

With the controls at zero, though, the sound is warm, very listenable, just a bit on the dull side, especially I think because she never plays it loud.

 

Seventeen years ago, I bought this cd player at a local store-


It has worked flawlessly since and still going strong. At the time, it was a bit of a stretch for me to spend nearly $500 on a cd player. But I am glad I did. The sound is detailed with air and transparency. I've not had any other cd player in my system other than an old PS1. It blew the PS1 away!

Lately, I've been eyeing DAC's to upgrade this old cd player. But I have no idea what would be a good price point to look at. I would want to take away the slight brightness to the sound yet still retain the air and transparency. Perhaps even have that improved. Any suggestions?

 

Sony SCD-XA777ES. This is my bedroom player but I will move it into the main system occasionally to play some multi-channel SACD. Bought it new when I was in the audio business. Great player that is holding up well for all of the mileage that I put on it. Replaced the optical block and just recently had to replace the drawer belt. For what it is worth, I sold my SCD-1 a few years ago and kept the XA777 when I decided that it was crazy to keep both players....



Classe CDP-300. Used in the main system and arguably the best CD player I have owned.



Onkyo DV-SP1000 universal player. I keep this player around to play my DVD-Audio discs. Holding up well for the years. I also replaced the optical block a few years back and so far so good.

 

I have been happy wth the Mark Levinson No 37 CD Transport. I did have to repair it recently to have the drawer mechanism replaced. It is connected to my Chord 2Qute DAC now with excellent results.



I also have a Rega Apollo-R CD Player which sounds especially good as a transport paired up with the Rega DAC:

 

I have a Cambridge Audio CD player/DAC in my office and a computer source (it has a CD player) into a Devialet in my living room.

 

Just when I was ready to order a new CD Play via audioaffair- a great looking SANSUI CD-Player sold for 99 pounds (turns out to over 150 Euro for me to get it to germany) I gave my YAMAHA NP-500 netwrk player / Cd Player a try again. To my real surprise that terrible annoying noise I got before, when I used the digital output with my V-DAC - I just lined it to my amp via the analog out. Voila, the CD's I played s far ounded good, definitely very different from my Thorens TD 206/Sumiko EVO III analo chain and the files from my iTunes via the V-DAC. A very refined solid sound, both from commercial CD pressings and those I burnt to CD-R as AIFF's. So the problem seems to be in the digital output and I can stick with the Yamaha in the main rig and that Primare CDi10 in the bedroom.
https://www.stereo.de/hifi-test/anlagen/cd-receiver-primare-cdi-10/

and the Yamaha
http://www.amazon.de/Yamaha-CD-N500-Netwerk-Audioplayer-MP3-Player-schwarz/dp/B00942FXCK

 

Finally this is the CD-Player I wanted to replace that YAMAHA - CD-N500 with
Top deal esp. if you live in the UK !
http://www.audioaffair.co.uk/sansui-cdd-201-cd-player-silver-clearance

 

Audiogon was once THE place for stuff like that. Around the same time you got your Naim, I picked up a Sony CDP-XA20ES from A/g. The seller had maintained it well and he told me, "You're going to love this player." He was so right. Sailing along with it so far and I do love its mighty CXD-8505BQ DAC!

 

Think this is the right order but wouldn't swear to it, Cal Audio may have been after Audio Alchemy.
Also may be forgetting something. This insanity started sometime in the 80s.
Carver CDP
Cal Audio Labs CDP
Audio Alchemy DDS pro, DTI 32 pro, DDE 3.0 all connected IsqS and power stations, sounded good when it all worked.
Wadia 27i Wadia 270SE
EAR Acute
Berkeley DAC1 Wadia 270SE
Berkeley DAC2 Wadia 270SE
Aesthetix Romulus Eclipse CDP w/vintage Mullard 12ax7 & Telefunken E88CC, but usually spin discs on CEC TL3N to Aesthetix.

 

In 1993, for about fifteen minutes, Apple offered an Apple-branded, Philips-made, device called the Apple PowerCD. It was a combination music CD player (connecting via RCA plugs), plus "multimedia" CD-ROM reader and Kodak PhotoCD player (connecting via SCSI).

Mine still works, and in fact, it's playing Frank Zappa right now. Never fails to elicit a reaction - "Apple? Really?" Not sure that it's quite up to "true audiophile caliber" but it still sounds pretty good to me.






I had the good fortune of working for a company that was closely partnered with Apple at the time, and they gave it to me for demos at tradeshows. My Apple contact left the Apple asset tag on the back (Shhh..)

As you can see, I saved all the packaging and the disks that came with it - both the driver disks (on 3.5" floppy) and sample CD content (which was still pretty rare - they were included as proof-of-concept that CD was viable as a computer medium). And people were skeptical that CD was viable, because CD-writers cost thousands of dollars and were extremely sensitive - had to use them in an environmentally-controlled room, etc.

Thanks Good Guy for inspiring me to drag the boxes out - some people consider this to be a historical artifact.