What is the best new CD player you can buy today for under $1,000.00?

This is just a hair over. I owned an earlier version of this tube stage modified TEAC and it was very impressive.

http://www.decware.com/newsite/ZCD.htm

 

The Sony SCD-XA5400ES CD Player lists for $1499 but can be found for around a grand. Rated A+ in the latest Stereophile recommended components list.

Jeff Dorgay gave a rave review to the Rega Apollo—R in TONE magazine: http://www.tonepublications.com/review/redefining-possibilities/

I've also heard seriously good things about the made-in-Italy Audio Analogue Crescendo player.

The only reason why I know this stuff is that I'm looking for a new CD player in this price range and this is my list to audition so far...

 

To play devil's advocate...wouldn't the best use be pretty much anything with a digital output? Hard to beat bit-perfect output, assuming you have a decent dac later in your signal chain. A $50 generic DVD player leaves you $950 to pick up a nice integrated amp, or other improve your system - like say a nice standalone DAC that'll also work with your other digital sources.

Given that we're in the digital realm, assuming no transmission errors, bits are bits...everything else is up to the rest of your signal chain.

 

Those Rega players are built like tanks. Would say even used ones would be fab and still under a grand.

 

good suggestion there. use the optical Jack into a great sounding dac, or just buy a $500 (or less) oppo bdp-103.

 

Isn't it weird how high end CD players all have DACs built in, but no decent turntables have phono stages built in?

 

I was just speaking to Brian at Needle Doctor this week, asking this very question. He proudly recommended the Marantz CD6004, which is a new machine that sells for $500. I cannot speak from first-hand experience just yet, but these guys have always offered me sound advice and nudged me in the right direction. I trust their recommendations.

 

I still have and use my CD-63. I'll be very sad when it dies.

 

Id go for the Rega, or spend 1200 and get an OPPO 105. Certainly my two favorites...

 

Sorta like Harry Dean Stanton in a "heavy" role?

 

Second the Rega Apollo-R suggestion. Another good (although not just CD player) is the Oppo BDP-95, which you can still find for sale for under $1k. I own both. Both sound very different from each other but are nice in their own ways. Hurry up, though, as BDP-95 stock is dwindling as it is a discontinued model . . .

 

Anybody heard the $299 Yamaha CD deck?

 

I've heard that the Playstation 1 has turned a few heads in the hifi world ... I gave mine away long ago when I got a PS2 but now I wish I hadn't.

 

From reports.. The OPPO 105 is THE machine to have at $1,000.

For myself i use old high to top end five disc changers (used) and a decent DAC.

One point is a 'cheap' CD player to use with a DAC? no. A cheap POS is STILL a cheap POS, even if you skip it's internal D/A conversion.
My own experience was I had a Rotel stand alone CD spinner, and an Adcom DAC.
I bought a Sony SCD777ES ($2,500) SACD/Cd player.
The Sony Redbook digital out, KILLED the Rotel, (both) through the Adcom DA. The Rotel was so far below the Sony as transpot I was embarassed to sell the Rotel.
And the Rotel before that i did a lot of comparisons and it was the best transport I could find for $700./$1,000 range.

That Adcom Dac is still in use, and I discovered it is just as good as a Byrston $2,300 DAC. At leat in my system. (I also still have the Sony SCD777ES but I save it. My other digital sounds 'almost' as good, and so small a difference I just use the 5 disc changers all the time for CD. I personally find I like CD bettter than SACD. SACD sounds too 'smooth' and LESS detail through my system)

SO anyway I am just saying a cheap transport is just junk. And you can really hear a difference in a better transport.

Like I wrote I use old, used top of the line CD changers as transports to my DAc and am happy enough

 

The Marantz SA8004 is outstanding at that price ($1000) and plays SACD's. It's every bit as good as the Rega. I've owned both.

I currently use the Marantz CD6004 in my home theater/living room system and it excellent at $500.

 

I had the old CD63 as well. I really liked that ole player.

 

Second the 8004. It's so good for the money. The one piece I regret selling.

 

I've got the Marantz cd 5004 and I'm happy.

 

I challenge this point. If the same bits are going to the same DAC, it will produce the same output, presuming the DAC isn't malfunctioning. Digital is digital. Bits are bits. Or do you own a $5000 HDMI cable?

 

I don't spin CDs much anymore, but I love my CAL Audio Sigma tube DAC when listening to vinyl I have ripped to FLAC.

e="ElizabethH, post: 9469662, member: 29422"]From reports.. The OPPO 105 is THE machine to have at $1,000.

For myself i use old high to top end five disc changers (used) and a decent DAC.

One point is a 'cheap' CD player to use with a DAC? no. A cheap POS is STILL a cheap POS, even if you skip it's internal D/A conversion.
My own experience was I had a Rotel stand alone CD spinner, and an Adcom DAC.
I bought a Sony SCD777ES ($2,500) SACD/Cd player.
The Sony Redbook digital out, KILLED the Rotel, (both) through the Adcom DA. The Rotel was so far below the Sony as transpot I was embarassed to sell the Rotel.
And the Rotel before that i did a lot of comparisons and it was the best transport I could find for $700./$1,000 range.

That Adcom Dac is still in use, and I discovered it is just as good as a Byrston $2,300 DAC. At leat in my system. (I also still have the Sony SCD777ES but I save it. My other digital sounds 'almost' as good, and so small a difference I just use the 5 disc changers all the time for CD. I personally find I like CD bettter than SACD. SACD sounds too 'smooth' and LESS detail through my system)

SO anyway I am just saying a cheap transport is just junk. And you can really hear a difference in a better transport.

Like I wrote I use old, used top of the line CD changers as transports to my DAc and am happy enough[/quote]
I don

 

I listen to mostly records but I still own CDs and I still have a Marantz 5004 that still works and sounds great. If you don't have to spend a thousand to get good sound then save some bucks with the 6004.

 

I heard that marantz $1k player in a system where it was cheaper than even the cables. It sounded fantastic though. George Merrill likes it a lot. He also liked Jolida amps.

 

In the past 15 yrs or so I've went through a couple of Ah! Tjoeb units (modified Marantz) then a couple Oppo's leading up to the Oppo BDP-105 I've owned for the past 1-1/2 years. The 105 reveals more detail in my system than any of the other cd players I've had. The Ah Tjoeb was very musical and warm, the early Oppo's sounded rather thin and lean but the 105 has a perfect balance. Detail in spades but a certain smoothness I've never heard before from my cd's that I've listened to hundreds of times before.