Help. I need a HDCD/ SACD/ BLU RAY Player

You can pretty much buy with confidence on the 650/651/751/752BD models. They all enjoyed great reviews.

Each has five Wolfson WM8740 DACs, which is a tried and trusted DAC. You'll get something easily on a par with the Oppo gear but minus the excessive premium overhead.

But that Arcam is tough to beat for the money. Check the reviews, they really were excellent. If I needed a universal player without spending the cash right now, it'd be gone.

 

Ok, ive found a cambridge cxu on ebay being sold an hour away from here. I messaged the seller to see if i could go and try the system before i buy (it says collection only anyway).

Any tips on what to keep an eye on. Any things cambridge cxu tend to fail on so im aware and check it properly prior to buying a defective item.

If he says yes to try it ill be bringing my neil young/tom petty hdcd and my pink floyd sacd.

Will also bring a tom petty blu ray and any dvda i find kicking around.

 

By the way, ive just noticed you are in scotland too!

 

The CXU is pretty much a 752BD but plus Darbee for video and a different case. The rest is the same. Hope it's a good price. Failures, nothing of note. Mine gets daily use and that's from December 2014.

 

I read something about 752bd not getting sound on sacd when using analog. Im planning to use analog connections

 

Seeing as I use SACD on analog into a passive preamp and ADM ADM 9RSS actives you should be fine. See also a bunch of different amps before that. Likely whoever posted that hadn't got a setting correct.

 

Shout out to Perth!!

 

I was afraid of missing this cambridge cxu after reading all morning about it. So i bought the item with the option to pay in cash...so if im not happy on inspection/ collection day i can always not pay. But would only do this if item is not working perfectly as described by seller.. otherwise happy to pay 350 for it.

How much will the sound improve from my current ps3 using analgo to yamaha as701 and into monito audio 200 speakers.

I guess is not going to be that much of an upgrade but im excited to see what cds /sacd can sound ... hopefully better!

 

My Oppo 205 sounds way better than my Arcam DV137 (my own ears hear it) so if the Oppo 95 sounds better than my Oppo 205 (reports suggest this could be the case but I have no personal experience) then the Oppo 95 is the better choice!

The fact that the Cambridge doesn't allow me to play native music resolution (ie it "upscales" everything) makes it a no no for me (I believe that is the case?)!

 

Mmmm interesting.

Well whatever the science behind. People seem to be happier with cambride sound over latest models of oppo. But never saw a review comparing it to the 95. I guess the fact that this one is a model made in 2015 and of a company that still works is also something that somehow brings me some sort of peace of mind

 

I'm not sure that is a "universal" opinion? Keep in mind many UK reviewers tend to give UK based companies more favourable reviews and the cost of the Oppos (in the UK) at the time was a great deal more than in the US!

Now I haven't heard the Cambridge or the Oppo 95 but..... buying blind, on the cheap, I'd go Oppo.

The best sounding "Universal" player I have had experience with is the Primare BD32 which is based on the Oppo 93.

 

Gave up worrying about all that some time ago tbf, but everyone has their red lines.

All I can say is that if it's seen off several players - and I'm a fussy listener - then they got something very right.

 

Mmm and what effect has on music to be upsampling?

 

First and foremost it takes away your ability to to test and choose what you prefer!

On my Primare I have tried both and I prefer native but I have have stated I don't have experience with the Cambridge (without providing the choice i had no intention of spending money on it). Now Brother_Rael has and he maybe right?

 

It is, however, fair to say that many people do prefer an alternative to the Sabre DAC sound, and the different styling of the Cambridge players to that adopted by Oppo, Arcam and Onkyo, to name three that favoured that bulkier build, would also be a factor.

The advantage wasn't cost alone, and buying blind - which I did with my Cambridge, but on the back of reviews of both - was a move five years on that I've no reason to regret. As I said earlier, buy with confidence!

 

Have you ever heard an Oppo?

 

Your revised thinking makes the Sony UDP-X1100ES a great way to go for a multitude of reasons. https://www.sony.com/electronics/blu-ray-disc-players/ubp-x1100es

 

I haven't.

I didn't see the need to spend £1100 on one (the 105D this is) when the Cambridge I'd bought was already good, £700 cheaper (on offer), and it ticked all the boxes. Plus, that design thing.

 

I found the comment below here
Cambridge Audio CXU vs. Oppo BDP-105 on CD Sound Quality?





I know its just one member's opinion of that concrete oppo hooked into his system vs the cambridge cxu however its made me think that whatever way it goes... both are probably better options than my current ps3.

 

Yes both are better options than your ps3! Is also be surprised if any Sony were as good but ignorance is bliss (that’s without taking their atrocious customer care into account).

 

Yeah, I'd go along with @scobb and also to add that either option would be a fine choice. The differences are fairly fine, relatively speaking and down to personal preference.

 

I got in touch with the seller via whatsapp prior to going there....

"He says the only modification made was that he changed the audio streaming system and roon server plan"

Is this a big deal? Will it affect the system? I dont really use streaming ... dont even know what the roon plan is...

 

Don't sweat the small stuff, sounds like he's using the DAC on the Cambridge to stream his Roon account through.

 

Ok ... wont sweat it...but is that a good thing?

 

I use mine for running an external hard drive and associated content through via the rear panel USB. Handy feature to have!