The best CD player under $5000?

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by antonkk, Sep 29, 2007.

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  1. antonkk

    antonkk Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    moscow
    As some of guys remember I was recently thinking about upgrading my SonyXA9000ES to a better SACD/CD unit (and thanx for all your recommendations folks!) but lately I started to have second thoughts about SACD format as a whole. Since I hate multichanel music the only thing that can sell me a stereo SACD is a much better sound quality compared to redbook and that's not what I hear on most of my hybrids. Anyway, since the format is mostly dead (or so it seems) when it comes to pop or rock'n'roll stuff (and I have only 30+ SACD most of them hybrid) I think it's time for me to rather look for a killer redbook player (for the 2000+ CDs in my collection:D ) that will leave my Sony in the dust in terms of musicality, details and dynamics. Since I have plenty of HDCDs it's better to have HDCD as well. Any ideas?:wave: :help:
     
  2. Blencathra

    Blencathra New Member

    Location:
    UK
    Take a look at Meridian if at all possible, although I'm not sure what their SACD options are.
     
  3. TONEPUB

    TONEPUB Senior Member

    Location:
    Portland, Oregon
    Here's my three favorite:

    Rega Saturn, $2500 US
    Ayre CX-7e, $2995 US
    Meridian GO8, $4000 US

    The Rega is a bit on the warm analog side, the Meridian is a bit more
    detailed.

    The Ayre is smack dab in the middle and is my personal favorite in this price range. Depending on the overall sound you like, either of these three are fantastic!

    We will have reviews on the Ayre and the Meridian in the new issue of TONE, out in about 10 days...
     
  4. antonkk

    antonkk Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    moscow
    Thanx! :righton: Any of them play HDCD?
     
  5. antonkk

    antonkk Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    moscow
    Chek out my original post. :wave: I'm not looking fo a SACD player anymore. I'm done with the format.:thumbsdn:
     
  6. Glen B

    Glen B New Member

    Location:
    USA
    I too am in the market for a best-under-$5K player. There's the Cambridge Azur 840C CD player. Although the now discontinued Marantz SA11S1 is a SACD player, it also features excellent redbook CD playback. Its replacement, the SA11S2 will incorporate some of the same features and technology -- including the same transport -- as the flagship SA7S1 and is supposed to further raise the performance bar.
     
  7. hvbias

    hvbias Midrange magic

    Location:
    Northeast
    The North Star M192 DAC and dedicated transport using I2S can be had for around $3000.

    I really love my M192 DAC.
     
  8. jstraw

    jstraw Forum Resident

    So...what's the best CD player under $200?
     
  9. sound chaser

    sound chaser Senior Member

    Location:
    North East UK.
    I'm happy with my Meridian GO6, but it doesn't do SACD or HDCD, no idea what the $ amount is though.
     
  10. Toka

    Toka Active Member

  11. jstraw

    jstraw Forum Resident

    Thanks!
     
  12. Stax Fan

    Stax Fan Forum Resident

    Location:
    Midwest
    I think mods are your best value. I don't know who's doing what, but there are lotsa folks out there offering mods for CD players these days.
     
  13. motorcitydave

    motorcitydave Enlightened Rogue In Memoriam

    Location:
    Las Vegas, NV, USA
  14. drbryant

    drbryant Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Would you say that the redbook playback on these players is significantly better than the Sony XA9000ES? I think that is what Antonkk is most interested in.
     
  15. haas

    haas Forum Resident

    Location:
    NE
    [​IMG]


    Naim CDX2
     
  16. Blencathra

    Blencathra New Member

    Location:
    UK
    I really don't mean to sound patronising (honest) but I have never heard a Japanese player that could get anywhere near the quality of a Meridian in terms of sound quality - not even close. Meridian are premier league and I doubt that Sony are even 1st division (my opinion only, please don't take it personally)
     
  17. Glen B

    Glen B New Member

    Location:
    USA
    No disrespect to Meridian but obviously the folks at Stereophile Magazine think otherwise. The Esoteric X-01 Limited and Sony SCD-XA9000ES, two Japanese players both have a class A+ rating in Stereophile Magazine's current recommended components listing, together with the Meridian 800. The Marantz SA8001 is rated class "A" on the list. At that level it all comes down to personal taste and proper system matching.
     
  18. Barry Wom

    Barry Wom New Member

    Location:
    Pepperland
    a second hand Linn Ikemi for $2k
     
  19. blind_melon1

    blind_melon1 An erotic adventurer of the most deranged kind....

    Location:
    Australia
    Ohh! That looks nice!

    Shame I'd never be able to demo one over here :cry:

    Edit : OMG! That sucker retails for $9000 in Australia!
     
  20. edb15

    edb15 Senior Member

    Location:
    new york
    The answer is easy. Buy the best Naim player you can afford. Everyone loves their cd players. They have a grip on music like no other I've heard. They actually approach the pleasure of high end analog.

    If you are willing to buy used, get a CDS II/XPS (it's two boxes with a power supply the size of a power amp) or a CDX/XPS (some think the CDX is too forward but it's a matter of taste), or, for less money, a CD5 with Hicap. The CDS is also a fantastic player too, but transports might be difficult to find if it breaks.

    New go for a CDX2 (which is a big jump from the CDX) or a CD5x/Hicap.
     
  21. 926am

    926am Senior Member

    Location:
    rochester, ny
    I love my Naim CD5X with Hicap. And it plays HDCD.
     
  22. JayB

    JayB Senior Member

    Location:
    CT
    I own the exact same, and love it.

    I wouldn't personally get to caught up in having a SACD capable anymore. Dead format IMO, at least for rock.
     
  23. JayB

    JayB Senior Member

    Location:
    CT
    With all due respect, I wouldn't put much weight in Stereophile's "ratings"
     
  24. Randy W

    Randy W Original Member

    I would also recommend the G08 (and the Linn Ikemi). Ayre, Rega, Naim are all good choices as well. British players have a different character than the Japanese - if you can, audition them in your listening room.
     
  25. LeeS

    LeeS Music Fan

    Location:
    Atlanta
    It's interesting in that the $3K Ayre CX-7e did better than the $30K or so CD555 in Stereophile's Recommended Components listing.
     
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