The best CD player under $5000?

The Accuphase costs GBP 4000 in the UK, which is well over $5000 - more like $8000. Not shure about its US pricing, but I would not expect it to be much lower than that.

Goran

 

I saw this yesterday, and it is beautiful. I really like the window at the top where you can see part of the transport in action. It is priced at about $4000 - $4500. BUt you need to pay $500 more if you want i-link for multi-channel audio.

http://www.teac.co.jp/av/esoteric/x05/x05.html

 

He is not kidding. Airy is the word that most comes to mind when listening to an Ayre cd player.

Hukk

 

LINN of course!

I know some people who tried once LINN players and then felt in love with them forever.
A friend of mine changed his Accuphase 75 with LINN Karik/Numerik without any regret.
Now, suppose, only LINN Akurate has more or less humanic price.

 

That used to be the case, but no longer.

 

If you are willing to go second-hand then a Naim CDS2/XPS takes some beating and would be within your budget (just). I much prefer it to the CDX2 (which can sound a little "mechanical" at times).

If you can get hold of a CD5 then it's a much better bet than a CD5i as the latter cannot be upgraded with external power supplies. This would probably be cheaper than a CD5x and would definitely give it a run for your money.

Only problem with second-hand is being able to demo the stuff...

 

I tried out the Rega Saturn and the Arye but preferred the McIntosh MCD201 SACD player for CD playback. It also is a SACD player. I found out that it was the most analogue sounding of all cd players I demoed. I didn't get a chance check out the Prima Luma tubed cd player. I have not had any problems which many owners of this cd player mention. Has anyone else listened to the McIntosh MCD201? It really is a sweet sounding unit.
Jim

 

check out T+A. they offer Tube CD Players SACD Players and a brand new (September 20079 audiophile CD Player Series - The E-Series)

Checl out their Tube Series fo a Tube Turntable, Pre-Amp, Amp + CD/SACD Player-Combination - PDF available with spectacular details and photos.. CD Player costs 6.000 eur that's the V-Series D 10 is the Tube TT- never seen anything like that.


http://www.audio.de/d/75030
test 4 Cd Players between 2.5 - 6 Thousand Euros


direct links are not easy and i couldn't find the english Version atm. it does exist, though

http://www.taelektroakustik.de/deu/index.htm

that's working - now check E-Series
or D-Seris for them Tubes

Enjoy

About the Brand - exists since 25 years not far from my hometown.

T+A have a highly respected name over here in germany for innovation + quality, small but fine + innovative manufacturs of Hi End Audiophile Applications (Theory & Application - that's what T & A stands for)-

 

Thre are authorized dealers for mostEuropean countries
UK, US Australia, Russia and Asia

Try www.myquartet.com

for an english web-site

Located in California
Petaluma CA 94954
Crickett Court 303

 

http://www.taelektroakustik.de/eng/index.htm

finally

 

How abot this …

… Italian beauty?



Lector CDP-7T
Top loading tube class A CD player.
http://www.docet-lector.com/start.htm

Perharps not so known in US?
(Can’t have them all … ?)

Should be tops 4.5K in US.

http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue30/lector7t.htm

 

Not Danish!

Perhaps it’s a good player and that they make nice gear … but Primare is both from Sweden and Denmark!!

It is NOT only Dannish company! TMHK.

 

I listened to this the Esoteric X-05 the other day. My initial impressions were not positive -- I thought that the X-03SE, which is the next model up in the Esoteric line, sounded much better.

 

Over the hill

It costs more than 5K!

 

any love for Shanling out there?

I was listening to one in NY that sounded quite good on some solo drum stuff and not as good on string stuff (but that may have been the particular recording)

anyway, not that I am currently in the market for an expensive CD player but you never know.

I couldn't help but notice that nobody was recommending them, and they are well under the cost of most of what HAS been recommended.

 

I would add that the original post asked for a player to replace the Sony XA9000ES, which is a pretty nice player to begin with. To really make an educated purchase, I would STRONGLY recommend narrowing your choices and then taking your Sony to a proper dealer and comparing. There really is no substitute.

 

Just wondering

Shouldn’t it be better to take home a player and compare there?
But I dunno if that’s possible.

That’s how things are made often in Scandinavia. At least in bigger places.

Where I live, it’s almost impossible, because there are not so many brands to be found.

 

Well, that's the same here in Moscow. At least with decent dealers (and there are some nice folks to do business with here). I would never buy a $5000 player (or ANYTHING) without home audition.

 

Sounds promising

Alright.

We have had a same kind of thread here in Sweden, and many guys were spoken very highly of Lector.

Not sure if it can be found in your country. We have to buy it from Norway, I think …

http://www.soundstage.com/revequip/lector_cdp7t_mkiii.htm

It’s not easy to buy but if you read the reviews perhaps you might get interested about it.
For the price it’s tough to be beaten!

 

another vote for the oppo
hard to beat for price

 

Another option to the Bryston cd-player is the new BDA-1, their DAC. It upsamples, and the price is about the same as the cd player.

 

Too expensive in our territory

I’m sure that Bryston is very good indeed, but the prices in Europe are a whole lot more expensive than in US or Canada.
That’s why there is no chance to think of it with comparing with Lector costing only slightly more than Bryston.

But who knows? I wonder if there’s any one who has compared these two.
And besides that, everybody does not like the tube sound.

 

Lector is available in the US. I heard one of their players a few years ago, but I have not heard the current model. I was actually auditioning preamps and the dealer used a Lector CDP as the source. I was impressed with the player that I heard; "analog type" sound with good -- though not best in class -- resolution.

IIRC, one of the US high end mags (I think it was Absolute Sound, but it could have been Stereophile) did a short favorable review but experienced operating issues with their demo.

 

Esoteric is only the first name …

I’d like to read about this. Anyone who knows the source on the net?
Not so that the player is in my reach … but I just want to stay informed.

Besides, this player can’t be bought right over a desk, because you’ve have to wait for it for several months.
That’s the backside of small scale handcrafted production.
But IMHO it’s worth waiting for …

 

There are reviews of the Lector CDP 7 in The Absolute Sound #147 April/May 2004 and of the Lector CDP7 TL CD player in The Absolute Sound #155 August/September 2005. You can purchase pdfs online at:

http://www.avguide.com/the-absolute-sound/back-issues.php