what CDP are you using?

[STHLS5]

Just last Friday, Sam our local distributor brought over his Quad player to show how musical it was compared to my Marantz SA11S2. He brought 2 sets of CDs to do simultaneous switching for a quick AB test.

We agreed that SA11S2 output gain was a lot higher than Quad's and therefore, it was pointless to perform a quick switch overs. Then Sam suggested that I listen to both players to find out which one was better. I gave up after several minutes but I asked if he could positively identify his Quad just by listening? He said he could and we agreed a total of 10 trials of the same track, i.e Gütesloher Glocken of Musik Von Einem Anderen Stern. Sam is very familiar with this track as he uses them to demo the Harbeths.

After the 5th trial, he stopped because he couldn't concentrate any longer. So we have only the results for 5 trials as follows,

Actual Sam
1. Quad SA11S2
2. SA11S2 SA11S2
3. SA11S2 SA11S2
4. SA11S2 Quad
5. Quad SA11S2


You be the judge.

ST

p.s Previously, we did the same "tests" for Theta Gen III and SA11S2 and we couldn't tell them apart. Theta's gain is much higher than SA11S2.

p.p.s We are still friends.

[macroaudio]

Former OPPO BDP83, now running an Arcam BDP100.....seems to be a better match for my needs so far at this price point with the LFD Mk IV and C7. Have not yet heard an OPPO BDP95 to compare.

[Jmohd]

I'm now using Ayon Audio CD5s. Opens new "window" in my listening expriences..

[Drdennis]

I am currently using a PrimaLuna Prologue 8 CDP. Yesterday I shipped a SONY 5400ES player to Music Technology for VSE mods. I have a few SACD's that I have played on my second systems OPPO 83SE Nuforce Edition, and I would like to play them on my primary system(C7's). I'll report on the SONY when it returns in about four weeks.

[Concerti]

Luxman D 05 here with an Auraliti music server. Nice to have both SACD, CD and streaming. Only problem is no streaming radio. Will fix that soon.

[GregD]

Having sold my expensive Nagra CDC CD player, I'm using a budget Cambridge Audio BD650 universal player for now. It plays CD with HDCD, SACD, DVD-A/V and BD. So I'm fully covered while a consider the next upgrade. (I may go back to a 2 channel SACD player with digital input for the Meridian streamer mentioned below...)

I'm really not sure what to do about my digital source. I'm very tempted by the Meridian Media Core 200 which is a small unit containing a 500Gb HDD, streaming player and both analogue and digital outputs. It uses the Sooloos interface, accessable with an iPhone/iPad app, and is really neat and intuitive to use. I tried it out at the Bristol Show this year, where I met AS. Did you see the Meridian stand Alan?

(I might add that often I use the BD650 as a transport into a Cambridge Audio DAC Magic connected together by a £1 optical cable - it sounds great and cured my mains hum problems!)

[Haligonian]

GregD/Macroaudio: How do you find using a Universal Player as a substitute for a cd player? Do you fin you can reach the same quality when using an expensive BD player versus a cheaper CD player?

[dgolh]

I own an Audionet Art G2, it replaced an Ear Acute when I moved from Pass to Leben. I didn't want to add jam on my peanut buttered toast.

[Sebastien]

Just last Friday, Sam our local distributor brought over his Quad player to show how musical it was compared to my Marantz SA11S2. He brought 2 sets of CDs to do simultaneous switching for a quick AB test.

So we have only the results for 5 trials as follows,

Actual Sam
1. Quad SA11S2
2. SA11S2 SA11S2
3. SA11S2 SA11S2
4. SA11S2 Quad
5. Quad SA11S2

That's funny. If I'm right, he never recognized his Quad player?! But he does 2 times for the Marantz...

Sébastien

[QChicago]

None. I rip everything into a Glyph external firewired to a Mac Mini. :-)

[NeilNZ]

I'm using an Audiolab 8200CD, although mainly as a dac streaming from my Airport Express.
So system now is:
VPI Classic->Leben RS30EQ->Leben CS600->Harbeth SHL5 with the Audiolab slotted in there too.
Sounds excellent.
Previously used an Olive 04HD Server and a {-} amongst other things...

[Phil100]

Some "vintage" cdp's sound very good and will last (YBA's, Meridian 506, 507, 508, Revox 226, Teac VRDP 10 ...) because the mechanical part was much better and there was a greater choice of chips available, allowing to take the signal right after conversion and customize it.
Today's most expensive CDP's use cheap cdrom heads or the only still made for audio (Philips PRO2) which is still a far cry from the best made 20 years ago. And most chips are an all inclusive package.

I have a mid-1990s Sugden Optima and love it. I purchased this new. It has a wonderful so-called "natural" non-fatiguing sound. It was very well reviewed at the time. Doesn't look much, just a boring black box. I saw one go for next to nothing on e-Bay or somewhere recently.

As I posted elsewhere, this has "the much-praised high end Philips CDM-9 Loader/laser and Philips dac and filter TDA1543 and SAA7220." While the CDM-9 is out of production I believe, I've also heard that Sugden stockpile spare parts for all of their products going back to the 1980s.

[macroaudio]

GregD/Macroaudio: How do you find using a Universal Player as a substitute for a cd player? Do you fin you can reach the same quality when using an expensive BD player versus a cheaper CD player?

To my ears, I find the Arcam BDP100 to be a very good quality sounding option for a CD only player such as the similarly or even lower priced Arcam or Rega's to which I compared before purchase. I have also A/B'd the BDP100 with an outboard Benchmark DAC1 Pre (adjusting the Benchmark for the same SPL) and find the Arcam analog outs to slightly edge out the Benchmark but is in reality very very close. I'm sure you already trust your own ears when considering component purchases.

[Pencey]

Sony XA5400ES VSE Terra Firma upgraded

[GregD]

GregD/Macroaudio: How do you find using a Universal Player as a substitute for a cd player? Do you fin you can reach the same quality when using an expensive BD player versus a cheaper CD player?

Just spotted this queston for me Haligonian. My answer is that I find the Cambridge universal player to sound just as good as any other player I've owned. The difference is that it plays more formats which is a big bonus. The downside is that it feels cheaper, more flimsy to use and doesn't have that luxury build quality you can get by paying more.

I've just bought a dCS P8i SACD player because I like the technical side behind it's development - dCS software was used in the Harrier jets during the Gulf War. I like it's UK-made provenance and brand prestige. It also sounds fine with SACD and CD too.

[jplaurel]

Oppo BDP-95. Honestly, I find it hard to tell the difference between CD players. Between a really cheap and nasty player and a decent mid priced one, maybe. I usually just rip CDs in Apple Lossless and play from iTunes.

I decided that money was better spent on a nice turntable, which is a very different sonic experience from any CD player.

[JariRåback]

Resolution Audio Opus21 (with GNS mods) - have tried some recent universal spinners but the oldish Opus still seems to make better music. And it has a coax digital input too, for my SB Touch...

[garmtz]

Resolution Audio Opus21 (with GNS mods) - have tried some recent universal spinners but the oldish Opus still seems to make better music. And it has a coax digital input too, for my SB Touch...

That's a GREAT CD-player. The new Cantata is even more amazing.

[Don Jr]

My wife called me at lunch to tell me she ordered my a Audiolab 8200cdq for my birthday. My birthday was in late September and I always beg her to please not get me anything. Well, she must have heard me talking to me local shop about the Audiolab and called them.

Hi,

I'm using a Meridian 507 since 2003 without a single problem. No XLR conns, but I belong to those who doubt their so widely proclaimed superiority, especially against quality RCAs. My amp also (McIntosh MA 6500) doesn't provide such conns, so no thinking about it. A very nice and neutral all rounder, also matching very well indeed with warm & sweet sounding amps - IMHO of course. It didn't cost a fortune, anyhow I don't believe in skyhigh priced cdp's, I'd rather pay a good sum for a fine vinyl system... (which I -thanks God- already have).
I also run a Yamaha CDR1500-HDD, which is very heavy and enough complicated, but does perform very well (especially in record/write mode), although a bit noisy while the the HDD works. For the money, it's a damn good machine!

[davidlovel]

PS Audio Perfect Wave Transport with a Bel Canto DAC3 using the Virtual Battery Supply VBS1.
The transport can not only play CDs but also hi-res music data discs (up to 24/192 PCM)

David

An update:
I've had the main circuit board of the Bel Canto DAC3 upgraded to the standard of the DAC3.5. This produced a major improvement in sound quality: more natural voice reproduction, better image definition and more ambience of the recording venue. Overall even more enjoyable music
David