Cheap! CD Players

I gave a pair of speakers I built to my Fiance's father and mother recently so, they asked me to find a bargain system to drive them from since their current system was only 15watts.

After looking on eBay I managed to get a Technics separates system from the late 90's. I actually already have the same CD player as the system has which I bought way back. So I thought I'd stick it under the microscope and see how it performs... then compare it to my Cyrus CD7Q and Cyrus DAD3.

You know what? It ain't bad at all! The interesting thing is that inside, the Technics uses nothing special at all, just an IC that hosts both servo control for the laser mech and also a DAC, then through a single 4580 op-amp to remove high frequency noise.

The results are that it has actually slightly lower harmonic distortion than the Cyrus CD7Q, while having a bit more spurious noise. It also has higher IMD, but certainly not what I would call bad amounts at less than -100dB! It is better than the Cyrus DAD3 on both fronts.

So what is my point? Well really that I'm impressed how good the Technics player is, especially since it uses absolutely nothing special. All distortions are well down in the nether regions, and while expensive modern kit may be technically better, it is quite subtly.

1KHz


19KHz + 20KHz

 

Have you done a head to head in your system? I wouldn't be surprised if you find they sound exactly the same.

 

I haven't done an A/B comparison, as I hardly use a CD player these days. I'm pretty confident distortion of that level is inaudible, and a swap of the op-amp to an NE5532 might reduce IMD.

 

The reason i asked was with you comparing the figures of the cheapo and the Cyrus. Is it really worth buying a more expensive player if they both sound the same and the only way is to listen. I think a clear real time test between the two would be best. I have tried this myself with an old dvd recorder and a well regarded cd player. They both sounded exactly the same. The cd player has been sold.

 

Just to add the cd player had an enormous power supply, was constructed with 10mm alloy and could give you a hernia lifting it. The dvd recorder is flimsy and can pick it up with my little finger. I have to hold it from sliding about when i push a button.

 

My cyrus sd6se sounds much better then my cambridge audio dvd player when used just a as transport into a dacmagic. Deeper base and more detailed midrange.

 

I just don't trust judgement like that anymore, it's been wrong too many times

I'd rather look at the output of the players on a high-res FFT analyser and see exactly what is coming out of it's sockets.

 

Oh, and I have sold my Cyrus 7Q now

 

I'm more interested in what my ears like than measurements

 

Me too, it's the only thing that matters. I'd be happy to compare by ear if I had no way to tell which item was playing and they were set at the same level.

I've done this enough times that I now feel I can make a safe judgement from such FFT plots about what is audible and what isn't.

 

You know i judged cd players by listening to one then another but that delay between can fool your brain into thinking one is better than the other.

My test was to connect both players to the amp and sync. them both in real time to each other so the beat was exact. I then switched between the two (luckily my amp has remote so i can sit in my chair) and compare. There was no difference between my dvd recorder and my supposed to be well reviewed cd player. Even trying a dac between them made no difference. All had the same gain.

I do think you get an improvement the higher up the price bracket, but as the saying goes you get what you pay for. Its just that budget to midrange is either the same or slight improvement IMO.

 

I don't have any other way of comparing them than by listening and know that our minds can play tricks on our ears for sure. The difference between 'my' dvd player and 'my' cdp to 'my' ears is quite obvious though, it could simply be louder hence the more gripping bass, but I can hear things I've not noticed before even at lower listening levels.

I'm not a critical listener swapping the dvd for my cd in that room was 100% for the convenience of only needing 1 remote not 2 and not having to wait for a very slow loading dvd mechanism.

 

Can you connect them both to your amp on different inputs rsand? If you synchronise them so you get them playing the same beat as you switch inputs on your amp. Don't forget to make two cdr copies of the cd if you can or if you have two copies of cd.

It would be interesting to hear about your findings.

 

I'm crazy busy this week but will give it a go and report back next week when I have more time.