Come on you digitalians!

Right, the time has come for The Great £700 CD Player Hunt. The vinyl frontend is sounding spiffing, but I need a CD player that doesn't sound rubbish, without spending too much.

The budget is fixed, anybody making suggestions exceeding it will lose points.

Anybody using the words "analogue sounding" will be disqualified.

Secondhand is fine, as long as it isn't so ancient that it won't play CD-Rs.

One box players rather than DAC/transport combos would be much preferred, I don't think I get on with DACs and all the arsing about with cables and transports that seems to be an essential part of DAC life. The budget's a bit tight for a two-box solution as well.

Ideally I want to be able to listen to potential candidates in my own system for as long as possible before deciding, which makes secondhand awkward unless it's something that's easily sold on without losing money.

I have some firm candidates in mind for home audition, but would welcome other suggestions. ATM I'm thinking:

- Rega Planet. £500 new, even less secondhand. Against: it's a top loader.

- Creek CD50. Against: does the world need another silver-fronted brushed aluminium fascia?

- Sonneteer Bronte. The cheaper of the two Sonneteer players, bang on £700. I've heard one of their amps (not the digital one, the Campion I think it was) and liked it, and Walrus stock Sonneteer so there's a chance of a lengthy home trial. Anyone heard one? For: comes in an optional gloss black finish.

- Audio Note CD2.1x. Out of left-field, and over-budget new, but I've seen these secondhand at decent prices, and the idea is so weird (non-oversampling, no brickwall filter at all, and a tubed output stage) that I've got to at least hear one at home if possible, even if it does turn out to be no use. Again, I should be able to borrow one from Walrus, if they still stock Audio Note (I have a feeling AN have fallen out with lots of their dealers). Against: possibly too odd for its own good.

The Emporium always seem to have shedloads of VRDS Teacs of various models, but I have no idea which are good bets and which aren't (and anything with a champagne fascia is out, even if it's the greatest CD player ever made).

I'm using a Naim CD 3.5 ATM, but it's for sale. Not a bad player by any means, but too insistent for my tastes. John Zorn, Peter Brotzmann and the like don't need any help in the forwardness department. If I was still a punk I'd love it. Thought I'd give it a try because it's a good example of a secondhand buy that's easy to sell on for the purchase price.

Previous player was a Meridian 588, which I still think is the best CDP I've heard up to £3K, so if anyone knows of a 588 clone for £700 now's the time to tell me (but don't tell Tones, because he might get upset since he bought my 588).

All input appreciated.

-- Ian

 

Alright Ian, you asked for it

Go to Audiogon and get a Shunyata Python for $600

Use the 250 quid left over to haggle on an Arcam 9.

You would be surprised

 

Cheers Merlin. Google tells me a Shunyata Python is some kind of kettle lead.

You're certainly in the running for the prize for most left-field suggestion. For all I know, you may be right...

-- Ian

 

Seriously Ian, you are more than welcome to try a similar arrangement prior to purchase

I have a cheap HHB Cd recorder here, and sticking a good mains cable on it has an astonishing effect. Plus the Shunyata range gives you the qualities that Meridian has, a sense of naturalness and ambient recovery

 

I'm pleased with my Planet 2000, although I realize that it's not the last word in quality. Still, for £300 I'm not complaining.

W-M is currently re-clocking it and doing a bit of internal damping. He's not going as far with it as he could (or zanash could) but having spoken to him and listened to what his own cdp can do, I'd be surprised if it doesn't come back as a pretty good bet in that price bracket.

So, my suggestion: get a Planet 2000 and beg one of our pros to mod it.

Mind you, I haven't heard the Shunyata Python that Merlin suggests.

Steve

 

Ian,

I'd give the Alpha 9 a go. give it some decent power and a maybe a clock upgrade and away you go. quite a warm unfatiguing player.

 

I certainly hope so,as my 2 are on thier way.

 

Very kind offer. Let me assimilate the notion for a while first, ATM my brain wouldn't allow me to think about spending that sort of money on a mains cable without exploding.

Neil: Thanks for the Alpha 9 suggestion. Will add to the list as well.

-- Ian

 

Get a 2nd hand player and get a clock mod fitted to it. Even better, fit a clock mod and a dedicated regulated power supply to run the clock (such as Trichord's Clock 4 and partnering Never Connected clock power supply combo). Certainly polished up the turd that is red book CD quite well in my case, even bigger differences than with any power kords that I'd previously tried (although I've not yet had the inclination or cash to splash out on even second hand Shunyatas ).

Should be interesting to see what Steve makes of his Planet 2000 post mods.

I'd also recommend either a second hand Planet 2000 or original Rega Planet CDP for an off the shelf solution, see if you like them and then think about the clock mods afterwards, although neither player have room inside the case to get the Never Conneted PSU in as well which IMO is the most significant bit of the upgrade.

Alternatively, I'd recommend searching out a second hand Sony ES player, guess they would go for between £200-£300 depending on model and get that clocked. I doubt if the Sony players will be that pallitable in un-modded state to someone who's been spoilt by a decent vinyl front-end, but IMO Rega CDPs are acceptable, but a clocked Sony (ES) should be even better.

 

Thanks Henry. I'm aware of the Trichord mods but have no experience of what difference they make. I'd be interested to hear Steve's comments when he gets his Planet back as well.

-- Ian

 

All I can say about the planet, is I can listen to it know, as opposed to the max 30 seconds before hand we had here before, I'm being a nice man, and running it in for Steve as well, biggest changed Life and presence, this turd has been polished mr Mur baby and it gleems WM

 

Ah but the Shunyata has the capability of changing aformentioned turd into a diamond

Simply put, reclocking etc gives you more of the products strengths, the Powersnakes give you something different, much like I found with my sojourn into the dark side

 

Yep, totally agreed. So if Ian were to think about clocking an existing player, I'd have to be one were he felt there was potential, or attributes that he liked.

Having said that, I wasn't even prepared for the transformation that's happened to mine since WM breathed his magic into it. Definitely the most significant upgrade I've ever made that didn't involve box swapping, and even some of those that did. I was wishing I could afford a dCS Verdi before, but not now. :MILD:

 

Yep Henry, Tony knows his onions

Wonder if he put any ERS in there

 

Right, a kettle lead and some dish cloths it is then!

-- Ian

 

Oh and don't forget the fairy liquid for the Cd's I think Russ Andrews sells it

 

A turd that gleams - can't wait. Steve

 

LMAO! :ffrc:

Not sure, but some sort of case damping certainly went in as I can hear the difference when I tap the top plate now.

 

ian,
you should be able to get a naim cd5 for that kind of money if you shop around and bargain a bit. the 5 is a bit smoother than the 3.5. alternatively try a hi-cap or russ andrews power pak 3 on the 3.5 (199 with a yello cord and 60 day money back - can;'t say fairer).

other options....
buy an old arcam alpha 5 or aa 5+ and get it avondaled. allegedly this murdalises a cds 2 but i've never heard one myself although there are a few out there that you may be able to hear or les may be able to oblige with a listen at his place if you can travel.

old meridien 202 / 203 transport / dac. i know you're not into 2 boxes but you likled the 588 so...

a dpa transport / dac should also be within your price range if you bargain a bit.

get yourself a good digital soundiung player and marvel in that speed stability, low noise and clean treble.

cheers


julian

 

I'd agree with the 200/203

I know you weren't into two box solutions, but the Meridian 200 Transport is known to be a good one. Many don't like the matching 203DAC but by buying carefully you'll have plently of money for a DAC.

Over the last few months I have acquired a few 200 Transports and an assortment of DACs! But the bargain of the lot has to be a 200 Transport, serviced by Meridian, fitted with a new laser mechanism (still in warranty) and already fitted with a Trichord Clock for a mere £255 from ePay!! (Makes that trichorded 500 Transport that went through recently seem very expensive!)

That would leave you nearly 500 notes to get a DAC and a Decent Digital Cable. You could start with a 203DAC (£125) and see how you get on, you'll get you're money back through ePay.

If you want more info on the 200 Transports (types,etc) and 203 DACs, then mail me offline

Mr Perceptive