I need a CD player

Hi guys, I have an issue and I thought some of you may be able to help.

For a long time I've only had a turntable and the only time cd's got played were on my CD walkman. It is getting harder and harder to find decent copies of albums and the prices are getting silly (I can't warrant paying £600 for an lp). So with that in mind I borrowed a CDP to see if I could live with it. The only one I managed to get was a Cyrus CD8X which in my dads system sounds pleasant.

It was impressive for a few songs and then I became fatigued, so obviously would need something a little more gentle on the ears.

Current system is

NA Spacedeck with Origin Live arm and Music Maker III
Graham Slee Era Gold
MF A308cr pre
2 modded quad 303's
PMC FB1+

I listen to most kinds of music switching mainly between hard jazz and rock.

any recomendations from the NA owners here?

 

You can't go far wong with the new Quad 99cdp2 you even get a digital pre amp and dac thrown in.....sounds good too.

 

I also have a Spacedeck (different arm and cart to you), which goes into Naim pre/power and Ruark speakers. My CD source is a Sony SACD player as a transport (and a player for the few SACDs I own) connected to a NOS DAC, if that's of any interest to you - I think it sounds very nice, especially considering it only cost about £165.00. Not fatigueing at all to my ears.

 

I find the Quad to have a low-res sound, easily bettered by for example Arcam CD23. You might also demo a Musical Fidelity CD-player: very easy on the ear. Or the new Rega CD-player?

 

I have a feeling we are not talking about the same player here....the Quad is starting to get good reviews over and above the high praise it recieved in mark one form. The new transport that has been soley designed for this unit, elevates the performance well above what one would expect. I'm not certain I understand what a low res sound is, but it suggestes blur and imprecision. These are not traits of the Quad so must be artifacts produced by the rest of the system you heard it in. As to the Arcam23 why not the cd33 or cd36? a much better performers but at significantly higher price.....but the players mentioned do deserve to be added to the audition list.

 

Look out for an Avondale modded Arcam alpha 5, you can buy one direct from Les, and he'll give you a four year warranty on it. Alternatively they sometimes come up on Pinkfish. It's a lovely sounding player, does nothing wrong for a vinylista, and does lots right. Compared to a Spacedeck which Tony L and myself did it was well outclassed, but then the spacedeck costs a lot more. It's very listenable to though and has none of the bright hash I associate with digital. I find Cyrus are very good at delivering that by the way, I think they believe it to be clarity!

 

I guess it depends on whether you want to buy new or s/h. I've spent a good deal of today comparing a Cyrus 8 with and without PSX-R and the addition of the latter makes a large improvement to my listening pleasure. The last one I bought was ~ 200 quid on fleabay plus ~ 350 for the (6 month old) player. It's never going to sound the same as a good TT but 25 years of familiarity with vinyl is a factor too.

 

I used a turntable as main source until about 4 years ago - I tried quite a few CD players until a change in circumstance forced me to sell most of my kit Over the past year or so I've built things up a bit and really liked a modified Arcam Alpha 7 (mods done by Net audio - mini clock with it's own power supply, new op-amps and lots of caps replaced), it was a hard decision between the 7 and a 9 - the 9 was more detailed / analytical but in the end a bit tiring (IMO) so I settled for the cheaper option which has a smooth transparent sound. I was about to put the 7 on ebay but if you're close you're welcome to have it for an audition.

N

 

Good reviews don't mean a thing... Blur and imprecision is exactly what I heard from the Quad, compared to a simple CD23, in the same system. The CD33 and CD36 are worse than the CD23 in my opinion. Much too tight and analytical.

 

I have an MF CD player and it is pretty easy on the ear. Also a Tube amp and some warmish speakers.
For me, I still find problems with some mixes. For want of a better description what I will call 'serious' music (bit more laid back) by what I will call 'serious musicians' seem to be recorded / mixed in a way that does not offend the ears.
Examples Norah Jones, Madeleine Peyroux, Eva Cassidy, Diana Krall, K.T. Tunstall, anything from the Sinatra, Nat King Cole era, most 70's transposed music (not things like the Wombles and captian Beakey though ) etc etc.
Most other things current in the LP chart are a bit toppy and harsh.
Examples, Kaiser Chiefs, Charlotte Church, Jem, some tracks on Sheyrl Crow's latest album.
Try having a listen to these and see the difference...
Also consider room accoustics. If you have a bright room it will sound harsh. You could dampen it. I tried some wall coverings as a test. Hanging blankets up on the walls to see what the change was, and listening with the curtains closed etc... sound pretty sad doesn't it...

I am thinking of building a Tube DAC or a kit that will let me tailor the sound. That's the current project anyway.

You could get a reasonable CD transport and then try different DAC's, cheaper than changing whole CDP's...

 

Indeed.

Superb tube DAC here

Jeff

 

Try Rega, Primare or Unison Research, if you want to avoid digital fatigue. Higher up the ladder - Electrocompaniet is good IMO. Anyway expect to pay quite a lot to get satisfied if you got used to your NA.


Musical Fidelity has a questionable approach to the sound IMO. Although their TriVista DAC which I am using at the moment is not bad. And it will be looking good with your preamp.

I am not sure about Quad cdp2, but it may well worth auditioning. Quad has hired an old Philips geeser who helped to deveplope the old Red Book protocol. He re-wrote it for Quad cdp2, omitting all the exessive control functions needed for Walkmans. Quad claims it is the main cause for jitter. Brave idea but they might have screwed it in the process. On the other hand "blur and imprecision" with CDP may be not such a bad idea, simply because "precision", "separation", "detailing" , especially with classic music are IMO often the result of digitally screwed harnomics of different instruments playing in tune. As a result you hear them clearly "separated". You will be happy untill the moment you hear the same damn thing in the concert ( or indeed on your Notts. Analogue) - it will sound as one, unseparable. Welcome to the digital world!

 

Ant

If you're considering an Avondale/Arcam Alpha 5+, I'll be selling mine in the very near future. It is an excellent player. If you're able to get over to Lancaster, you're welcome to have a listen. Drop me PM if you're interested.

Heath

 

If your budget allows it then I'd go for a nice 2nd hand Wadia, especially given your preference for analouge. Some of the older players can be had for well under a grand - in fact there are two (a 6 and a 23) on ebay right now.

 

Thanks chaps for all the suggestions.

I took home a Vioncent CD 6 today at the suggestion of my dealer. It was horrible and will be returned tomorrow. I'll see what else he has but will be trying to get some ex dem stuff on sale or return and see if I can't satisfy this need to buy a silver coaster player.

 

Ant,
Sent you a wigwam PM

Jeff

 

Straight back at ya Jeff.

Right I've now got in my grubby mits a Vincent CD3, a Cymbol and a Cairn Fog 2.

The Vincent sounds pretty close to my TT, scary.