Question Budget Cd player upgrade

[momo72]

Hi,
Need to upgrade my CD player - current one isn't worth mentioning. I listen to CDs quite a lot and would like something semi-decent without it being a 30-year old relic.
My current amp is a Rotel RA-931 with B&W DM601 S2 bookshelf speakers.
My budget is about £100-120 so am looking at USED kit only (need to keep some money for TT tonearm possibly and Amp upgrade).

I quite fancy a Marantz amp + CD player for some reason.
Possible options are currently: CD63 mkII KI Signature vs. CD67 SE vs. CD6000 OSE KI Signature vs. Tascam CD200 vs. Tascam CD-A500 (w/ tape deck) vs. CA 640C v2 or 650C

Which ones from this shortlist wil be giving me the most bangs for my bucks?
What other options are there in my price range that would fit the bill?

If that helps, I listen to a bit of everything (apart from classical) from jazz to indie-pop-rock, electro, etc.

Many thanks

 

[plastic penguin]

Hi

It would help to tell us what CDP you have in case we duplicate it...

Most of those Marantz CDPs you list are from the 1990s (30-year old relics). And with such a small budget can't guarantee they won't fall to pieces within a few weeks.

As you have a Rotel I'd look at same make CDP. There's a RCD 02 for sale on a well-known auction site. But can't guarantee it won't fall to pieces.

 

[momo72]

Hi

It would help to tell us what CDP you have in case we duplicate it...

Most of those Marantz CDPs you list are from the 1990s (30-year old relics). And with such a small budget can't guarantee they won't fall to pieces within a few weeks.

As you have a Rotel I'd look at same make CDP. There's a RCD 02 for sale on a well-known auction site. But can't guarantee it won't fall to pieces.

Hi @plastic penguin ,
Nice to see that you're still very active on the forum. I remember you from 10-11 years ago maybe... ("listen to the music, stop listening to your system..." - very true that).
My current CPD is a Philips CD723.

 

[matthewpiano]

There's nothing particularly wrong with your Philips, and you're going to struggle to improve on it with that budget unless you purchase a '30 year old relic'.

Are you able to hold off to enable a bit more saving? If so, you could pick up a Marantz CD5005 or Denon DCD600NE and be assured of good longevity and a sufficient improvement on what you have.

 

[Al ears]

I would agree with matthewpiano, whilst you might find something good second-hand you could all too easily pick up a dog whose laser mechanism might fail next week.
You're better off getting a new Tibo from RicherSounds or even buying a cheap dvd player and using that to play CD s if you want something that will last a while and has a guarantee

 

[Deleted member 116933]

Hi,
Need to upgrade my CD player - current one isn't worth mentioning. I listen to CDs quite a lot and would like something semi-decent without it being a 30-year old relic.
My current amp is a Rotel RA-931 with B&W DM601 S2 bookshelf speakers.
My budget is about £100-120 so am looking at USED kit only (need to keep some money for TT tonearm possibly and Amp upgrade).

I quite fancy a Marantz amp + CD player for some reason.
Possible options are currently: CD63 mkII KI Signature vs. CD67 SE vs. CD6000 OSE KI Signature vs. Tascam CD200 vs. Tascam CD-A500 (w/ tape deck) vs. CA 640C v2 or 650C

Which ones from this shortlist wil be giving me the most bangs for my bucks?
What other options are there in my price range that would fit the bill?

If that helps, I listen to a bit of everything (apart from classical) from jazz to indie-pop-rock, electro, etc.

Many thanks

Some of those marantz players as mentioned above are "RELICS" and are still holding there prices very well and will set you back a pretty penny.

CD63 mkII KI Signature on ebay now for £149 but really clean ones are more like 200 250

Id look for NAD c541i and above as parts are easy to get

 

[matthewpiano]

Some of those marantz players as mentioned above are "RELICS" and are still holding there prices very well and will set you back a pretty penny.

CD63 mkII KI Signature on ebay now for £149 but really clean ones are more like 200 250

Id look for NAD c541i and above as parts are easy to get

The risk of failure with any of these is very high. CD players don't last as long as amplifiers, turntables and speakers.

 

[Deleted member 116933]

The risk of failure with any of these is very high. CD players don't last as long as amplifiers, turntables and speakers.

Plenty of parts still floating around. Just don’t buy to old. My NAD c540 from early 2000 just needed a new belt last year and good to go again. But yes in general those older players will probably be coming up for a service.

Buy newer for peace of mind

 

[gasolin]

A cheap silent cd or dvdplayer with a working digital out and something like a new topping dac or used dac with digital input that matches what the cd/dvd player has

 

[DIB]

There was a nice looking Rotel RCD-02 up for sale on the Wam a couple of weeks ago. Not too old, well within budget and a top class player to boot.

 

[plastic penguin]

Hi @plastic penguin ,
Nice to see that you're still very active on the forum. I remember you from 10-11 years ago maybe... ("listen to the music, stop listening to your system..." - very true that).
My current CPD is a Philips CD723.

Aye... I've always been a music first person. Of course enjoy your system's talents but ultimately, regardless of whether it's good, bad or indifferent recording, the music always wins out in my humble opinion.

 

[Al ears]

There was a nice looking Rotel RCD-02 up for sale on the Wam a couple of weeks ago. Not too old, well within budget and a top class player to boot.

There's one on eBay but I think they want £140

 

[DIB]

There's one on eBay but I think they want £140

Yes, that's too high and very hopeful. The one on the WAM however was around £100 which I think is about par and a fair price for a really good player.

 

[momo72]

If my choice of next amp was between a Marantz PM66-SE KI or the PM6010 OSE KI Signature (both I can get at the same price), which one would be the better one?
I had come across one PM68 but it think it sold. Any better over those 2? I did see much higher power output on this one. Not sure it's needed in my system but once I have got better speakers that could come in handy (right)? Eventually I want to move away from bookshelfs (2021+). lol

 

[knaithrover]

Marantz cdp's are pretty reliable in my experience. I've got a 67, 48 and a 6001 all sound great and work perfectly. Can be picked up cheap. Older Nad cdp's also sound good but are actually made of chocolate....

 

[Longchops]

Hi,
Need to upgrade my CD player - current one isn't worth mentioning. I listen to CDs quite a lot and would like something semi-decent without it being a 30-year old relic.

I quite fancy a Marantz amp + CD player for some reason.
Possible options are currently: CD63 mkII KI Signature vs. CD67 SE vs. CD6000 OSE KI Signature vs. Tascam CD200 vs. Tascam CD-A500 (w/ tape deck) vs. CA 640C v2 or 650C

Which ones from this shortlist wil be giving me the most bangs for my bucks?

Many thanks

Nothing wrong with a 30 year old relic tbh. I have two old technics, one cost £15 and the other £30 and they both sound absolutely fantastic. The good thing about old stuff is it will go up in value. The bad thing is you will need to replace belts and such.

Have heard good things about the KI signature, even though I'm not really a fan of modded things, its quite a sought after item with his name on though so I'd probably buy something like that, that will go up in value the most and (probably) sound the best

The tascams.....hmmm. I have an MD-CD1 here and while its great for recording minidiscs on I much prefer my old sony je520 for listening to them. The combined CD/tape unit has some quite bad reviews as well, it looks cool but doesn't really play tapes or CDs particularly well. The CD200 has a pitch control which suggests its not really for home use

 

[Gray]

If my choice of next amp was between a Marantz PM66-SE KI or the PM6010 OSE KI Signature (both I can get at the same price), which one would be the better one?

I can vouch for the PM66KI being great - appreciated how good it was the day I set it up again to demo to the buyer. You might find the one you've seen needs (at least) a bit of contact cleaner.
As for the CD600KI CDP. I've got a lovely champagne gold one - if I sell it I'd want all of that £140 being asked for on the auction site at the moment - and believe me you'd think it was worth it.

 

[momo72]

Just picked up at lunchtime a Marantz CD48 from a local FB Marketplace ad.
Paid £45 and it has remote and original user manual.
Couldn't be happier with the R.o.I. so far.
Definitely sounds 5+ times better than the Philips. It's like of shroud of darkness has been lifted and I can now clearly hear voices and am discovering new layers of musicality.

 

[MentorRon]

I have all thrift store CD players in my systems. I have tried several players and changers in my 2 systems. The ones that failed to impress are: Sonys with their one-bit DACs; A Marantz with a Philips one-bit DAC (but better than Sony's); Philips with the TDA1543 DAC (although I did run that in my main system for a while until I found my Sony with the Philips TDA1541 DAC). I have auditioned newer players including those with Wolfson DACs and can't really hear too much difference from the TDA1541 (not worth an extra $500 IMHO). 💿💽 My Sony with the Burr-Brown PCM56P DACs (not REALLY 18 bit like they advertise) works fine with my garage system, although it probably wouldn't beat out the Philips TDA1541 DAC.

 

[MentorRon]

Just picked up at lunchtime a Marantz CD48 from a local FB Marketplace ad.
Paid £45 and it has remote and original user manual.
Couldn't be happier with the R.o.I. so far.
Definitely sounds 5+ times better than the Philips. It's like of shroud of darkness has been lifted and I can now clearly hear voices and am discovering new layers of musicality.

That player has the Philips Bitstream TDA1549. In my system, it played much better than any of the Sony 1-bit players. Sonys were only good IMHO in the days when they used 16 bit DACs like the Philips TDA1541 and Burr Brown PCMs (the higher the BB number, the better the DAC). If I HAD to live with a 1-bit DAC it would be the Bitstream. 💿

 

[record_spot]

Hi,
Need to upgrade my CD player - current one isn't worth mentioning. I listen to CDs quite a lot and would like something semi-decent without it being a 30-year old relic.
My current amp is a Rotel RA-931 with B&W DM601 S2 bookshelf speakers.
My budget is about £100-120 so am looking at USED kit only (need to keep some money for TT tonearm possibly and Amp upgrade).

I quite fancy a Marantz amp + CD player for some reason.
Possible options are currently: CD63 mkII KI Signature vs. CD67 SE vs. CD6000 OSE KI Signature vs. Tascam CD200 vs. Tascam CD-A500 (w/ tape deck) vs. CA 640C v2 or 650C

Which ones from this shortlist wil be giving me the most bangs for my bucks?
What other options are there in my price range that would fit the bill?

If that helps, I listen to a bit of everything (apart from classical) from jazz to indie-pop-rock, electro, etc.

Many thanks

I wouldn't knock 30 year old relics too quickly. I bought a Sony CDP-911E earlier this year and it's a gem. Pairs brilliantly with my AVI actives, so ca' canny with that no-thanks-to-the-old-gear shtick!

Incidentally, the Marantz CD6000 you're looking at is about 20 years old, the CD-63KI isn't far off 30 years old from the early 90s, so do bear that in mind.

Sony CDP-911E

It’s often said that the nineteen sixties didn’t start until half way through that decade, and didn’t fully end until the mid seventies. Perhaps you could say the same about the e…

zstereo.co.uk

Otherwise, happy hunting!

 

[momo72]

Thanks for all the good advice.
The CD-48 was working ok till it started cutting off while playing some discs. Not the power but the music would suddenly go silent for half a second or so.
Is that the sign of the laser unit "skipping"?
Can be replaced?

I was so fed up with it that I have since bought a cheap Philips 610 mkII which not only works great but also sounds more better than the CD-48 did: more neutral and not as clear-borderline-bright.

The amp has been faultless so far...

 

[MentorRon]

Yes, it could be the laser weakening. Usually just a tweak of a pot or 2. If you can get the service manual free online, it would be worth opening it up to adjust. I did that with a Sony CDP-950 (c.1988) which has the Philips TDA-1541 DAC. Bought the player at a thrift store for $12 about 10 years ago and have NO intention of replacing it. I found all I needed online, both a user manual and service manual. I then sketched a drawing of the pots that I could adjust. It took a while to get it right without instruments, but tracks CDs and CD-Rs correctly and have found nothing since to make me want to upgrade.

 

[momo72]

Yes, it could be the laser weakening. Usually just a tweak of a pot or 2. If you can get the service manual free online, it would be worth opening it up to adjust. I did that with a Sony CDP-950 (c.1988) which has the Philips TDA-1541 DAC. Bought the player at a thrift store for $12 about 10 years ago and have NO intention of replacing it. I found all I needed online, both a user manual and service manual. I then sketched a drawing of the pots that I could adjust. It took a while to get it right without instruments, but tracks CDs and CD-Rs correctly and have found nothing since to make me want to upgrade. View attachment 1854View attachment 1855View attachment 1856View attachment 1857

That's an awesome player for the price (your player). I picked up my Philips 610 for a mere £40. A real bargain.
I would really like the Marantz to track properly though. I'll see what I can find online.
Thanks for the pointers and the advice.