CD Players: help me choose

[angelmf2704]

Hello, I've been really interested in buying CDs and having a collection of the music I like. So in the future I don't have to completely rely on streaming like Qobuz or Tidal. I'm really no that interested in Hi Res audio or MQA, since most of the music I like is available in CD quality. The other day, I found a guy selling 3 CD players with a 5 disc tray. each Two of them are only CD compatible and the other is SACD and CD compatible. They all have the same price. My actual setup is a schiit magni 3 with sennheiser's HD600 (since I don't have a ton of space). In the future I would like to buy an integrated AMP and loud speakers as well. I don't have any SACD albums or planning to buy some so that's not a priority. I don't want it to be extremley loud while playing CD. I need of course RCA outputs but that's not an issue. I don't know anything about the sound of this players so if you had experience with one of this let me know. I have only a few days to decide, I will apreciate your help. Here is the list of the CD players. I will only use 1 disc a the time, I rather keep them at their cases.

-Sony mod. SCD-CE 595
-Yamaha CDC-506
-SONY CDP-C545

Thanks in advance.

 

[nopiano]

I’ve never been familiar with multi-disc players, but I’d not expect a significant difference between them. However, I would find out where you can get any of them fixed, unless you’re only paying pocket money for them.

Frankly, I’d steer we’ll clear, as you’re buying unnecessary complication.

 

[daytona600]

Rotel / Marantz always made good solid CD players
Rotel CD11 ideal if your budget will allow & add matching A11 Tribute amplifier once funds allow

Rotel CD11/A11 Tribute CD Player/Integrated Amplifer | Hi-Fi News (hifinews.com)

 

[elliswils]

The other alternative is to buy a budget/second hand CD and use it as a transport only and used digital cables to run it through a decent DAC. Most mid-priced (and above) integrated amps come with a DAC so if your careful in your choice, that's the way I would go (and have on one of my systems).

Above all, don't let the media bully you into not having and buying CDs, they are still one of the better formats for music despite what 'they' say.

 

[Al ears]

It might be interesting to know what sort of budget you intend to spend on the CD player.

 

[londonguy]

my first cd player was a sony 5 disc one. Cant remember the model number as it was 30 yrs ago but i remember regretting it when i sold it as it took a few models to get back to something that sounded as good

 

[Deleted member 160668]

I had an Arcam MCD cd player quite a few years ago. This was based on, the Alpha 8 player if my memory is correct. It was not bad and would be a pretty solid transport. These are pretty old now and can be picked up cheaply. In fact, there's one on eBay at the moment (no connection to me) for £120, which seems reasonable.

I've not heard the ones you suggest for comparison.

 

[lex365]

My first CD player was an Arcam Alpha 7se. £350 back in the year 2000. For nostalgia (and some boredom) I picked an immaculate one up on Facebook Marketplace for £35 last year. Highly recommended. it edges my streamer and DAC by about 5% in terms of performance.

 

[Remco77]

Hello, I've been really interested in buying CDs and having a collection of the music I like. So in the future I don't have to completely rely on streaming like Qobuz or Tidal. I'm really no that interested in Hi Res audio or MQA, since most of the music I like is available in CD quality. The other day, I found a guy selling 3 CD players with a 5 disc tray. each Two of them are only CD compatible and the other is SACD and CD compatible. They all have the same price. My actual setup is a schiit magni 3 with sennheiser's HD600 (since I don't have a ton of space). In the future I would like to buy an integrated AMP and loud speakers as well. I don't have any SACD albums or planning to buy some so that's not a priority. I don't want it to be extremley loud while playing CD. I need of course RCA outputs but that's not an issue. I don't know anything about the sound of this players so if you had experience with one of this let me know. I have only a few days to decide, I will apreciate your help. Here is the list of the CD players. I will only use 1 disc a the time, I rather keep them at their cases.

-Sony mod. SCD-CE 595
-Yamaha CDC-506
-SONY CDP-C545

Thanks in advance.

Differences between cd-players are quite small in my opinion.
I've had many cd-players and compared to Spotify(streaming) I can't tell the difference between a cd-player and Spotify(using the highest bitrate)
Personally I would never spend my money on a high-end/expensive cd-player alltough I still have a large cd-collection.
I don't believe in (and can't hear) any significant improvement with a high-end cd-player compared to an average player.
I also use a seperate DAC(Musical Fidelity) through the digital output cd-player
Still(even with the MF DAC) I can't tell the difference between all the cd-players/Spotify .
In my opinion you should be able to hear a clear differance at a blind test,
And every time,I've never successed.
That's why I don't invest in cd-players but rather in a nice amp and speakers.

 

[Al ears]

Differences between cd-players are quite small in my opinion.
I've had many cd-players and compared to Spotify(streaming) I can't tell the difference between a cd-player and Spotify(using the highest bitrate)
Personally I would never spend my money on a high-end/expensive cd-player alltough I still have a large cd-collection.
I don't believe in (and can't hear) any significant improvement with a high-end cd-player compared to an average player.
I also use a seperate DAC(Musical Fidelity) through the digital output cd-player
Still(even with the MF DAC) I can't tell the difference between all the cd-players/Spotify .
In my opinion you should be able to hear a clear differance at a blind test,
And every time,I've never successed.
That's why I don't invest in cd-players but rather in a nice amp and speakers.

Perhaps you cannot tell the difference because all you are listening to is the DAC?

 

[hilroy48]

I have 2 systems in my house, and they both have an Audiolab 6000CDT. They are around $750.00 CDN and a great transfer.

 

[elliswils]

Which brings us back to more-or-less where we (I) came in which is a modest priced CD used as a transport and a decent DAC... I run both my systems like this, a Vincent (which I will put up on the here's my Hi-Fi brag board one day) and a Cyrus CDt which I accept is not budget. That's the joy of Hi-Fi, there is no right answer...

 

[daveh75]

Hello, I've been really interested in buying CDs and having a collection of the music I like. So in the future I don't have to completely rely on streaming like Qobuz or Tidal. I'm really no that interested in Hi Res audio or MQA, since most of the music I like is available in CD quality. The other day, I found a guy selling 3 CD players with a 5 disc tray. each Two of them are only CD compatible and the other is SACD and CD compatible. They all have the same price. My actual setup is a schiit magni 3 with sennheiser's HD600 (since I don't have a ton of space). In the future I would like to buy an integrated AMP and loud speakers as well. I don't have any SACD albums or planning to buy some so that's not a priority. I don't want it to be extremley loud while playing CD. I need of course RCA outputs but that's not an issue. I don't know anything about the sound of this players so if you had experience with one of this let me know. I have only a few days to decide, I will apreciate your help. Here is the list of the CD players. I will only use 1 disc a the time, I rather keep them at their cases.

-Sony mod. SCD-CE 595
-Yamaha CDC-506
-SONY CDP-C545

Thanks in advance.

Why not just rip your CDs and stream them, since you're clearly already comfortable with the concept, and presumably already have a streamer of some sort?

CD players are antiquated frankly, and I certainly wouldn't be buying an elderly one.

 

[skinnypuppy71]

I just use my Sony ubp-x800 4k player into a njc audio dac if I ever get the urge to spin a cd, which is very rare these days together be honest...but if I was after a cd player this moment, a used Arcam cd72t would be top of my list or if budget allows a cd82 and better still a cd192 ring dac model..Good reliable players the arcams..I've had a couple in the past and my cd82 which I sold to a friend is still working a treat.

 

[Edbostan]

Hello, I've been really interested in buying CDs and having a collection of the music I like. So in the future I don't have to completely rely on streaming like Qobuz or Tidal. I'm really no that interested in Hi Res audio or MQA, since most of the music I like is available in CD quality. The other day, I found a guy selling 3 CD players with a 5 disc tray. each Two of them are only CD compatible and the other is SACD and CD compatible. They all have the same price. My actual setup is a schiit magni 3 with sennheiser's HD600 (since I don't have a ton of space). In the future I would like to buy an integrated AMP and loud speakers as well. I don't have any SACD albums or planning to buy some so that's not a priority. I don't want it to be extremley loud while playing CD. I need of course RCA outputs but that's not an issue. I don't know anything about the sound of this players so if you had experience with one of this let me know. I have only a few days to decide, I will apreciate your help. Here is the list of the CD players. I will only use 1 disc a the time, I rather keep them at their cases.

-Sony mod. SCD-CE 595
-Yamaha CDC-506
-SONY CDP-C545

Thanks in advance.

I can't tell the difference either when I compare tracks played on CD player, NAS or Amazon Music via Sonos Connect.

 

[Tinman1952]

Remember with older used CD players it will be the laser or even disc eject mechanism which will fail. Often they cannot be repaired...
Personally I would look at a new 'basic' CD player from Yamaha for top value for money.

 

[elliswils]

A couple of thoughts on the above posts;

There are lots of folk on the CDs-are-dead bandwagon. I wonder how many of those have or are going to buy the other 'dead' format, vinyl? CD's offer a great level of detail. Download files are getting there as will streaming services but the benchmark is set.

I buy a fair bit of second hand Hi-Fi, this because in Australia you do not get anywhere near the choice Europe, USA or Canada enjoys so second hand and wear the postage is the often the only way to get your hands on great hi-fi.

There is second hand; loved, respected, looked after and worth buying and then there is 'second hand' which might be better described as third/fourth/fifth hand dropped from a great height!

Buy wisely and not compulsively, not always easy I know (from personal experience). Usually the more expensive the item, the better it has been looked after.

Having said we lack choice in Australia, this is more than offset by being able to get almost anything repaired and at a reasonable cost.

The answer is jump in, get wet and enjoy the experience...

 

[jembers]

I've always personally felt multi disc machines were only much cop for establishments playing background music - load them up and press play. I would avoid them for home use as you of course are only listening to one disc at a time and it avoids unnecessary mechanics as already mentioned

 

[rvdoever]

Got a Sony UBP-X800M2 to replace an old Arcam Alpha 7 in the living. Use it to play CD's, occasional DVD, NetFlix and Youtube.
I selected this one for the digital only outputs, sturdy chassis, internal power supply.

 

[Tinman1952]

Got a Sony UBP-X800M2 to replace an old Arcam Alpha 7 in the living. Use it to play CD's, occasional DVD, NetFlix and Youtube.
I selected this one for the digital only outputs, sturdy chassis, internal power supply.

Yes it is a very well built player and so quiet I cannot hear the disc mechanism when playing CDs. I use mine mainly for SACD and it works very well into an external DAC.

 

[Al ears]

Yes it is a very well built player and so quiet I cannot hear the disc mechanism when playing CDs. I use mine mainly for SACD and it works very well into an external DAC.

I presume if it's outputting to an external sac you are listening to the CD layer?

 

[Tinman1952]

I presume if it's outputting to an external sac you are listening to the CD layer?

Actually no. I take the HDMI output into an HDMI splitter box I bought from China which then gives me an I2S input to my DAC so I get DSD two channel 🙂 Sounds excellent 👍

 

[Tinman1952]

This is the little HDMI to I2S/DSD/optical/coaxial extractor box if anyone else is interested. 🙂

HDMI/MHL to IIS I2S HDMI IIS I2S Separate Extract Audio I2S/DSD/Optical/Coaxial | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for HDMI/MHL to IIS I2S HDMI IIS I2S Separate Extract Audio I2S/DSD/Optical/Coaxial at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products!

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[Al ears]

Actually no. I take the HDMI output into an HDMI splitter box I bought from China which then gives me an I2S input to my DAC so I get DSD two channel 🙂 Sounds excellent 👍

nice one!
Little box will be on my Christmas list.

 

[iMark]

I bought a Sony UHP-H1 in 2016. Use it for Blu-ray, SACD, DVD and occasionally a CD. (All our CDs are ripped and streamed from a Mac).
It's one of the few ones with analogue stereo out. Sounds very nice with our SACDs (2ch DSD) and DVD-Audio (2ch). For CDs I use the digital output and let our Yamaha RN-602 do the digital to analogue conversion.
It's also a very good player for Blu-ray and DVD's.