Good budget CD Player: Pioneer PD-30AE?

[mnit1965]

Hi all!

I'm new in here, I live in Spain and I'm starting to build my first Hi-Fi system.

I'm starting with the CD Player and I've read very good reviews of the Pioneer PD-30AE, like it sound like a 1000€ CD player, amazing sound quality for the price, etc.

My budget is about 300€.

I was wondering if any of you have any experience with this CD Player (do you think it's a great CD Player for the price and a good buy?), or, with my budget there are better alternatives that I'm not aware.

Thanks in advance!

 

[mnit1965]

Just for reference, here's the link:

http://www.pioneer-audiovisual.eu/eu/def/products/pd-30ae

 

[newlash09]

Warm welcome to the forum.

Since you are considering a cd player, I would assume that you already have an amplifier or some active speakers.

I haven't heard this particular pioneer cd player. But since this will be your first cd player, better to have options to build around your system for future requirements. This particular pioneer has optical and digital outs to add an external dac later to increase sound quality if you so choose.

However I would have preferred to also see an optical in on the cd player. So you can use its superior dac for streaming from something like a Chromecast audio. The little Chromecast will add lots of functionality by bringing both Spotify and tidal streaming to your system. Having said that, I don't think there are many cd players at this price that have optical ins. But no harm spending some time to find one.

Or alternatively for above, can you consider ripping cd's to a hard drive and then them off a streamer like the Yamaha wxc-50. I don't mean to put you off the cd player hunt. But if it were my money, I would prefer a streamer like thr Yamaha wxc-50 to a dedicated cd player. The wxc-50 costs only 238 pounds in the UK. But it can stream tracks from your phone via Bluetooth or airplay. It can stream tracks from a Nas if you have one . It has a usb slot where you can plug your thumb drive full of music, and it will play those tracks. It even plays tracks from streaming sites like qobuz, tidal and Spotify if you want. Also has internet radio for millions of free internet stations around the world. So it can do a lot more than a dedicated cd player. I have a wxc 50 and iam very happy with it both functionally as well as sonically. Please give it a thought.

 

[lindsayt]

Check out the Lampizator web pages.

On his recommendation I've been buying Philips TDA1549 based CD players.

Bought a Philips 753 for the AV system a few weeks ago for £30 off UK ebay. Sounds fine. Works perfectly.

Bought a Marantz CD48 for £20 off UK ebay 18 months ago. Sounds fine, works perfectly, apart from when it's moved when the tray eject will go funny for a few days before settling down again.

Makes sense to buy a TDA1549 CD player for yourself and use it as a baseline for comparing against any other CD players you fancy.

 

[slice]

To start a hifi system by choosing a cd player first is a bit strange as the amp and speakers are much more important components. If you bought a marantz or yamaha amp then most models (please check before buying) include a dac. You could then play cds from a cheap dvd player via the amplifier's dac, and save up the pennies to buy a cd player later, if you felt you needed it at that point. If however, you already have speakers and an amp which doesn't have a dac, then I can recommend the yamaha cds-300, which cost me about £180 a few years back. Although I haven't heard it I would imagine the pioneer would be fine.

 

[jimmy1]

I could have sworn that pioneer plays SACD but the specs on the link say it does not, maybe i was thinking about the blu ray player they do bdp180 i think

 

[newlash09]

I could have sworn that pioneer plays SACD but the specs on the link say it does not, maybe i was thinking about the blu ray player they do bdp180 i think 

The pioneer bdp-180 as well as my bdp-450 play sacds. I would have recommended the bdp-450, but it doesn't have an onboard dac. Only digital co axial and twin HDMI outs.

 

[jimmy1]

A dac with more inputs is gonna be my next purchase, they are really useful, probably the arcam irdac2