NAD C516BEE

daveyjay

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Is the above player worth the £250 asking price? I'm looking for a half decent CD player. I'd be interested to hear any comments/advice re alternatives. Should I really be looking to spend lots more? There isn't much about in the sort of mid priced bracket these days, it seems. As mentioned in a previous post, I'm very reluctant to go the second hand route - but, if I did, which brands/models should I be looking at. There are stacks on ebay, but, to be honest, I wouldn't know which ones I should consider and which ones I should be avoiding. Looking to match with my newly aquired Arcam A19 and Monitor Audio Silver 1s.
 

insider9

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If you go second hand route (my preference) then depending on the streamer you have you may only need a transport. I wouldn't pay more than £50 for a second hand cd player. Getting a second hand unit ideally for around £20 isn't much risk as even if and when it goes wrong you won't mind.

I would not pay £250 for the above CD player or any other in fairness as don't listen to. CD. Besides that kind of money gets you far superior and not that old units second hand.

I would decide on streamer first and and take it from these.
 
Q

QuestForThe13thNote

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Any good CD player with decent dac will do with your combo. I'd save the money for future upgrades if I were you, assuming you want to.
 

Pedro

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I agree with insider. I'll just add I owned a C515BEE and it started having issues after 3 or 4 years (stopping in the middle of tracks, clicking and so on).
If you buy something like the CXN you can buy a cheap CDP with a coax out like a TEAC or even a DVD player.
 

daveyjay

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Ok chaps, appreciate your input. Back to the streamer thing...
regular_smile.png
 

Alberich

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daveyjay said:
Is the above player worth the £250 asking price? I'm looking for a half decent CD player. I'd be interested to hear any comments/advice re alternatives. Should I really be looking to spend lots more? There isn't much about in the sort of mid priced bracket these days, it seems. As mentioned in a previous post, I'm very reluctant to go the second hand route - but, if I did, which brands/models should I be looking at. There are stacks on ebay, but, to be honest, I wouldn't know which ones I should consider and which ones I should be avoiding. Looking to match with my newly aquired Arcam A19 and Monitor Audio Silver 1s. 

Imo with those speakers and that amplifier you won't go wrong with the Nad C516BEE.
I had it matched with the A19 for quite a while, with many mid range speakers, some with unruly treble, and one thing the NAD won't do is exasperate any unwanted brightness, which can be a curse at that end of the market.
However it's not a dark player. It's punchy and detailed with fine bass.

Granted, your amplifier may be considered warm, but it's not as warm as previous Arcams.
The NAD matches beautifully with the A19, especially with MA speakers.
 

Alberich

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manicm said:
Nad have never made great sounding disc players. Your best bet is the Marantz CD6006.

NAD have made some fine CD players.
Particularly at budget level.

The C515bee / C516bee / C545bee in particular.
To say they've never made great sounding players is simply untrue.
 

manicm

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Alberich said:
manicm said:
Nad have never made great sounding disc players. Your best bet is the Marantz CD6006.

NAD have made some fine CD players. Particularly at budget level.

The C515bee / C516bee / C545bee in particular. To say they've never made great sounding players is simply untrue.

I bought a new C521i back in the day, and it was one of the worst sounding things I ever owned, narrow soundstage (the latest player somewhat guilty of this too by WHF's latest review) and nasty sibilance.
 

manicm

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Alberich said:
daveyjay said:
Is the above player worth the £250 asking price? I'm looking for a half decent CD player. I'd be interested to hear any comments/advice re alternatives. Should I really be looking to spend lots more? There isn't much about in the sort of mid priced bracket these days, it seems. As mentioned in a previous post, I'm very reluctant to go the second hand route - but, if I did, which brands/models should I be looking at. There are stacks on ebay, but, to be honest, I wouldn't know which ones I should consider and which ones I should be avoiding. Looking to match with my newly aquired Arcam A19 and Monitor Audio Silver 1s.

Imo with those speakers and that amplifier you won't go wrong with the Nad C516BEE. I had it matched with the A19 for quite a while, with many mid range speakers, some with unruly treble, and one thing the NAD won't do is exasperate any unwanted brightness, which can be a curse at that end of the market. However it's not a dark player. It's punchy and detailed with fine bass.

Granted, your amplifier may be considered warm, but it's not as warm as previous Arcams. The NAD matches beautifully with the A19, especially with MA speakers.

An amp of the A19's caliber deserves a better source imho.
 

chebby

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manicm said:
An amp of the A19's caliber deserves a better source imho.

It's based on the same 'gain clone' TI LM3886 power amp modules as my Quad Vena and the first generation Arcam Solo Music and the Cambridge Audio Azur 340A through to the 351A. (And a few others.)

It's a chip-amp from a TI catalogue, so what calibre?
 

Alberich

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manicm said:
Alberich said:
daveyjay said:
Is the above player worth the £250 asking price? I'm looking for a half decent CD player. I'd be interested to hear any comments/advice re alternatives. Should I really be looking to spend lots more? There isn't much about in the sort of mid priced bracket these days, it seems. As mentioned in a previous post, I'm very reluctant to go the second hand route - but, if I did, which brands/models should I be looking at. There are stacks on ebay, but, to be honest, I wouldn't know which ones I should consider and which ones I should be avoiding. Looking to match with my newly aquired Arcam A19 and Monitor Audio Silver 1s. 

Imo with those speakers and that amplifier you won't go wrong with the Nad C516BEE. I had it matched with the A19 for quite a while, with many mid range speakers, some with unruly treble, and one thing the NAD won't do is exasperate any unwanted brightness, which can be a curse at that end of the market. However it's not a dark player. It's punchy and detailed with fine bass.

Granted, your amplifier may be considered warm, but it's not as warm as previous Arcams. The NAD matches beautifully with the A19, especially with MA speakers.

An amp of the A19's caliber deserves a better source imho.

Have you actually heard the C516bee ?
 

Alberich

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manicm said:
Alberich said:
manicm said:
Nad have never made great sounding disc players. Your best bet is the Marantz CD6006.

NAD have made some fine CD players. Particularly at budget level.

The C515bee / C516bee / C545bee in particular. To say they've never made great sounding players is simply untrue.

I bought a new C521i back in the day, and it was one of the worst sounding things I ever owned, narrow soundstage (the latest player somewhat guilty of this too by WHF's latest review) and nasty sibilance.

I've never heard the c521i so I won't comment on it but have you actually heard any of the 'Bee' models ? I suspect not and as a consequence you're tarring all NADs CD players with the same brush.
I've heard all the BEE CD series with various downstream components and prominent sibliance is one thing they certainly do not do.
What Hifi's review of the new
568 is damning but their reviews of the the C545bee and C515bee , which is practically the same player the OP is interested in , are pretty stellar. Both 5 stars.
Wide soundstaging achieving a special mention.
I suggest you look beyond the failings of the c521i before condemning NAD players you haven't heard.
 

gasolin

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Andrewjvt said:
The sound quality of all the nad cd players are decent but they are notoriously unreliable.

That's also what i have heard, i have a nad 3020E and wouldn't mind a cdplayer that match my amp, most cdplayers i have read about is unrealiable or have an avarage sound.

For the money my Marantz CD5005 is very good, a very clear and open sound (atleast with the cd im listening to atm the eagles hell frezzes over). I can't find any flaw/cons with the sound
 

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