New CD player? Cambridge 851 or audiolab?

[mbromers1]

Looking to upgrade my CD player. I've owned a Marantz for over 20 years but feel upgrade is due.

i have kef ls50 speakers and Arcam fmj19 amp. My thoughts are audiolab. 8300 or Cambridge audio 851?

anybody had experience of these machines or thoughts on the best way forward?

thanks!

 

[cannibal_ox77]

Can't comment on the Cambridge but Audiolab should work well with your Arcam. I moved from an older Marantz CD player to Audiolab 8200CDQ and I found it added a lot more weight to the music with a more detailed and extended bass in particular.

There might still be end of line 8200 series CD or CDQ players available for good prices. The analogue pre-amp in the CDQ is a bonus but the slot loading mechanism in the new 8300 is probably going to be much more reliable than the flimsy transport mech of the 8200 series.

 

[ChrisIRL]

I'm finding an Exposure 1010 CD player to be excellent. This is in comparison to several highly regarded dacs I've used.

 

[nopiano]

Worth a listen to the 'matching' Arcam cds27, and although it was not loved by WHF it is very versatile, with SACD and networking options.