New cd player narrowed it down to 3

[lcd4ever]

Looking to renew my interest in cds currently my living room set up consists of Sony STRDB 940 5.1 receiver using an Arcam Alpha 7se cd player with Mission 302e floorstanders when listening in stereo....

Already ordered a set of MS Mezzo speakers, Mezzo 6s doing front duty and a new receiver Yamaha DSP AX863(supposedly best on market for stereo imaging at this price range....

Looking at 3 possible new cd players any advice as to which would sound best with this kit....want a detailed up front sound(opposite of Arcam)

NAD C545 BEE

Audiolab 8000 CDE

or Roksan Kandy MK III(way over my budget but if the sound is as good as the looks I think I can find the extra.....)

opinions gratefully received.....

 

[chebby]

What about something like this to match your new amp?

Both Yamaha, both black, both 435mm wide.

Bound to be some kind of system synergy between them and you will save a packet.

(The CD-S700 is impeccably built and highly thought of in the reviews I have seen, and at circa £300 - or less - is a bargain given that it's launch price was £400 not so long ago!)

 

[Anonymous]

I'd stick to the budget range of players, since you're going to be using an AV amp.

 

[Anonymous]

Or a laptop and a DacMagic, much more of a sensible investment ;-).....

 

[Lost Angeles]

lcd4ever:

Looking to renew my interest in cds currently my living room set up consists of Sony STRDB 940 5.1 receiver using an Arcam Alpha 7se cd player with Mission 302e floorstanders when listening in stereo....

Already ordered a set of MS Mezzo speakers, Mezzo 6s doing front duty and a new receiver Yamaha DSP AX863(supposedly best on market for stereo imaging at this price range....

Looking at 3 possible new cd players any advice as to which would sound best with this kit....want a detailed up front sound(opposite of Arcam)

NAD C545 BEE

Audiolab 8000 CDE

or Roksan Kandy MK III(way over my budget but if the sound is as good as the looks I think I can find the extra.....)

opinions gratefully received.....

I see you decided on Mezzo 6s - why did you pick them.

 

[lcd4ever]

Hi Lost Angeles......I ruled out the B & Ws first as the concensus of opinion suggested that they have a big/warm almost laid back sound and I am after something more bold and brash, then between the MA and MSs I was already most of the way there with the look/styling of the Mezzos I just think they are extremely pleasing to the eye so your part way there to enjoying them without even hearing them. What finally swung it was a video over on the Mordant Short website from channel five's "Gadget Show" that saw the presenters in a blind trial with the same piece of music played through Kef Reference, Mezzo 2's and actually played live, and although they guessed all three in the right order they said they were blown away that such a small speaker could stand admirably up against the £11000 Reference speaker......

any thoughts on a cd player, I have now swung back to the Sony STR DA2400 receiver......

 

[Anonymous]

Hi!

Is Mezzo 8 within your budget? Go listen to it. M8 is better in term of seperation and clarity. The look is even more stunning than the M6.

Max

 

[plastic penguin]

lcd4ever:

Looking to renew my interest in cds currently my living room set up consists of Sony STRDB 940 5.1 receiver using an Arcam Alpha 7se cd player with Mission 302e floorstanders when listening in stereo....

Already ordered a set of MS Mezzo speakers, Mezzo 6s doing front duty and a new receiver Yamaha DSP AX863(supposedly best on market for stereo imaging at this price range....

Looking at 3 possible new cd players any advice as to which would sound best with this kit....want a detailed up front sound(opposite of Arcam)

NAD C545 BEE

Audiolab 8000 CDE

or Roksan Kandy MK III(way over my budget but if the sound is as good as the looks I think I can find the extra.....)

opinions gratefully received.....

Certainly don't want a bright player with those speakers. Look at Arcam CD73T, better detail than the old Alpha 7, and composed enough to keep those speakers under control.

Other than that, it looks as if you will need to up the budget, start to look at Exposure 2010s, Rega Apollo or the Nad you mentioned, although the Nad has similar sonic traits to Arcam. . .

 

[a.g.]

Andy Ford:Or a laptop and a DacMagic, much more of a sensible investment ;-).....

Is the correct answer.

 

[lcd4ever]

I take it the roksan is too bright a player for the Mezzos....?

 

[Anonymous]

lcd4ever:I take it the roksan is too bright a player for the Mezzos....?

No, it's far too good a player for the amplifier. A player around the £200 or less mark would be a better fit.

 

[Fenton Beasley]

lcd4ever:Looking to renew my interest in cds...

Andy Ford:Or a laptop and a DacMagic, much more of a sensible investment ;-).....

a.g.:Andy Ford:Or a laptop and a DacMagic, much more of a sensible investment ;-).....

Is the correct answer.

I thought he said he wants to renew his interest in CD's?

 

[bretty]

lcd4ever:I take it the roksan is too bright a player for the Mezzos....?

I demo'd the Roksan with the mezzo 6, last summer, powered by the matching Kandy amp.

I found them a great match, not overly bright at all, to my ears. In fact the sound was well balanced.

I wouldn't be put off the combo, at least till you hear it for yourself.

If you would like to read more of my thoughts on the combo, have a look on the 'Your opinion' section of the WHF review page for the Mezzo 6, where I put a review.

 

[the record spot]

Audiolab 8000CDE is a good solid buy, well reviewed and the same can be said of the NAD. You can get a Roksan Kandy 3 for £399 if you look round and do consider the Marantz SA7003 which offers a fine sound quality and SACD compatibility.

Laptop - by all means, but factor in high running costs, incessant fiddling around to upload CDs you'll have already anyway, but useful if you want to download from Linn, et al., to get hold of higher end recordings in master/lossless quality.