New Cd Player

[Sparta Cat]

Hey Guys,

Looking for a bit of advice. Needing a new CD player to go along with my Marantz PM6005 and Monitor Audio Bronze 2 speakers.

Been looking at Marantz but i'm just wondering if there is anything better that could be recommended. Budget wise looking at anything up to £700. Very happy with my AMP and Speakers so will not be replacing them for a while.

Thanks

Sparta

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_100004211376004]

I wouldn't buy a new cd player again whilst there's so many bang for buck bargains to be had on eBay...players from arcam,Naim,rega and roksan to name but a few...players that would have cost 1k or more back in the day available for a few hundred quid these days....rega planet,appollo,naim cd5x,cd5mk2(same as mine),roksan caspian mk1,arcam cd82,92...go on and have a look and see what you can see and do some homework.

 

[Al ears]

I wouldn't buy a new cd player again whilst there's so many bang for buck bargains to be had on eBay...players from arcam,Naim,rega and roksan to name but a few...players that would have cost 1k or more back in the day available for a few hundred quid these days....rega planet,appollo,naim cd5x,cd5mk2(same as mine),roksan caspian mk1,arcam cd82,92...go on and have a look and see what you can see and do some homework.

There are indeed plenty of good offers on eBay but unless you know what exactly you are looking for its a minefield. Older players will need work and servicing so add this into purchase cost. There are no warranties usually and some have parts that fail that are increasingly difficult to buy.

Buying a new CD player, if that is exactly what you want, gives you the addition of the latest DAC technology, a warranty, and they can be had pretty cheaply.

Remember all lenses mechanism and drives will fail at some point.

The Arcam CDS27 will give you this, SACD availability and streaming facility if need be.

 

[Sparta Cat]

it is a bit of a minefield and I'm not sure about the older players. I do like the idea of having the dac included. Been looking at Marantz as mentioned, also looked at rotel, Nad and rega.

 

[nopiano]

it is a bit of a minefield and I'm not sure about the older players. I do like the idea of having the dac included. Been looking at Marantz as mentioned, also looked at rotel, Nad and rega.

All CD players include a DAC, as that's how they generate an analogue signal for your amplifier. A Marantz is a totally obvious choice as they have a good reuptation for sound, there are lots available (used and new), and will match visually and operationally too.

 

[luckylion100]

The OP's original post my instant thought was considering the rest of his kit is a budget of up to £700 for CD player really required? Fair enough if your looking for certain features like SACD playback and other available abilities.. I thought perhaps slight over kill... But I suppose buying the best one can afford may be a wise long term approach to system upgrading.
Wondering what the OP's plans were regarding the evolution of the rest of his kit?

 

[hybridauth_Google_113576585947769268360]

Needing a new CD player to go along with my Marantz PM6005

Since PM6005 already has a pretty, pretty decent DAC built-in, why not go for a CD transport rather than for another DAC built into CD player? CD transports are superior to players. The cheapest and the most decent at its price CD transport available would be the Cambridge CXC. But if you are happy to stretch your budget by only £50 you can get yourself a true king in the shape of Cyrus CDt

 

[Sparta Cat]

The OP's original post my instant thought was considering the rest of his kit is a budget of up to £700 for CD player really required? Fair enough if your looking for certain features like SACD playback and other available abilities.. I thought perhaps slight over kill... But I suppose buying the best one can afford may be a wise long term approach to system upgrading. Wondering what the OP's plans were regarding the evolution of the rest of his kit?

I would agree £700 is a bit excessive but i just want to get the best source i can afford. I'm very happy with my amp and it took me a while to settle. I listened to the likes of the Arcam A19 and Rega Brio R but too me i really enjoyed the sound of the Marantz and thats what its all about at the end of the day. SACD again dosen't really bother me as a mostly listen to standard CD's and Vinyl.

A transport looks really good but i was unsure, Really like the look of the Cambridge model. The Cyrus is a very nice piece of kit but if i buy that i have no doubts i will end up trying to afford to upgrade everything else!

 

[Al ears]

The OP's original post my instant thought was considering the rest of his kit is a budget of up to £700 for CD player really required? Fair enough if your looking for certain features like SACD playback and other available abilities.. I thought perhaps slight over kill... But I suppose buying the best one can afford may be a wise long term approach to system upgrading. Wondering what the OP's plans were regarding the evolution of the rest of his kit?

I would agree £700 is a bit excessive but i just want to get the best source i can afford. I'm very happy with my amp and it took me a while to settle. I listened to the likes of the Arcam A19 and Rega Brio R but too me i really enjoyed the sound of the Marantz and thats what its all about at the end of the day. SACD again dosen't really bother me as a mostly listen to standard CD's and Vinyl.

A transport looks really good but i was unsure, Really like the look of the Cambridge model. The Cyrus is a very nice piece of kit but if i buy that i have no doubts i will end up trying to afford to upgrade everything else!

The CD transport is a good idea if your amp already contains a decent DAC, not much point having two and only ever using one. This would only apply if you intend keeping that amp though. However, having said that, there are quite a few amps on the market with inbuilt DACs.

The Cambridge could be a very good buy, have not seen it myself but it is highly praised in many reviews.

 

[luckylion100]

When you reach a stage where you're entirely satisfied with your kit and the sound it provides (whatever the cost) and you can refuse this sometimes almost endless urge to upgrade, often just for the sake it. Forums and magazines hardly help contunally teasing and temping...
I'm currently on my phone so hard to go back to previous posts in this thread but if your current CD is still in good working order have you thought about using it as a transport and getting a decent external DAC? Just ignore if previously covered.

 

[Sparta Cat]

Gonna pop into my local hifi shop and set up a demo with the PM6005 and the Cambridge CXC. Sounds really appealing. Thanks for the advice so far.

 

[ID.]

What was used as the source when you chose the Marantz amp over the Arcam and other contenders? Why not use that.

If I still had traditional separates I'd be tempted by the fact that having a matching CD player and amp is aesthetically pleasing, so Marantz would be at the top of my list to audition I suppose.

 

[Sparta Cat]

What was used as the source when you chose the Marantz amp over the Arcam and other contenders? Why not use that.

If I still had traditional separates I'd be tempted by the fact that having a matching CD player and amp is aesthetically pleasing, so Marantz would be at the top of my list to audition I suppose.

It was originally a Denon DCD520 that i used but its started having issues and thats why i'm looking for a new source. I do have a Yamaha streamer/CD player but IMO the CD player is a bit of a let down compared streaming. I did borrow a Arcam CD27 and was not impressed with it. I might just end up going with Marantz but i like to get the best source i can so that i'm not changing things just for the sake of it.

 

[slice]

I have, and like, the above player, currently only £169 at Richer sounds. It has silent operation and sounds good. When turned on it wastes a couple of seconds deciding no cd is already loaded, however it is speedy in all other respects.

If I was checking out a new cd player I would check out smoothness, speed and silence when loading cds, the budget cambridge I had before the Yamaha had a crude and noisy loading mechanism, which annoyed me every time I used it, so this basic area cannot be taken for granted.

........however I note you didn't like your yamaha cd/streamer.

 

[muljao]

I would consider that if buying something like the Cambridge Audio transport or the Cyrus that you would be paying a lot for the transport (excellent build quality and reliability I'm sure), but still getting the Marantz PM6005 sound from the Marantz DAC.

If you bought something like a marantz cd5005 (sub 200 pounds, maybe 159) you'd get matching looks but maybe the dac isn't quite as good as the PM6005 due its price range, bit the digital out to digital in on the marantz would give the pm6005 sound even though the cd player is cheaper.

I'm subject to correction, but thats how I understand it

 

[slice]

I would consider that if buying something like the Cambridge Audio transport or the Cyrus that you would be paying a lot for the transport (excellent build quality and reliability I'm sure), but still getting the Marantz PM6005 sound from the Marantz DAC.

If you bought something like a marantz cd5005 (sub 200 pounds, maybe 159) you'd get matching looks but maybe the dac isn't quite as good as the PM6005 due its price range, bit the digital out to digital in on the marantz would give the pm6005 sound even though the cd player is cheaper.

I'm subject to correction, but thats how I understand it

I think I checked this when the 5005 came out. The 5005 has the same loading mechanism and dac as the 6005, just checked again.

 

[MajorFubar]

I would consider that if buying something like the Cambridge Audio transport or the Cyrus that you would be paying a lot for the transport (excellent build quality and reliability I'm sure), but still getting the Marantz PM6005 sound from the Marantz DAC.

I agree. Though there are those who will not. Pretty sure that if I recorded the digital output from a £7000 transport and the digital output from a £150 CD player and proved beyond doubt they were identical using null test, still some loonies would argue they weren't.

 

[Al ears]

I would consider that if buying something like the Cambridge Audio transport or the Cyrus that you would be paying a lot for the transport (excellent build quality and reliability I'm sure), but still getting the Marantz PM6005 sound from the Marantz DAC.

I agree. Though there are those who will not. Pretty sure that if I recorded the digital output from a £7000 transport and the digital output from a £150 CD player and proved beyond doubt they were identical using null test, still some loonies would argue they weren't.

Quality apart the emphasisis is on a system that has two DACS involved but only using one. The cd transport has all the money spent on doing just that to its best ability.

A decent transport can stand many a future upgrade when it comes to DACs this negates the need to buy yet another CD player.

 

[hybridauth_Google_113576585947769268360]

Marantz PM6005/6 sports a particularly talented DAC, namely Cirrus Logic 4398, also featured in, i.e., twice as much expensive and broadly appreciated Quad Vena, and is a must for listening. It is really enough to give this DAC few seconds before quickly realising how good this converter is. True, same CS is also installed in Marantz's matching CD player, but whether one wants to possess two or more mobiles, two or more cars, two or more DACs, two or more headphone amplifiers etc, in one place, is a matter of different personalities/philosophies. To me the "less is more" approach is a good, if not right, direction. Thus I would take the CXC into account in these circumstances. It's not any £7000 transport, it's merely a £300, or less, clean, in terms of aesthetics and work, device, so there are not any financial risks involved. Even more, RS are more than happy to accept returns within 30 days, if anything doesn't feel right

 

[hybridauth_Google_113576585947769268360]

but still getting the Marantz PM6005 sound from the Marantz DAC.

Marantz PM6XXX series are very successful and that's for a reason. These integrateds are able to really surprise in the way how they sound, despite their budget price tags. And yes, the built-in Marantz DAC is not quite *Marantz* DAC, but a third party converter, which is also being used in other successful integrateds, from other manufacturers

 

[Sparta Cat]

Been into my local hifi shop and going to go back in to listen to the Cambridge with like for like components. Also going to audition the Marantz cd6006. Really want to audition a Nad CD player but cannot find a dealer where I am. Was looking at the cd5005 as well and that does also look appealing especially for the price.

 

[lindsayt]

I bought a couple of these for £15 each: http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_sacat=0&_nkw=denon+c630&_sop=2

They were £15 and not £45 because the play and eject buttons have to be pressed on the left hand side for them to work.

Whilst I'm sure Denon C630's are not the best sounding CD players ever made, mine was good enough to form part of the best sounding system at last months What Hi-fi forum bake-off.

In the context of your system, Sparta Cat, it makes no sense whatsoever to spend more than £50 on a CD player.

As a lark, you could try a £5 Sony CD player: http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_odkw=sony+cd+player&_sop=2&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=sony+cd+player&_sacat=0

Or a £10 Phillips: http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_odkw=sony+cd+player&_sop=2&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR3.TRC1.A0.H0.Xphillips+cd+player.TRS0&_nkw=phillips+cd+player&_sacat=0

And then you can laugh at Al Ears going on about reliability. If it ever breaks you splash out another £10!

 

[ID.]

Considering the amp and speakers (fine for what they are), I'm not really sure about allocating such a large budget to get the best source possible. The old rules for the engineering required for turntables don't really apply for digital sources.

Personally, I'd probably start with a cheap, 2nd hand player with a digital output and seeing whether I preferred the CD player using its own DAC or using the DAC in the Marantz amp.

Then again, I can't see myself ever buying a CD player again and wasn't particularly impressed by any generation of the Marantz 600X amps or CD players, or their combination with Monitor Audio speakers, so maybe my perspective isn't of much use.

 

[muljao]

but still getting the Marantz PM6005 sound from the Marantz DAC.

Marantz PM6XXX series are very successful and that's for a reason. These integrateds are able to really surprise in the way how they sound, despite their budget price tags. And yes, the built-in Marantz DAC is not quite *Marantz* DAC, but a third party converter, which is also being used in other successful integrateds, from other manufacturers

I was in no way dismissing the marantz budget gear. Look at what I own, a 15 year old budget marantz amp. I'd like to upgrade that to the pm6005 in a while. I was just saying that whether one spends 300 pound on a transport or 50 pounds on a cd player, that they would get the same sound if they use the mrantz digital section