New CD Player .... ?

[admin_exported]

All

I have just invested in a Bryston B100 DAC and Kef Reference 203/2s - I am very very pleased. However, at the moment I have a Sonos box streaming FLAC and 320 MP3 into the AMP as well as my old Arcam Alpha 8 - they sound ok (Sonos is very convenient and ok for casual listening) but I want to get thoughts on upgrading the CD player for when I sit down for proper listening. As I have spent the big chunk of money on a DAC in the amp, I only really need to upgrade to a transport - so clearly would rather spend money on that than a traditional player.

Any advice welcome

Paul

 

[The_Lhc]

I don't mean to be funny but a ZP90 streaming FLAC via its digital output into that DAC should sound every bit as good as any CD transport plugged into the same DAC, if not better.

If it doesn't then you've done something wrong when you ripped the FLAC files (although it's difficult to know what, it's largely idiot-proof).

I'd be inclined to borrow a transport of some type, plug it into the DAC and then see if you can hear any difference with the same track coming from the Sonos or playing of the original CD. I would say though that your comment about the Sonos only being "for casual listening" tends to suggest that you've already decided that a CD player will sound better before you've listened to any.

 

[Andrew Everard]

You know a horde of people are going to appear saying that you don't need a CD player, don't you?

Trouble is, there aren't too many transports out there - at least not in the 'available new and not stupid money' arena. Currently we'd go for the Cyrus CD Xt SE, but it wouldn't be beyond the realm of imagination to suggest that Bryston may launch a transport at some point. That's not insider knowledge, by the way - just logic.

 

[The_Lhc]

Andrew Everard: You know a horde of people are going to appear saying that you don't need a CD player, don't you?

Ha! Beat you, not sure one counts as a "horde" though...

 

[Andrew Everard]

the_lhc:not sure one counts as a "horde" though...

The longest journey starts with a single step.

 

[Gerrardasnails]

the_lhc:
Andrew Everard: You know a horde of people are going to appear saying that you don't need a CD player, don't you?

Ha! Beat you, not sure one counts as a "horde" though...

I agree with you wholeheartedly.

 

[chebby]

The Meridian G96 DVD Transport plays the lot. SACD too.

It was £3350 last year....

http://whathifi.com/News/Meridian-upgrades-and-extends-G-Series-hi-fi-and-home-cinema-range/

Expensive, but then your Bryston and KEF reference gear ain't cheap!

Just a thought.

 

[JoelSim]

By all accounts, if you'd bought a DACMagic then you could have spun a CD on your finger and it would produce better music than any CDP in the whole wide world.

 

[John Duncan]

JoelSim:By all accounts, if you'd bought a DACMagic then you could have spun a CD on your finger and it would produce better music than any CDP in the whole wide world.

If I've told you once, I've told you a million times...

 

[the record spot]

I'd go along with the Cyrus transport, alternatively, if you want to save a bob or two, Sony's 555ES machine had a superb build and you can pick them up for good money these days.

Yeah, I know, you just knew it was going to be a used number didn't you?!

 

[Anonymous]

pauleclark:
All

I have just invested in a Bryston B100 DAC and Kef Reference 203/2s - I am very very pleased. However, at the moment I have a Sonos box streaming FLAC and 320 MP3 into the AMP as well as my old Arcam Alpha 8 - they sound ok (Sonos is very convenient and ok for casual listening) but I want to get thoughts on upgrading the CD player for when I sit down for proper listening. As I have spent the big chunk of money on a DAC in the amp, I only really need to upgrade to a transport - so clearly would rather spend money on that than a traditional player.

Any advice welcome

Paul

I have a similar setup and I run my music from my macbook via an optical link to my Bryston BDA-1 DAC. It sounds substantially better than any CDP I heard so far. I think you'll get the best results if you stream your music from your Sonos digital out into your Bryston's amp digital input. You may discover like me, that once it's set up like that, you'll be using your CDP less and less if at all. I wouldn't get rid of my CD73 - I use it as a transport via my DAC - but I don't use very much either.

 

[Anonymous]

All

Thanks a bunch for the combination of both entertainment and opinion. I spent a great deal of time with those fine chaps from the hi-fi shop (Unilet) in setting it up and also have taken plenty of advice on digital conversion / compression etc (notice I am not experienced in this field) - I have already experimented with various combinations - Arcam - DAC v Sonos 320 v Sonos FLAC (and using a Netgear NAS iMac) and to be perfectly honest, I have not noticed any massive difference (despite being accused of already having made up my mind!). Next step is trial the Cyrus although I suspect that with what I have read (but more crucially what I have heard) it would have to go some to warrent the additional outlay.

Thanks once again all

Paul