New CDP mid range.

[admin_exported]

I'm after a new CDP.

Anyone have views as to which is the best of this bunch?

Cambridge Audio 650C, Marantz CD6003, Nad C545BEE, Denon DCD 710AE, Harman Kardon HD980

 

[bay24]

Not heard any of the above but would like to suggest another option. Richer sounds are doing graded stock of the Cambridge audio 740C for £30 more than the 650C on their web site at the moment. The 740 has two optical and coaxial inputs so you can use its DAC to improve the sound of other digital sources for example freeview boxes or if you wanted to stream music from PC/internet. It has the same DAC as the DAC magic which is very highly regarded by members of the forum although I can not comment if it has as much of a sonic improvement as the DAC magic (as I have not heard this) it is great in my system!

Just my opinion.

 

[Anonymous]

Bay24,

May I ask you which other amps/cd players you considered when you went to get the 740C/A?

Thanks, V

 

[Anonymous]

If anything, the 740C is slightly better than the DacMagic, given the other electronics that are there besides the DACs themselves. Then again it's a CD player, so it has moving parts to go wrong, so as a DAC, it's six of one and half a dozen of the other. But as a CD player as well as an external DAC, I think it's worth the extra £50 over the 650C. As for the others, the CD6003 is very nice, I heard it the other day, plus it has the USB input, but I don't know if that's useful for you, I haven't heard the CD6003 use the USB input, but since you didn't mention anything about external DACs, I'm assuming that's not much good to you anyway.

But as just a CD player, the 740C is really good for the price, other than that I'd be unoriginal and say the Marantz.

 

[bay24]

Vicv:
Bay24,

May I ask you which other amps/cd players you considered when you went to get the 740C/A?

Thanks, V

I would like to say that I shopped around lots to make sure I got the best I could but in truth I listened to none prior. this was down to the fact that richer sounds did a very time limited deal to get them both for half the rrp so I snapped them up on the spot. Since then I have heard some kit at around the same price and above from Arcam, Roksan and Rotel and I think it stands up very well. The amp has alot of power for the money and with the CDP it is a good partner, good detail and I like the seperation of instruments is great. some say they can be a bit bright but I dont find this at all, although it could not be described as warm though.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the comments, I'll also think about the 740C as well as a possibility. I'm not looking for a separate DAC at the moment and am not bothered about a USB input on the CDP either as I can connect my portable music player directly to my amp (Denon 250SE). I'm looking for a good quality CDP which is reliable and should last a while.

 

[Anonymous]

If anyone else has an comments on the above CD players that would be fantastic. Thanks.