New/Replacement CD Player vs DAC?

[stanleyk]

I currently have Marantz 6000ose through 320bee and Epos M12. This was the next stage of my upgrading and has been ongoing over the last 12-18 months, however I have always had a little nagging feeling that the Marantz doesn't quite suit my music, mostly rock i guess, as it doesn't quite deliver the drive/warmth i want, slightly too clinical maybe.

I was wondering whether to invest in a new cd player or a dac to try and get the sound I was after, any thoughts on a good match for the amp and speaker combo? I don't really want to replace the speakers as they were most recent purchase, and although second hand weren't exactly cheap, and it would be hard to bite the bullet and get rid of them, prob at a fair loss!

Thanks for any help

 

[Anonymous]

I would maybe suggest a Nad cd player, or the only other one that really impressed me last year was this audiolab...

http://www.superfi.co.uk/index.cfm/page/moreinfo.cfm/Product_ID/3169

I was wanting to listen to the model up from this, but they only had this one in the shop, but it did sound very good and detailed.

so many choices i know ....

 

[stephennic]

Hi,

I have tried the marantz cd6000ose and found it a bit bright in the uppermids and highs. I found my old marantz cd63se more balanced tonally and musically better but less refined. The new nad c545bee is nice, or the rega apollo. The musical fidelity v dac is nice tonally, smooth warm and detailed.

Cheers,

Steve.

 

[the record spot]

Not sure if you'd call it warm, but the Exposure 2010 and the 2010s have long been regarded as very good sources for rock music. The former roughly £250 used, the latter about £450 now the new SE range is out.

 

[stanleyk]

Thanks for the responses. See my fear is that what I think I want I may not, ie i get the warm sound and subsequently lose the detail which I am also enjoying, why can't hifi be easy? I blame Blur, gave Song 2 a spin after years without it and it just didn't do much for me, then later on Stone Roses (again coming out of a long retirement) sounded amazing, some squire guitar bits in there that I really would not have got on my old cd player! Maybe a DAC is the way forward, would allow me to upgrade my current online listening too I guess.

Had looked at NAD secondhand but seem to hold their value pretty well, got the Marantx for £50 so was hoping for similar bargain, but think this unlikely. Any thought on the older Arcams?