PS3 and Arcam CD or Pioneer LX71

[admin_exported]

I need to buy a new Blu-ray player and CD player to replace my old Pioneer DVD/CD player.

I appreciate that a stand alone CD player provides better sound quality but I am playing this through a Pioneer VSX-D2011 home cinema receiver so the amplification is not quite up there with the best.

So do I go for a PS3 and an Arcam CD player (maybe a 192), or do I go for the Pioneer LX71 and use that for my CDs too? The review said the sound quality was very good but how good is that? Anywhere near a 192 or even a 73? What about taking the receiver ino consideration?

In the future I will be upgrading the receiver for the new Pioneer 71 or 81 but that is a long way off. I won't be going for a separate 2 channel amp.

So, one box or two boxes? Be good to have some WHF staff responses regarding the LX71 sound quality with CDs and what would be a comparable stand-alone player.

Thanks

 

[daveh75]

i'd go for the bd player, dont think your ever reap the rewards fully of cdp using a a/v receiver

 

[Anonymous]

It's the usual compromise I suppose. I have an old Arcam Alpha 7 CD player and it sounds much better playing CDs than the LX71. More detail, better bass and much smoother sound altogether. It is also played through an a/v receiver, although it's connected via the 2 spare speaker channels (Zone 2) of my 7.1 Arcam AVR250. The HD sound from the LX71 is terrific even though it is decoding itself and is connected to the AVR250 via analogue cables.