(Rackmounted) pro CD player vs HI-FI one?

[admin_exported]

Hello everybody,

My CD player is an old Marantz CD5000 and I really need a new one.

I am listening to music with it coupled with 2.1 8" active studio monitors and subwoofer and I love it and I am very happy with it. The room is not musically treated but I am allright with it since the system is only for listening.

Now, I have been looking heavily into CD players for the last couple of weeks and I started gravitating around Cambrdige Audio 650c, 651c and 740c, and Marantz cd-6003, cd-6004. I was ready to go for one of the latter 3 but I suddenly stumbled upon the so called professional rackmounted CD players such as DENON DN-C615, DN-C620, DN-C635, Tascam CD-200 etc. Professional players in the same price range! - so hey why should I pick a hifi player?

I really don't mind their looks. I am only interested in sound quality - like all those qualities that earn the hifi cdplayers reviewed here their high ranks. So what are the pros and cons of the ones over the others for audiophile listening?

 

[hoopsontoast]

I would have thought the Studio orientated ones would have been built with reliability (and serviceablity) in mind, and have options like Balanced ouptuts, RS-232 ports and the like with other features such as Pitch control, fade etc.

Other than that, not sure why they would be any difference.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the reply. I have a nagging suspicion that because they are made for broadcasting, say in audio halls, radio etc., the sound quality will be low when listened to directly from your home speakers/monitors.

 

[hoopsontoast]

I would have thought it would be fine. You might have trouble getting a demo of one though.

Tascam are very highly rated in the Professional world, also part of the same company as Teac who have always been very good at CD Transports.