upgrading my CD Player??

[tommyb]

Please be gentle - and no ridicule please?

I have just bought an Onkyo 875, Quad Lite 5.1 system and will be connecting with Van Damme blue speaker cable.

My current CD player is the Technics SL PD887 5 disc changer. I have had this for 8 years now and bought it way back before I knew any better. having said that - it's been immense! never ever skips - during many a party - will play CD and CD-R, and will play many a scrathed cd that other modern players will struggle with.

My question is - how much would I have to spend on a new player to hear a noticible and money worth improvement in sound quality CD wise? I appreciate that my current CD player doesn't have a digital out - just left and right phono - but many high end cd players still rely on left and right phono connections - correct?

Or, should I just buy a good lense cleaner (where from?) and two good phono cables - again, where from? and stick with it?

what da ya think?

 

[Thaiman]

[quote user="tommyb"]how much would I have to spend on a new player to hear a noticible and money worth improvement in sound quality CD wise?[/quote]

I think about £200! I never heard the SL PD887 but guessing it has similar sound to SL 480 that sold by a container load about 10 years ago and If I guess right then Cambridge Audio 540 will better it.

 

[tommyb]

Cheers fella,

This whole hi fi thing is glorious but an absolute nighmare too! after your suggestion - did some research and then all of a sudden you get more things thrown in - what about these below????

1) Cambridge Audio 640C V2

2) Marantz CD6002

3) Pioneer PD D6 j

I think the Pio is about at the limit of my budget for a CD player, but is it really any better than the Marantz or CA 640 ?

 

[Thaiman]

MARANTZ for me every time

 

[Anonymous]

Pioneer PD D6 is REALLY good. It is defiently worth the money of the Marantz...however unless you are planning to upgrade your amp and speakers in the future, it is probably not worth it.

 

[tommyb]

So, the Pio is better all round than the Marantz? good to know.

So, are you saying that the Onkyo 875 and Quad L-ite 5.2 speakers aren't good enough for the Pioneer? I thought that they were a great all round package and would be a great match for many high end components.

 

[John Duncan]

[quote user="Thaiman"]
MARANTZ for me every time

[/quote]

And cambridge for me

 

[tommyb]

So ..................

Is the Pioneer - or the Marantz or the Cambridge Audio for that matter

really too good for my Onkyo 875 and Quad L-ite 5.1 speakers?

Or, is the Van Damme cable not good enough, and I should use QED Silver XT?

Please help

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="tommyb"]
So ..................

Is the Pioneer - or the Marantz or the Cambridge Audio for that matter

really too good for my Onkyo 875 and Quad L-ite 5.1 speakers?

Or, is the Van Damme cable not good enough, and I should use QED Silver XT?

Please help
[/quote]

No cd player will be ''too good'' for the rest of your system. You have to start somewhere and most people say to start with the source and besides, your speakers will be too good or your amp will be too good etc whichever you decide to upgrade first. Also, it's worth bearing in mind that there isn't *much* difference between a good budget cdp and one costing upwards of a grand - the point of diminishing returns kicks in very quickly with digital sources. To me the Pioneer is no better than the Marantz and the Cambridge gear is below that. For the money it's impossible to beat the CD6002. The next one up from that is the NAD C542 and up from that, the Rega Apollo. Then you're into players costing a grand and upwards. All in my opinion of course but I have been out there demoing stuff on a regular basis.

 

[John Duncan]

[quote user="Wild Willy"]Also, it's worth bearing in mind that there isn't *much* difference between a good budget cdp and one costing upwards of a grand[/quote]

Huzzah!

 

[tommyb]

Thanks for that - so the Marantz gets the job done - and by most accounts - many peoples votes as quite simply the best value CD player around in terms of cost v's performance!?

With the Pioneer, I was getting a little caught up in the whole SACD feature.

Just that one of the previous replies to my thread implied that the Onkyo 875 and Quad L-ite's weren't good enough for the Pioneer - which I found curious as I thought they (especially the amp) were very very good indeed!

Ok, well unless the Marantz is superceded by something that's even better value soon then that's what I'll be going for by the looks of it. This isn't a mistake is it???

 

[Anonymous]

bud.........you have done a great thing by narrowing down your choices to 3 cd players......the next stage is to check them out.........trust your own ears........and if they all sound good to you.......choose the one that looks the sexiest .........to be honest mate, the marantz/ca/pioneer are all good value for money

 

[tommyb]

Cheers Sam

Do you think that the NAD C542 is worth the xtra money over the Marantz CD6002?

If not, is there a better CD Player under the £300 mark? I know the Marantz has won all sorts of awards, but it's been suggested that the NAD is better

I also appreciate it's down to personal listening and taste - but it's very difficult for me to get demo's - I live on the Isle of Man and there's no where that does good quality seperates of these brands, so I'm very much reliant on others experiences.

All opinions welcome

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="tommyb"]
it's very difficult for me to get demo's - I live on the Isle of Man and there's no where that does good quality seperates of these brands, so I'm very much reliant on others experiences.

All opinions welcome
[/quote]

In that case... I've heard both the Marantz and the Cambridge and I don't think you'll be disappointed with either. Sound and build is very good for the price on both, although I think the Marantz wins out a little on the build (but looks ugly IMO). Can't comment on the NAD.

 

[Anonymous]

Not sure this is of any help but I think the CD6002 is less than £200 in Richer sounds at mo. Very good player, and well worth a demo, IMO.

 

[John Duncan]

I'm with all here - nothing in it sound-wise between any of them really (except through transperent - ie expensive - systems), but (though it pains me to say as a 640-lover)the Marantz has got to win at Richer's current price - in fact, get the amp as well (same price) and listen to proper stereo.

 

[tommyb]

Cheers,

Yeah, richer sounds price is really very good at the moment, but I do think the NAD has it on aesthetics - not sure if it's worth it in £'s though over the Marantz 6002

What do you mean? does my Onkyo 875 not do "proper stereo"? slightly confused! especially at it's price.

 

[Anonymous]

The NAD C542 is much better. It has a toroidal transformer, a better DAC and plain sounds better for starters. However, it is a step up in price too. Comparing a great value £230 player against a great value £330 player isn't fair on the Marantz. At its price point it is the definite winner, it just depends whether you want to spend £100 more and get the NAD. Then though, do you want to spend a further hundred and get the Rega Apollo? Then a further £100 for a NAIM, then you're into the £1000 bracket after that...

For my money the NAD C542 is worth the extra hundred. After that, the differences between players get ever more subtle.

 

[tommyb]

Thanks for that mate

Even better - Hi Fix have the NAD C542 at £269 and Superfi have it at £279!

Looks like an even better bargain!

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="tommyb"]
Thanks for that mate

Even better - Hi Fix have the NAD C542 at £269 and Superfi have it at £279!

Looks like an even better bargain!
[/quote]

The one at £269 is the older grey colour, the Superfi deal at £279 is for the new graphite (black) and titanium (silver) colours. Either way, it's a damned good player.