Cambridge Audio 840C vs Ayre CX-7e?

They are both very good but very different sounding from each other. With CD players, people often look at the digital aspects of the player but overlook the analog section. Thats really the big difference. With the Ayre, you get an analog section that matches the sound and build quality of their other components. The sound is very detailed but clean and pure. Imaging and dynamic contrast is exceptional, as well. The downside is that it is not the most forgiving CD player out there. It reveals what is on the disc, good or bad. Personally, it would be my first choice if I was looking for something in that price range.

The Cambridge is also very good player. It does sacrifice some of the things that the Ayre does well in trade for a more forgiving sound. You really need to listen to both of them. If you've ever heard a Wadia and liked it, the Ayre is the way to go. If you've ever heard something from Arcam like an FMJ 33 or 36, and thought that was good, the Cambridge may be a better choice. Actually, if you can find a good used 33, it might be a better choice than the 840. I have one myself and find it to be a great player all around.

I owned a Cambridge Audio 840C for a number of years and considered it to be something of a giant killer. In the finish I had to spend 5x more to find a player which was better. I think Zd542 has provided quite a balanced reply above though I would not agree that the FMJ 33 is necessarily better.

Rega? Personally I'd give it a miss. The Cambridge Audio provides much better resolution.

I have the 740C which I bought due to the price difference between the 740C and 840C. I wonder if the 740C sound is as close as the 840C.

In 2008, Robert Harley claimed could not understand how Cambridge could build such a great CD player like the Cambridge 840C. He shook his head in disbelief at its price to performance ratio Now he claims that the new Cambridge 851C exceeds the previous 840C in several areas.

Fortunately, I have found a VGC 840C at auction on Audiogon well under $1000. The tariff for the new improved Cambridge 851C is $1899, possibly $1450 "used". Reviewers can be a pain in the ass sometimes in how quickly they can pivot off of one product( in this case the 840C) made by a manufacturer, and jump on the band wagon for the much improved version.

I just am trying to upgrade off of my current player, the Rega Apollo. In a "one on one shootout" with the Cambridge 840C it would probably lose, if not get badly beaten. The technology of the 840C provides several innovative upgrades to the performance of a CD player BUT, By now claiming the sound OF the Cambridge 851C is not only improved over the 840C but better, basically make me feel I am back to square one. WHY??? Because the performance of the 840C has been denigrated, and therefore brings into serious question whether if is better almost across the board than the Rega Apollo

Maybe this point just introduces into the context of the original thread an issue which is debatable or even irrelevant. Sorry, but I needed to raise this point, and blow off some steam.

I think most of us believe, we don't want to pay retail for a premier product to acquire a replacement for a currently owned product; and in the consideration and decision ritual, eventually that premier product may becomes dated and replaced by a new considerably improved one. However, the new and improved version can only be acquired at near retail pricing. Therefore, the freakin cycle begins again, until some reviewer debunks the sound that he lauded before to now praise the performance of another upgraded model.

VERY FRUSTRATING!!!

I have owned both the Rega Apollo and Cambridge 840C. The 840C is better across the board than the Rega. I now own the Cambridge 851C and it is better than both of the above. Cambridge had the 840C in production for over six years before introducing the 851C. It would still be a good choice for you. It was the first component I ever took straight out of the box cold and went WOW within the first couple of minutes I listened to it.