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difficulty finding CD player match for Magneplanar

I have a California Audio Labs Mk II CD player (CAL) that has one channel going out. I might be able to get it repaired (if I'm lucky), but I wanted to listen to the latest CD players to see if I could find a replacement.

I home-trialed an Arcam FMJ-something at around $1000 U.S. Too bright, not enough bass, not enough "power" to drive rock and jazz/fusion.

I home-trialed the much-vaunted Rega Saturn. Not enough "power" or bass for rock/jazz fusion, upper midrange and highs OK, but lower midrange sounds like being in nosebleed section of concert hall (very distant and hard to understand).

I've got Magneplanar MG-IIIa speakers, original Adcom preamp and 60w/ch. amp.

It seems to quite troublesome to find a CD player for the Maggie's in my listening room that isn't too bright or too distant and has enough power/drive/authority and solid bass to really drive electronic music.

Neither player was really involving. They seemed to present information off the disk, but just didn't grab my interest. Pretty boring. Good detail, good this, interesting that, but in the end, not enjoyable.

Others have raved about Arcam players and about the Rega Saturn, but they haven't worked for me in my system.

Anyone had similar experiences with the Maggies and found any players that worked better with the Maggies?
timoteo
andrewdoan
223 posts
 
Listen to me please. Do not go by spec since spec does mean much. I used to own the Martin Logan Aerius I and the SL3. While the Parasound & B&K & Sunfire could drive the Aerius I but not the SL3 to its optimum. I tried them in my own house. Only the old entry level Krell KVA 250 could drive the ML/ SL3 with authority in hi/mid/especially bass department. Literraly, others sound like a Marathon runner with emphysema . I know your speakers are not electrostatic loud speakers but just a thought to keep it in mind depending how near to perfect the sound you search for.
timoteo OP
21 posts
 
Hmmmm. A lot of people have said that I don't have enough power at ~120w/ch. into 4ohms for driving the Maggies. But they can be played very loud without any distortion that I can notice and I have plenty of bass with my CAL CD player. If I were underpowered, why would it only show up with the Saturn or the Arcam CD players? If I were underpowered, wouldn't this show up with my CAL with the Maggies sounding like it was lacking bass and drive also?
timoteo OP
21 posts
 
In response to Onhwy61's question, "why are you using the Maggies for rock & jazz/fusion" - I love the way they sound. I get a really "big" sound with them, and they're not too bright nor too laid back and they have a rather unique sound.

I listened to some Thiel's when I was evaluating the Maggies and, at first, I thought the Thiel's sounded great, but after listening for awhile they began to get on my nerves and I kept turning the volume down. They were just too bright and fatiguing for me after awhile. After listening to the Thiel's, the Maggies sounded dull, but after I adjusted to the difference, I found the Maggies sounded very nice and I could listen for a long time without getting fatigued.

Now I can't imagine owning any other type of speaker. Put on a live album and it feels like I'm really there in the audience. The sound seems to come from all around me - not just from the speakers in front of me.

Al Dimeola's "Scenario" CD has a song called "African Night" that has some jungle sounds at the very beginning. With the Maggies, this just surrounds me and is just amazing.

That's why I bought the Maggies. They help bring music to life.
shakeydeal
979 posts
 
As I said above, you THINK you have enough power. I guarantee that unless all you listen to is "little girl + guitar" music, you are missing out on dynamic transients big time. And your bass articluation and impact would be better with more power too.

And not to mention how Adcom amps provide only entry level sound. Ok, but you can certainly do better for not much more $$.

Shakey
mapman's avatar
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mapman
15,679 posts
 
" If I were underpowered, why would it only show up with the Saturn or the Arcam CD players?"

The DACs in different players sound different.

You probably won't realize what your missing in regards to driving those speakers better with a better suited amp for better balance, impact, slam and all around low end authority, until you hear it.

Go to a dealer that might have Maggies set up optimally if you can and give a listen there to hear what you might hear.

You might find more CD players suitable with more juice driving those speakers.

A Cambridge Audio 640c or 840c is one player I have heard perform fantastically on larger Maggies properly driven and set up well.
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