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New or Old CD Player?

Let's say I have $5K, tops, to buy a CD player. I don't need digital inputs, outputs, etc. I don't need to spin SACD's. I only intend to play Redbook CD's and want a one-box solution. Would my money be better spent on a new unit, like maybe a Hegel Mohican? Or should I buy a component that was close to state of the art a decade ago? Like maybe a Simaudio 750D, or an Audio Research Reference CD8? Thoughts?
imgoodwithtools
jafant
10,525 posts
 

Excellent points - Guys.

I would like an Esoteric DV-50s or DV-60, if I knew that the drives/transports and other critical parts, were avail for replacement.

Happy Listening!

ejr1953
542 posts
 
Of all the things in audio that are improving at a fast rate now, it's probably the DACs.  Your older CD players will have an older DAC chipset in them, so in my opinion, I'd go for "new" in finding a new CD player.
monkandmozart's avatar
monkandmozart
17 posts
 
Sound advise
2psyop's avatar
2psyop
779 posts
 
It sounds as if the CD player you bought was the one you had wanted to get all along??? judging from your original question. Good luck! ARC is a great HiFi company.
elizabeth
6,726 posts
 
I auditioned a Marantz SA-10 SACD player this past week.
I am mainly interested in it for the fact it has Toslink and RCA digital inputs.
The Marantz SA-10 does the decoding in DSD, even for CD data.
I am not a big or even mild SACD user.
The main joy if the device is playing back CDs on another machine, and using the Marantz as a DAC.
Redbook never sounded so good.
I AM buying one. Just to play CDs through it from other machines!

I am just mentioning this to say do not overlook SACD machines in the quest for a great Redbook CD player.

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