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$5000 universal player ... am I a fool ?

So now ... recently my old reference source player finally died and I needed to upgrade to keep up with the times, and I'm not sure if I played the part of a fool or no.
Redbook CD is of the utmost importance to me, even though it is done in the context of my home theater system, Egads ! So I went on the search to find a DVD player that would hold it's own against about any CD player in the $5000 range on down. I'm fairly sure I found that in the Lexicon RT-20 I purchased used off these forums. SQ is as good as any CDP I have owned up to about $7000.
Here is my dilema though : Blu Ray seems to be the future, and this "universal" player does not play Blu Ray.
I've read EVERY long post on these forums about Blu Ray playing 2ch audio, but there seems to be absolutely ZERO concensus about this subject.
So simply put, are there ANY Blu Ray players that MAY equal my RT-20 from it's analogue outputs ? Anyone heard a good comparison, or are we still just guessing ?
timtim
tvad
9,467 posts
 
04-28-09: Jylee
...I want to hear about more relevant comparison with real world CDPs, not some
phantom $5000 player that you have never heard.

Very perceptive.

Timtim, you wrote "SQ is as good as any CDP I have owned up to about $7000".
It would provide some perspective if you would comment on other CD players
(or universal players) have you heard or owned that enables you to draw your
conclusion.
timtim OP
84 posts
 
Jylee ... are you just plain mad, or did you NOT read all of my response ? I will quote again for you " Naim CDX, Naim CD5, Sony SCD-1 , Linn's $5000 player, Arcam FMJ 36 ? , Theta Miles w/ Theta Pro Gen 3a " ALL of these payers or trans/dac combos are in the $5000 to $10,000 range, save for the Arcam which still has a DCS Ring DAC in it. The Naim CDX is a $10,000 player.
But more to the point : I've onwed some of the most highly regarded CD players up to $10,000, and the Lexicon is up their with them ...
timtim OP
84 posts
 
Tvad ... what exactly are you guys missing about what I said ? I HAVE OWNED all of the players I mentioned, and find the Lexicon as good or better in terms of dynamics, macro and micro, soundstaging, imaging, and naturalness. What exactly else do you expect me to say ? I'm not being paid to do a full review here. Feel free to contact me privately with any specific questions you have about the RT-20, and I'll gladly share my thoughts with you.
As far as why I'm using a B&K receiver with the Lexicon, times and fortunes change ... stock market changes ... I've owned systems costing as much as $150,000 in the past, now I do not. Do I really have to qualify myself to you to make my threads or posts relavant ? I'm just trying to enjoy my hobby ...
timtim OP
84 posts
 
Oh yeah ... The Linn I owned was the Karik/Numerik combo, and I have also owned a Meridian 508.24
But here was the original intent of my question which started this thread ... Could a budget $500 Blu Ray player combined with a DAC like the $500 Cambridge MagicDAC for example, possibly equal the SQ I get from my Lexicon on Redbook CD's ? Simple as that.
timtim OP
84 posts
 
Jylee ... Sorry, I mis spoke. The Theta DAC I owned was a Pro Gen V, and not a Gen 3. It's been a few years.
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