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CD player to compete with my vinyl rig?

Greetings,

I find that I have stopped buying CDs, which I regret because there is so much great new music out there.

My player is a Cambridge 640c and listening to it just doesn't do the 'suspension of disbelief' thing. It has all the right stuff: black backgrounds, dynamics, PRAT, detail, air, frequency extension, but as soon as the orchestral strings well up or the horns start, I want to turn it off. The timbral qualities are weird (especially massed strings, voices) and the sense of real people playing instruments isn't there. There's a sheen and confusion to the soundscape. My vinyl rig offers by far the more realistic experience. I have multiple copies of Mahler's 2nd Symphony on both CD and vinyl, and I never listen to the CDs any more.

I would like to find a CD player that makes me want to listen to CDs as much as vinyl!

I'm looking at reviews of the Rega Apollo R, the Teac PD H600, Audiolab 8200CD and the Decware Zen triode player. (Yes, around $1000 budget).

My rig: Pro-ject 2 Xperience/Shure V15-IV, Jico SAS, Cambridge 640c, Rogue Cronus Magnum/KT120 tubes, LS3/5a speakers, Kimber, Zu cabling.

Music tastes: Sibelius, Mahler, Bruckner, Bach, fifties torch singers.

I would love to hear suggestions from members!
Thanks
sumaato
doggiehowser
672 posts
 
I've found that my Project RPM10.1 with the Sumiko Blackbird outperformed even my EMM Labs XDS1.

I'm not sure if you'l be able to find a CDP that competes with yr table unless you are willing to get to quite stratospheric prices.

If your budget extends to it, have a listen to the Ayon range. I have the CD5S which I find is quite musical. Or look for the lower end levels. I really enjoyed the CD2S which I got preowned and liked it so much I ended up selling it to get the CD5S.
rok2id's avatar
rok2id
4,494 posts
 
no CD Player can not make you want to listen to CDs. If you don't like CDs, why would you want to listen to them? And I will state the obvious, stop listening to components and concentrate on the music.
sumaato OP
52 posts
 
Rok2id, your response is reasonable. But I would like to enjoy some of the many recent CD issues. I have a dumb faith that there IS a CD player out there I'll enjoy.

Chuck, I think you are right and streaming is a viable way to go for the future.....I'm considering that as my investment, over a CDP.

Goggiehowser, thanks for your perspective. My ambition is not very high....I don't anticipate finding a cheap-ish CDP that rivals a good vinyl rig, I just want to listen to a player that is 'not unpleasant'.
sumaato OP
52 posts
 
Tgrisham, you say you liked your Jolida tubed CDP......I assume you moved onwards from there. Did you compare it to other players, and can you talk about its sound?
Thanks
islandmandan
848 posts
 
My last digital acquisition is a modded McIntosh MVP 871. Its playback stands on its own, as when listening to it, it makes me not care whether the format is digital or vinyl. It is that good. It was purchased here on Audiogon, modded, and then shipped to me. I am constantly amazed at what I hear from Redbook and multi-channel.

My vinyl rig is in a state of flux, my tonearm should arrive today, from a silver rewire by Jim Howard of Applied Fidelity. I should be able to do some comparisons shortly, but I suspect I will just enjoy both formats, whichever I'm listening to at the time.

Best regards,
Dan
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