High End CD Changer (Carousel) Options?

[PearlcorderS701]

Beyond the usual suspects -- Yamaha, Denon, Sony, Marantz, Onkyo et al -- are there any higher end options for five/six disc carousel changers anywhere on the market? Does anyone along the lines of NAD, Rotel, etc. make such a product?

My Marantz is beyond acting up at this point, and it's less than three years old, easily -- skipping, not memorizing discs in a program sequence and more. It's time for a replacement, and I'm not going with Marantz again in this area...

 

[jinjuku]

What's a CD changer?

 

[j_garcia]

High end and CD changer is sort of a connundrum, so the answer would most likely be no.

My advice is don't buy a Marantz changer again. I have not had good luck with their CD changers either, nor do I consider their changers high end. I have 2 Sony changers that are 5 and 10 years old at this point and not only do they both still work, they both outperformed the Marantz. Note too that when my CC4000 died, my high end dealer at the time actually swapped it out for the Sony and I have been happy with it since.

 

[j_garcia]

Yes, mother****ers! That's what yall are... Ready to get spammed? Good!

 

[davidtwotrees]

Used rotel. A "bit" long in the tooth, maybe, but I bet it's built like a tank.....
http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?dgtlplay&1297122808

 

[PearlcorderS701]

High end and CD changer is sort of a connundrum, so the answer would most likely be no.

Well, what I meant was, is there a more "boutique" brand outside of Denon, Marantz, Sony, etc. that still makes such a machine?

My advice is don't buy a Marantz changer again. I have not had good luck with their CD changers either, nor do I consider their changers high end. I have 2 Sony changers that are 5 and 10 years old at this point and not only do they both still work, they both outperformed the Marantz. Note too that when my CC4000 died, my high end dealer at the time actually swapped it out for the Sony and I have been happy with it since.

I recall having this conversation with you about the Marantz changers -- and believe me, I had no itention of getting another Marantz, whatsoever. My CC4001 has had issues from the day I received it from Crutchfield -- skipping discs that are programmed, and now showing jarring skipping when playing tracks on discs I know aren't damaged. I've had it with this thing. I recall you telling me the story about your dealer exchanging it for the Sony; I just wouldn't get a Sony audio product for personal reasons. I was actually thinking of this, which would complement my Onkyo stereo receiver in the same system:

http://www.onkyousa.com/model.cfm?m=DX-C390&class=Compact Disc&p=i

What do you think? Looks like a workhorse, and I like the blue LED that lights up the trays in the dark for disc exchange...

 

[PearlcorderS701]

 

[PearlcorderS701]

Used rotel. A "bit" long in the tooth, maybe, but I bet it's built like a tank.....
http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?dgtlplay&1297122808

Thanks Dave...

This is something I would probably have considered if it was new -- do any companies like Rotel make a disc changer?

 

[Pyrrho]

I recommend that you go with one of the "usual suspects," as you call them.

There has long been a prejudice against CD changers among audiophools, so high end companies don't tend to make them, as they probably would not sell well for them.

The prejudice against CD changers most likely has to do with record changers being inferior to good single disc record changers, due to changing the angle relative to the needle, and discs slipping on each other. Neither of those is an issue at all with the way CD changers work, which may have the same electronics and the same actual transport (just a different delivery to the transport) as a single disc player. But most people who buy audio equipment know virtually nothing about how it actually works, so they are ready to be suckered into believing all sorts of nonsense.

 

[davidtwotrees]

Buy the Rotel or get a media server!

Thanks Dave...

This is something I would probably have considered if it was new -- do any companies like Rotel make a disc changer?

Used is fine to me, but it sounds as if you don't feel that way. That Rotel unit has been up there for awhile and it is being sold by a stereo shop. Usually they know how to pack. Usually, the unit is a trade in, which infers that the previous owner was pretty serious about this hobby by shopping in an independent stereo store.
I would make a lowball offer for the Rotel and see what happens- this was a trade in and they just want to move the thing out of the store.
CD carousel players are becoming so obsolete now, that not many are being made, certainly not by "high end" companies.
I bought a media server 5 years ago and would never go back to cds. I like to own the cds, but once they are on the server, they get put away in the library, and only come out for road trips. My server was so easy to use my wife even gets it. Push a cd in and it effortlessly records it to the hard drive, goes on the internet and finds the artwork, and then puts it in a nicely set up library that is easy and intuitive.
Have you considered a server from Escient or Olive, or Yamaha, etc?

 

[j_garcia]

There was a spammer in the thread, it was deleted. I was making a joke

I am not a big fan of Sony's stuff either but their players are fine. I actually told the dealer that I wasn't interested in the Sony but they gave me a good deal so I took it and wasn't dissatisfied.

 

[PearlcorderS701]

I recommend that you go with one of the "usual suspects," as you call them.

There has long been a prejudice against CD changers among audiophools, so high end companies don't tend to make them, as they probably would not sell well for them.

The prejudice against CD changers most likely has to do with record changers being inferior to good single disc record changers, due to changing the angle relative to the needle, and discs slipping on each other. Neither of those is an issue at all with the way CD changers work, which may have the same electronics and the same actual transport (just a different delivery to the transport) as a single disc player. But most people who buy audio equipment know virtually nothing about how it actually works, so they are ready to be suckered into believing all sorts of nonsense.

Thanks py for your honest thoughts here; I was just wondering if anyone in the high end category made one -- I have heard all the reasoning behind why they feel they're inferior to the single disc units...

 

[PearlcorderS701]

There was a spammer in the thread, it was deleted. I was making a joke

Oh, OK -- I didn't know where that quote you had posted came from originally!

I am not a big fan of Sony's stuff either but their players are fine. I actually told the dealer that I wasn't interested in the Sony but they gave me a good deal so I took it and wasn't dissatisfied.

They didn't swap the Marantz for the Sony evenly?

What about the Onkyo six disc machine I linked -- do you think that should do the job?

 

[j_garcia]

They didn't swap the Marantz for the Sony evenly?

Oddly, it was more than the Marantz. They discounted it, but I had to pay the difference.

What about the Onkyo six disc machine I linked -- do you think that should do the job?

Yep, I would say it will be fine.

 

[zumbo]

Yamaha.

I have had my Yamaha 5-disc player since 1991. It's superb, and was the low-end model in the upper-end line at the time. Oldest piece in my system, by far.


http://usa.yamaha.com/products/audio-visual/hifi-components/cd-players/?mode=compare&selected=29285_29270_

Even though I have a Yamaha dvd-a unit, and a Marantz blu-ray, I use the Yamaha 5-disc unit constantly. Love to slap five disc in, hit random, and enjoy. Never had one single complaint about the piece.

 

[anamorphic96]

Why even bother with a changer anymore. You could rip everything to your computer then run it through your stereo. Then you would have your entire collection at your finger tips and it will sound the same if not better than any of the changers on the market.

It's what I did and never looked back.

 

[zumbo]

Why even bother with a changer anymore. You could rip everything to your computer then run it through your stereo. Then you would have your entire collection at your finger tips and it will sound the same if not better than any of the changers on the market.

It's what I did and never looked back.

I don't know about others, but my computer is separate from my ht. For instance, my daughter, wife, and mother are watching MythBusters on the system. I am closed-off in another room chilling with you guys.

 

[anamorphic96]

I don't know about others, but my computer is separate from my ht. For instance, my daughter, wife, and mother are watching MythBusters on the system. I am closed-off in another room chilling with you guys.

I agree with that to some extent but an old laptop with a usb dac makes a great music player. Easily moved and plugged in anywhere or wirelessly streamed to the main audio system while being kept in the office.

 

[PearlcorderS701]

Oddly, it was more than the Marantz. They discounted it, but I had to pay the difference.

It was an ES piece?

Yep, I would say it will be fine.

I know this is probably a rhetorical question, but do you see it outperforming the CC4001?

 

[PearlcorderS701]

Yamaha.

I have had my Yamaha 5-disc player since 1991. It's superb, and was the low-end model in the upper-end line at the time. Oldest piece in my system, by far.


http://usa.yamaha.com/products/audio-visual/hifi-components/cd-players/?mode=compare&selected=29285_29270_

Even though I have a Yamaha dvd-a unit, and a Marantz blu-ray, I use the Yamaha 5-disc unit constantly. Love to slap five disc in, hit random, and enjoy. Never had one single complaint about the piece.

Thanks Zum -- I have read that Yamaha makes some great changers; I would consider one if I wasn't loyal to Onkyo, or couldn't find what I initially wanted to via answers from this thread...that is, a "higher end" approach to a carousel type machine, which, it appears, just doesn't exist...