Don't shoot me on this CD player question

[ematthews]

Budget. Up to 900.. If all I will be using this for is CD playback, what is the highest quality CD player in this range.

 

[Irvrobinson]

Any Japanese brand CD player with a digital output you can plug into the P5.

 

[ematthews]

Thanks. I keep seeing NAD and Cambridge come up all the time as well.

 

[afterlife2]

Oppo 980H(Plays CD, DVD-A, SACD and regular DVD's. No Bluray) used on ebay/forums less than $150 will do just fine. I think J_garcia and Fuzz are selling the newer ones with blu-ray as well in your budget.

 

[agarwalro]

Are you going to use analog or digital connections?

 

[ematthews]

I can use either. But I would rather use the analog if the CD player has a better chip. The DAC in the P5 is only so so..

 

[ematthews]

Oppo 980H(Plays CD, DVD-A, SACD and regular DVD's. No Bluray) used on ebay/forums less than $150 will do just fine. I think J_garcia and Fuzz are selling the newer ones with blu-ray as well in your budget.

I could go with the Oppo 103 but is there any real advantage going up to the 105 for playback on CD?

 

[Irvrobinson]

The DAC in the P5 is only so so..

Maybe, but digital so-so is better than any additional analog line stage.

 

[afterlife2]

I don't think there is alot difference: Oppo BDP-103 & BDP-105 Blu-ray Q&A Interview | Audioholics

 

[Irvrobinson]

I could go with the Oppo 103 but is there any real advantage going up to the 105 for playback on CD?

BD players load CDs slowly compared to dedicated CD players. It drives me nuts. It's the only argument for using a dedicated CD drive.

 

[agarwalro]

The P5 has a Burr Brown 24/192 DAC, which oddly limits to 24/96 for digital streams. That said, based on Stereophile measurements, you will be just fine with digital to the P5. IMO, don't waste your money on chasing the elusive superior DAC.

As Irv mentioned, keep the D to A converting as close to the preamp (ideally amp) as possible.

The older Emotiva CD player was very well reviewed, I believe it got the Audioholics stamp of approval. They have an extensive test report on the product page for the current gen CD player. Looks like a well designed product.

 

[ematthews]

The P5 has a Burr Brown 24/192 DAC, which oddly limits to 24/96 for digital streams. That said, based on Stereophile measurements, you will be just fine with digital to the P5. IMO, don't waste your money on chasing the elusive superior DAC.

As Irv mentioned, keep the D to A converting as close to the preamp (ideally amp) as possible.

The older Emotiva CD player was very well reviewed, I believe it got the Audioholics stamp of approval. They have an extensive test report on the product page for the current gen CD player. Looks like a well designed product.

I had the ERC-2 and the disc noise drove me nuts. I sold it.

 

[ematthews]

Right now I am using my bedroom CD player. It's the Marantz CD6004. I wonder if I could do better by using it with it's digital out to the P5 in DAC.

 

[Irvrobinson]

Right now I am using my bedroom CD player. It's the Marantz CD6004. I wonder if I could do better by using it with it's digital out to the P5 in DAC.

Probably, as measured by some test equipment. Will it sound better? The P5's analog section measured pretty well, so perhaps not, but I'm of a mind to optimize everything that makes a measurable difference. That's how I talked myself into using 10ga speaker wire even for short distances, and all XLR interconnects. Does the system really sound better because of all of that? I dunno, but I'm sure they measure better and I feel better.

 

[Irvrobinson]

I had the ERC-2 and the disc noise drove me nuts. I sold it.

I had one of those too. I sold mine, and I'm pretty sure the guy I sold it to, a world-class Emotiva fan, sold it too.

 

[ematthews]

Probably, as measured by some test equipment. Will it sound better? The P5's analog section measured pretty well, so perhaps not, but I'm of a mind to optimize everything that makes a measurable difference. That's how I talked myself into using 10ga speaker wire even for short distances, and all XLR interconnects. Does the system really sound better because of all of that? I dunno, but I'm sure they measure better and I feel better.

I will test it out and see. Just need to get my Marantz back into the bedroom.. Hint's why I am shopping for either a normal CD or even the Oppo if I do the planned changes in the future to HT.

 

[cpp]

I had one of those too. I sold mine, and I'm pretty sure the guy I sold it to, a world-class Emotiva fan, sold it too.

ERC-2, mine eat my CD and wouldn't give it back. Sent the unit back and after 6 months got my CD back. I moved away from Emotiva CD units. I'm just keep my old Sony ES5400 and Oppo's.

 

[ematthews]

I keep reading about a lot more issues with Emotiva now that I have moved away from the brand myself.. Hope their QC picks up. Great people there. CS is good too.

 

[Irvrobinson]

I keep reading about a lot more issues with Emotiva now that I have moved away from the brand myself.. Hope their QC picks up. Great people there. CS is good too.

While Emotiva has had issues with their pre-pros and their CD players, I'm not sure I'd use those products as indicators to judge their amplifiers and speakers.

 

[ematthews]

True. Although I had problems with my XPA-2..