looking for lively CD player

[Mike Cole]

I have read thru the threads recommending various CD players. I am currently looking for a cheap (around $400) one box CD player. My top two priorities are that it be lively and somewhat non-fatiguing. I always read aboput CD players that are "laid back" and I am wondering if people are talking about the tonal balance or the smoothness or what. I want a CD player that will allow me to tap my feet, something lively. I have an Adcom and have had a Naim CD player. The difference in price was about $2100. That was not the difference in sound though. I sold it about a year ago because I could not justify keeping a CD player that cost that much and did not sound that much better. The Naim, however, was not "laid back" and it did allow me to tap my feet, but it was still fatiguing. I have heard that the CAL Icon is lively and I have also heard that the new Jolida was too (but expensive). Has anybody heard the Rotel (971 or 991)? I was looking at the NAD 541i or 521i, but after reading gonefishin's answer in a previous thread, I am not so sure now. I do, however, love the simple look of the NADs. Does anybody else have any other recommendations for a lively but fatigue free CD player?

Mike

[ProAc_Fan]

Mike considering DAC's are available quite cheaply in the used market, if I was looking to change my CD player I'd look at a decent transport and a nicer DAC. In fact, that is exactly the position I'm in right now. I just bought a used Pioneer Elite PD-54 to use as a transport and am scouring ebay for a nice DAC that's less than $200. I'd probably prefer a Musical Fidelity X-ACT DAC to match my amplifier or perhaps a Soundstream DAC-1. Both of these go for around $150 and should aid in removing some of the harshness evident in many CD players.Or if money isn't an object just go for the Shanling tubed CD player and be done with it. Brian B from Venus HiFi sells them I believe.


Mike

[Mike Cole]

ProAc Fan, I am looking for a 1 box player that is fairly cheap. I may actually go with the NAD. My Adcom doesn't sound bad but could use a little more flesh in the lower mids upper bass.

Mike

[opt80]

Mike C
I have a Cambridge Audio 300se,it is a nice cdp with a lively response.

Alan

[Punker X]

I have a Rotel 955AX, I like the sound of it, when I'm to lazy to put on some vinyl. Some recordings sound really good, other sound harsh.

I never really could tell a big difference in CD players. Seems like the law of diminishing returns is in strong effect. Since I only listen to a CD about once a week there hasn't been a strong urge to upgrade. I have listened to a Cambridge Audio 500SE and liked it. I also liked that it came in silver with a blue display to match my vintage Marantz system.

For years I used a Yamaha changer with a Luxman LV-105 that has a tube frontend in it. I found that tubes helped a lot. So like others suggested, you may want to check out some of the tube CDP's.

I think the next thing I'm going to try is my Rotel through a Tube receiver.

X

[RooX]

doesn't the fact that you can't read the cambridge display from more than a few feet away bug you? That was probably the main reason i ditched it. BUT, it is a very nice ceedee player.

cheers

[opt80]

RooX
I thought it was just me and the windows,yes it is hard to read,but apparrently most british stuff has that "feature"I think it is prolly because they have overcast days, rain, and little sunshine,but i am just surmising!

By the way welcome aboard,what part of the country are you from?

Alan

[CarlV]

Hi Mike, When I bought my NAD 541 I used my headphones to a/b
Rotel and NAD players. It won hands down for me. I didn't like the
521's sound BTW. If I upgraded it would be to a tube type that smoked this one a/b'd. No problems yet either like the 540. The HDCD is a nice bonus too. I haven't heard the newer 541A though. Hope this is of use to you.
Carl

[Wired]

The NAD cd players are very unreliable - a lot of people have started to experience problems at around only 6 months of age.

A good solution would be to get a Marantz 4000 or 5000 to use as a transport (these CD players have a very good mechanism in them that will last 20 years or more) and hook up to an external DAC. You could also use one of the Marantz CD changers which have the same mechanism.

Also the Phillips CD players have a similar mechanism, which is also very reliable.

All of these players will read CD-R as well as CD-RW.

[botrytis]

I have two old Denon CD's in my little (and I mean little) collection a DCD-520 and a DCD-820. Both can really hold there own against most new CD players. I would look for a really decent used one.

Dave

[Thatch_Ear]

I just bought a Phillips and have written about my impressions in Reviews and Opinions. GF has a Phillips SACD and Billfort has a Sony SACD. I have heard a Sony SACD A/B with a DAC and without one, on/off repeatedly,quickly at a meet in Houston and there was very little difference and I would be hard put to decide which I would prefere over the obvious fact that having a DAC means another piece of gear and more ICs.
Tweeter, Best Buy and others have a 30 day return policy so I would just get one of the SACD players and listen to it for a few weeks and if you don't like it, just take it back.
I do like the old Toshiba SD-2200 better with redbook over the Phillips if I am playing it loud. At 85 to 90 db they are the same but the SACDs are very very good and only the Phillips will play those. The Toshiba does have a HDCD chip in it.

[MatthewK]

I have heard a Sony SACD A/B with a DAC and without one, on/off repeatedly,quickly at a meet in Houston and there was very little difference and I would be hard put to decide which I would prefere over the obvious fact that having a DAC means another piece of gear and more ICs.

Since SACDs won't output a digital signal of the SACD format, how did you listen to one with a DAC?

If there was a digital out it would be the lower-res CD layer, and comparing that to the SACD high-res layer would not be a valid comparison of internal vs external DAC.

That said, given a certain level of build quality, few CD players actually sound different when you A/B compare.

[Jovinyl]

I have a NAD C542. I have had it over a year and it gets a good work out. I have had no problems. I can sit and listen to the music and like it. I had nothing to compare it to except a 5 disc Klh which was a clumsy unit. I just wanted a single disc player. I was considering the jolinda that was a little higher in price. I read a lot of reviews on each and went with the nad $409.00 out the door. If not for that fact I might have gone for the Jolinda. I do not remember the model# but they were in the same list price range the Jolinda a bit higher. Vinyl is my prefered source so that influenced my need.Both these I think are good choices in the price range they are in. My opinion.