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Using DVD Player as a CD Player

can-man

can-man

Active Member
I need a CD player for a secondary system I have in my home.

Is it possible to use a modern DVDplayer as a CD player? Almost all my music is purchased cd's so no issue with MP3 player ability or CD-RW or whatever?

What is everyones experience and do you still have a fairly high quality audio output to plug into your vintage system?
 
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So long as the DVD player displays this symbol, it should play CD's. I've never heard of a DVD player that doesn't, but I imagine there are a few specialized models.

I've used 2nd generation Sony (1997), and currently an old Pioneer (1999) for both CD and DVD and they have performed very well as CD players.

Quality should be acceptable from any DVD player, except for the lowest off-brands.
 

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I'm using an Integra DPS 5.5 DVD player solely for audio playback iand its spectacular. It will play CD-Rs and MP3 discs as well.
I aso used a Toshiba 6 disc DVD changer that also played HDCD as well, also sounded excellent. It seems thrift stores (at least near me) have lots of DVD players and sometimes some really nice high end ones come through, they make great regular old CD players.
 
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interesting question to see......I just had an older CD changer bite the dust.
After much back and forth debate, I bought a used Cambridge Dac Magic 2MK2.
I am running my Toshiba DVD through it and into the Sansui. The sound is
VERY good. Way better than the Toshiba feeding straight in, and quite a bit better than the old CD changer. So, my answer is yes, they work, and with a DAC, the sound might well be the equal of a pretty good standalone CD player.
 
I use a Pioneer DV-563A which is a SACD player too. It plays about everything and sounds really good. It was about $200 when I bought it new, but you can pick them up pretty cheap now days.
 
KentTeffeteller said:
The main drawback to the DVD players are slow loading and lack of front panel controls.
Click to expand...

I couldn't agree more. I have a "modern" (5 years old) universal player (Denon DVD1400) that plays all, CD, DVD, DVD-A, SACD, and certainly has a place in the main audio setup. But nothing beats the nice and "vintage" almost 20 years old Denon DCD800 player with huge FL display and all functions available on the front panel.
 
SaSi said:
I couldn't agree more. I have a "modern" (5 years old) universal player (Denon DVD1400) that plays all, CD, DVD, DVD-A, SACD, and certainly has a place in the main audio setup. But nothing beats the nice and "vintage" almost 20 years old Denon DCD800 player with huge FL display and all functions available on the front panel.
Click to expand...

That's why I like my Integra. All remote functions are accessable from the front panel. I hate units (like my Toshiba) that cannot be used without the remote.
 
Use a PS1 as a high quality CD player

There is a lot of info to be had about using a Playstation 1 for a CD player. The DAC is very high quality and makes the for the PS1 being a nice CD Player. I have more than one and am very happy with them. I paid as little as $10.00 for one. There are even sites about modding it to increase its performance even more.
Mike
 
KentTeffeteller said:
The main drawback to the DVD players are slow loading and lack of front panel controls.
Click to expand...

True, but I usually just toss the CDs in and let them go. Sometimes I use a remote to jump to a track, but generally it's no big deal. I mean it's not like I'm sitting there watching the deck play....

+1 on the Pioneer DV-563A too. I got mine for around $20-30 on eBay after listening to Kegger's and it does a great job.
 
Some players jump directly from track to track, skipping over whatever sound
may be present between the tracks. Especially annoying when listening to
a 'concept album' like Pink Floyd's Wish you Were Here, or to opera. Others
do just fine.
 
I have a few that I use this way. The reason I started this was so many silverfaced dvd players were available as compared to cd players.
 
I'm pretty sure ALL DVD players are backwards compatible with CDs as are Blu Ray players.
 
My 3 years old Harman Kardon DVD-22 ($150) beats my 12 years old EAD CD-2000 ($2000). Plus it plays movies.

I have 2 blue ray players which probably beat the DVD players but I have not compare yet.

Harman Kardon DVD-22 ($150)
dvd22res.jpg


EAD CD-2000 ($2000)
DSCN1825.JPG
 
My take on disk players, generalized based on my experience:

CD players, mostly older high end expensive models are obsolete.

DVD players do everything the CD player do + plays DVDs. They also inexplicable sound better straight out of the back.

Blue Ray players do everything the DVD player do + plays Hi-Def Blue Rays discs.

If I were to buy a new source I would only consider Blue Ray players or iPod.

For music the iPod is very sweet, I carry >100 CDs in loss-less format in my pocket!
 
AngelRa said:
My take on disk players, generalized based on my experience:

CD players, mostly older high end expensive models are obsolete.

DVD players do everything the CD player do + plays DVDs. They also inexplicable sound better straight out of the back.

Blue Ray players do everything the DVD player do + plays Hi-Def Blue Rays discs.

If I were to buy a new source I would only consider Blue Ray players or iPod.

For music the iPod is very sweet, I carry >100 CDs in loss-less format in my pocket!
Click to expand...

Older high end CD players make great transports when coupled with a modern external DAC.

The fact that modern DVD players sound better is easily explained by their more modern DACs.

Many, if not most modern DVD players are quite cheaply made, and while they may have much better DACs they rarely last as long as an older high end CD player. But there are a number of older high end CD players for which it is very hard or impossible to find replacement laser assemblies, which eventually do wear out.

So we're left with trade-offs- the nice interface and often higher quality of older high end CD players, but with obsolete DACs, potentially irreplaceable lasers, and the need for separate box for DVDs. Most modern DVD players also play CDs and in many cases SACDs and DVD-As.

There are some good values right now in higher end DVD/multi format players that preceded Blu-Ray. Some of these are said to offer DVD video quality that approaches Blu-Ray in quality, e.g. some of the Denons. There are probably others. That is the direction I am leaning, paired with a nice modern external DAC for redbook CD and FLAC audio file playback. We don't watch enough movies to make the small incremental difference in quality that Blu-Ray seems to offer worth paying full price for a Blu-Ray player.

I had just about settled on a Denon DVD-2930ci but I've read multiple accounts of the lasers going out after a year or so. Seems that this otherwise very well made player was spec'd with a very cheap Chinese made laser. So the search continues...
 
KentTeffeteller said:
The main drawback to the DVD players are slow loading and lack of front panel controls.
Click to expand...

I use a Philips DVD 963SA in my Vintage system that exhibits none of those drawbacks and offers 192k upscaling, and SACD to boot. And it is silver and looks great with my Yamaha CR2040. I used it in my main system for several years. Great unit!
Regards,
Jim
 
I just purchased my second Yamaha DVD player from Buy.com for $35.99 delivered free. Sound is excellent. Originally priced at $180.00.
 
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