Having used all three and owned a VRDS10SE, I can assure you that you haven't heard CD yet The Teac is atmospheric, but all over the shop and that TDA1541a chipset was a nightmare for spraying all sorts of undesirable things down the mains leads and signal screens.
I did love the CD-I though, but the replacements were a bit harsh and spacially "flat" in standard trim, although there may be a bodge or three round this. The CDS-2 was in a TOTALLY different league and sounded fantastic, whatever system it was used in, colourations being a VERY slight creaminess to the sound, which never ever got in the way. I suspect the CDS3 wouldn't be so different from this.
A modern replacement for a CD-I? Well, considering what I said earlier and bearing in mind that DAC chips are now a very few quid each (a fiver or less), I do very much like the sound of the Rega VALVE Isis, the sound huge and expansive and reminiscent to me of the CDS2/XPS I loved so much at the time.
Actually its pretty quiet, esp compared with many later bitstream devices. It was the internal layout of many early implementations that sucked.TDA1541a chipset was a nightmare for spraying all sorts of undesirable things down the mains leads and signal screens.
Hadn't considered a Rega tbh. Creature of habit, have had Naim CD players for the last 20 years (gulp). Never did get to CDS level though. Always unwilling to spend that sort of cash on a device to spin a beer mat.
Maybe I need to bully my brain into understanding streaming...
Actually its pretty quiet, esp compared with many later bitstream devices. It was the internal layout of many early implementations that sucked.
I've only heard a CDX once and it was very crisp and clear but feel it could be fatiguing long term.
Edit: consider an RA Opus 21 also.
I found it fatiguing in the very short term...like..er ..after about 2 seconds was more than enough for me..
Seriously....I could not live with it..even with an XPS
laurie
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Unless you are particulalrly determined to go down with the ship, I would not be thinking of replacing a CD player at this particular juncture, mmjp.
IMHO, CDs will not be like vinyl, with a hard core of enthusiasts keeping it alive.
More like videocassettes.
Learn about streaming. Dip your toe into the water & buy a squeezebox. You will not look back.
Chris