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A final CD player?

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Although best known for its turntables, Pro-Ject is building an enviable reputation in digital audio, too – and this two-box CD transport and DAC/preamp is its most impressive component yet. A real ground-up design, the CD Box RS2 T features a customised CD-Pro 8 transport mechanism, supported by an alloy/carbon fibre chassis and state-of-the-art disc-reading electronics. Digital connections to the hugely flexible Pre Box RS2 Digital DAC even include HDMI, with a synchronising clock. The latter also boasts Bluetooth, USB-B, coaxial and Toslink digital inputs, with a choice of solid-state and tube-based analogue outputs. With support for MQA and no fewer than seven digital filter options too, this combination delivers CD and hi-res digital audio sound in a range of delicious flavours – this is true audiophile performance, and supreme flexibility, packed into two remarkably compact enclosures!
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Can't go wrong with a Rega Isis.
£2395 was a great price
Can be used as a good DAC for other input

Thought the Isis was with me for life until I heard a TAD D-1000
2nd hand but still a big pile of dough
 
I traded my Opus 21 for an Esoteric X-03 SE so chalk and cheese as far as the build quality and weight go. I imagine a lot of the resulting sound will be down to pairing. I used the Opus 21 with solid state but the X-03 se has a valve amp behind so you might say the sound is dynamic and detailed with warmth. It's strictly red book though, no dac potential with this model. A fine quality player for CD and SACD which was a major motivation. I'd love to hear other Esoteric players.
 
I can get a decent sound out of a computer, and the Melco was pretty good, but while the current set-up is the best Mac-based replay I've had here, to my ears my CD transport sounds better on a fundamental level.

Curious to hear how you compared.
 
Top CDPs, computer audio, fine, but a quality vinyl set-up is still the music transcription acme. Browsing in W.H. Smith this morning and reading about the new analogue stuff (Ortofon, e.g.) coming out, this highly contentious comparison will no doubt continue.

No-one's mentioned the Naim CDP 555, which, regardless of value, is among the top players still.

O.P., it's a challenging task to try to move on from a recognisably accomplished player like the Opus, and I venture to suggest that any other s/s CDP might be a little different in presentation, but effectively not a leap forward. A valved CDP, however, is just so different and involving that the change would be justified on those grounds alone. Hang on to your Opus after buying its replacement, chop and change as I've done with amplifiers, speakers and CDPs and when convinced, sell the other, having lost little or no residual value in the interim.

Took me 6 months to relinquish my Na 135s for valved E.A.R. mono's and similarly to my transition to large ESLs from my ProAc Response Four behemoths.
 
Thank you for this debate. As a Merdian 207 user, I'm finding the thought of an Op21 or Lector very appealing. But sure if I can cope with 2.5V output though through a Music First Pre.
The 207 is fine (useful backup preamp) but can bit a bit flat. Classical CDs are cheap compared to second hand vinyl so a great CD player would be good value.
 
I don't really qualify to answer since I haven't come from an RA, but anyway if you want heritage build quality and sound, I'd always look to the best of Japan. In particular, Luxman.
http://www.luxman.com/product/detail.php?id=13
I've settled on one of these. Owned it now for 10 years and it remains fautless. Nor have I (yet) to hear a sound I prefer. Quite a bargain given the cost of the models above it :)

I have the d-05u too. It's excellent, though I don't know how prices outside Japan compare to competitors.
 
I have the d-05u too. It's excellent, though I don't know how prices outside Japan compare to competitors.
I don't know now. At the time I was comparing it to Esoteric, Accuphase, Rega and etc. It was in the upper 2000's then IIRC, and I couldn't find better for my pound (in my opinion natch).
 
I'm finding the thought of an Op21 or Lector very appealing. But sure if I can cope with 2.5V output though through a Music First Pre.

Ah! I'd forgotten the high output of the Lectors (but didn't know this was true of the Opus). Something like 3.5 volts. My 912 valved pre.'s meters couldn't cope with it, and I had to turn the volume down on my previous 552. I solved this by adding a low value attenuator (around -6 dB?). I was concerned at strangling s.q. but it hasn't, at least audibly. I tried larger values (-10 & -15 dB) and these did have a negative effect.
 
Thanks Mike. The brochure of my Meridian 207 has the output at 300mV. I always thought it was 2.0V.
 
I did recently listen to one of the latest Innuos units. The user interface was v slick however I felt the SQ was noticeably adrift from the Opus. Real shame as I wanted to prefer it given all the other obvious advantages. I can see how others might choose differently but computer audio isn’t for me. I suppose the smart thing to do would be to wait but there’s no fun in that.

Apologies for being blunt but have you tried running a computer/laptop to a DAC going into your preamp or integrated amp? I find this setup to be superior to a CD player setup which includes Krell KPS-30i and Esoteric SA-10. I compared both these CD players in my system and the difference is small between them. The computer/DAC setup brought music alive while it sounded slightly flatter and duller with the CD players.

A caveat is a quality DAC is required. I initially used the Musical Fidelity M1 DAC connected to a computer and it sounded noticeably inferior next to the CD player.
 
I would be nervous about a final CD player. Transports just aren’t as robust as they used to be since the Philips Swingarm days.

Very few DACs are actually transport agnostic, my DAC needs a low jitter transport, but the Benchmark DAC3 doesn’t. This way, you can just plonk any CD transport or computer in and it’ll perform as well.
 
I second this. Make sure you can get the transports. I had a Sony SCD-777ES with a really expensive transport that had a history of going bang. I got rid of this asap and that was years ago.
 
I have been using a Marantz Ki Pearl only 500 were made worldwide I believe and both the build quality and sound is staggeringly good.

2.5k new & I bought it for 1.4k off Lordmortlock several years ago probably the best money I have ever spent.
 
I am a bit curious, how much work you need to put on transport, to work it to its dead. Several hours every day? If you can listen cd player for several hours every day, do you actually have money for a cd player? Lasers life is shorter, agree, but replacements still in market. Recently replaced laser on Denon 3930 dvd player, I think it is about 15 year old model. Also recently replaced transport on Cambridge Audio D500SE player, just because it was almost same price as laser alone, it is very common transport, still in market. Few months back picked up used Denon 2500NE player, I expect to last it 20-30 years with no problem, build looks quite serious. Not sure about replacements, did not look up yet. Should I?
At the same time I see people changing dac more often then their shoes. So, it it nothing to do with expected life of dac. I you like a sound of chosen cd player, do not worry too much about transports. I cannot see how mechanics can fail in 20 years time.
 
Naim CDP 555, which, regardless of value, is among the top players still.

Why do you trot out this clap-trap? Have you ever owned one? I doubt it because if you’d forked out tens of thousands of your own pounds you wouldn’t make silly claims. It is a deeply average player with a crappy Philips transport and an automated bog seat which sometimes works. It wasn’t a very good CD player over a decade ago brand new, never mind now. The thing was beaten by streamers practically before it came out of the box. It is inexperienced people repeating spurious claims that are the cause of many problems in a rapidly shrinking ‘hobby’. Anyway, if you chose to spend your cash on one of these things don’t blame me. I’m sure Mike Reed will be here to pat you on the back and tell you it is wonderful - the bestest of the best, ever.
 


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